We had the good fortune of connecting with Justin Chen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Justin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

I wanted to start my own business for entrepreneurial freedom and the pursuit of a valuable learning experience. After graduating from college during the dot-com bust, my co-founder, John, and I followed corporate paths at Microsoft and HP, respectively. However, the desire to embark on a joint entrepreneurial journey remained strong.
A few years into our corporate careers, we decided to explore the possibilities of starting our own business. We set aside a Martin Luther King long weekend to discuss if we were on the same page and see if we could develop a viable business idea. During our brainstorming sessions, we generated various opportunities, including opening a restaurant or bar and building a website.
Our rationale behind starting a company was twofold. First, we wanted to acquire valuable business experience, treating the endeavor as an informal MBA. We were prepared to accept the associated costs, even if the business failed within a couple of years. We believed that even in failure, we would learn invaluable lessons from the real world, providing insights we could apply in our corporate jobs.
Secondly, we craved the freedom that comes with entrepreneurial success. Our initial goal was not to create a venture-funded startup but to build a sustainable business that would eventually lead to a portfolio of successful small businesses. With this mindset, we embarked on our first venture, a self-funded restaurant menu aggregator.
At one point, while building our initial business, we needed consumer feedback on some redesign options we were considering. This necessity became the genesis of PickFu. We recognized the potential of a platform that could provide quick and reliable consumer feedback, and it started as a side project alongside our main business.
Over time, PickFu grew and gained traction, ultimately surpassing our initial business venture. We found that it fulfilled a genuine need in the market and provided immense value to entrepreneurs and businesses seeking consumer insights. Today, PickFu continues to evolve and thrive as the easiest platform for obtaining rapid consumer feedback for anyone from self-publishing authors to retail brands selling online to the largest gaming companies.

What should our readers know about your business?

PickFu is a unique platform that sets itself apart by providing invaluable consumer feedback to businesses of all sizes. Our journey with PickFu began with the excitement we felt when customers started sharing their incredible success stories and how our feedback had significantly impacted their business decisions. This customer satisfaction and the recognition of the value we bring have been the driving force behind our growth and success.
What sets PickFu apart is our unwavering commitment to making enterprise-grade consumer research accessible and easy for anyone who needs it. In today’s world, where entrepreneurship and side gigs are on the rise, there is a growing need for tapping into real consumer feedback to minimize risks and increase the chances of success. PickFu is the simplest and most user-friendly solution for obtaining such feedback.
Whether it’s choosing the right business name, designing a logo, crafting marketing copy, developing a new physical product, or creating a mobile game, all these endeavors require significant investments of time and money. Early directional consumer feedback can make all the difference between success and failure. At PickFu, we take pride in empowering businesses to make informed decisions by leveraging the power of consumer insights.
Our primary challenge lies in spreading awareness about the benefits of our platform. Many small businesses are unaware they can use a service like ours to gain consumer feedback. Additionally, in the upmarket segment, we face competition from larger, more established services already used within larger corporations.
However, our focus remains on serving small and mid-market companies where traditional research services are unavailable due to financial or expertise constraints. We take great pride in democratizing consumer research and making it available to everyone, regardless of budget or company size.
As we continue to grow, we remain dedicated to empowering businesses to make better decisions. Our ultimate goal is to be the go-to platform for entrepreneurs and companies seeking reliable and actionable consumer feedback. By offering an intuitive and accessible solution, we strive to impact the success and growth of businesses worldwide.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I would take them to the Culver City Steps to start with something active. It’s a fantastic outdoor spot that offers a refreshing hike and a breathtaking view of the city, including the iconic Hollywood sign.
After that, we would head up to Malibu and eat at Gladstones, a wonderful restaurant on the beach. After a delicious meal, we could take a leisurely stroll along the shoreline, enjoying the ocean breeze and the stunning coastal views.
Dinner time would have to be in Koreatown! My favorites at Kang Ho Dong for Korean BBQ and Sun Nong Dan for stews and soups.
A visit to San Gabriel Valley is a must for some delightful dim sum. My usual go-to is NBC Seafood.
To round it out, I would take them to Father’s Office in downtown Culver City for the amazing burger and nice selection of beers on tap.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I want to dedicate my shoutout to my wife, who deserves the utmost recognition and credit in my entrepreneurial journey. When I embarked on this path 17 years ago, we were engaged, and she was still pursuing her graduate studies. Throughout the years, she has consistently been a pillar of support and encouragement for me.
As any entrepreneur knows, the journey is filled with numerous highs and lows. Having a steadfast cheerleader by your side becomes even more crucial during challenging times. My wife has been that unwavering source of motivation, always believing in me and providing the support I needed to persevere.
Since beginning my entrepreneurial journey, we have celebrated our wedding and welcomed two beautiful children into our lives. Through these significant life events, my wife has remained a constant source of strength and inspiration, balancing the demands of our personal lives with the needs of my entrepreneurial pursuits.
Her unwavering belief in my abilities, encouragement during moments of doubt, and willingness to navigate the uncertainties that come with entrepreneurship have been invaluable to my success. I attribute a significant portion of my life to her continuous support.
I am grateful to have such an incredible partner who has stood by me throughout this challenging and rewarding journey. Her dedication, love, and unwavering support have undoubtedly significantly shaped my entrepreneurial path and achievements.

Website: https://www.pickfu.com

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/justinchen

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