Interview with Ben Vester, Founder, Wyndscreen
Q: What does your company do? What problem are you solving? How did you “discover” this problem? Why are you passionate about it?
Ben: Wyndscreen is a peer to peer marketplace for buying and selling used vehicles. We are solving the problem of scams, spam, confusion, and frustration when buying and selling on the current platforms. These problems were discovered many years ago while personally using the current options and often saying there has to be a better way. I’m passionate about this because I want to provide a better way to find what I want, and help others to do the same, without dealing with scammers and spammers.
Q: What inspired you to start this venture? Is there a story behind the name of the company?
Ben: As an active user of most of the car buying sites over the years, I constantly was left feeling frustrated when searching for a particular item with certain specifications. It was quite apparent that the owners and buyers of lower priced items were underserved. After seeing other sites come available over the years without actually addressing the obvious issues inspired me to start this venture.
Q: What’s your background? How did you get here? Is there a story behind what led you to jump into entrepreneurship? What previous experiences influence your role today?
Ben: I went to NC State and got a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but as a part of that I took a full year program in Engineering entrepreneurship. This lit a fire. I wanted to create something, be my own boss, and be able to shape the business. I have had various jobs in engineering and construction over the years, but always have been working on ideas in my spare time. Due to less than ideal work experiences, shutdowns and layoffs over the years, I finally jumped all the way in on Wyndscreen. Due to past work experiences, I know the wrong ways to do things, the wrong people to partner with, and how I want the future to look.
Q: What’s your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?
Ben: Relying on myself and not having to spend time on so many things that are time and money wastes that plague corporate jobs.
Q: Do you have any mentors or role models who have inspired you while you have been building your business?
Ben: No one in particular, however there have been many that have offered bits and pieces of advice that have shaped my path and helped me avoid potential pitfalls. It is important to talk to as many people as you can.
Q: What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your startup journey so far? What are you still learning today? Any advice for entrepreneurs?
Ben: You will hear so many different ideas and opinions, it is important to stay the course and research ideas before acting on them. I learn something new everyday, from taxes, business development, to the daily release of new technology that is helpful in the startup journey. My advice is to understand your minimum viable product and work to get there. Do not jump into a full development immediately. There are many ways of judging customer input and getting valid reviews on your idea, so talk to as many people/groups as you can. From my perspective, most in the startup world are glad to share advice, but they are busy. Stay persistent.