10 Questions with MYGENIE Founder Michelle Alaghband

MYGENIE is a location-based, two-way communication platform that provides consumers a fun and direct way to connect with any business they frequent.

Founder: Michelle Alaghband

Company: MYGENIE

Location: New York, New York

1. I came up with the concept of MYGENIE:

When my business partner Danny and I were looking at a different idea that fell through. We actually stumbled upon the idea of making customer service fun and fit for the 21^st century. Like in any startup, our idea changed every day, so we took every idea we had created and developed what MyGenie™ currently is today.

The MyGenie™ intelligent geo-locator lets customers, physically in your place of business, send real-time messages to your business. The platform gives customers a voice, provides honest and helpful feedback, helps companies gain insight into employee-customer relations, and can aid in curbing negative reviews.

This is only the beginning!

2. Ambition:

I hope to change the way consumers and businesses interact with one another one city at a time. Like several other shoppers, I am constantly looking for someone to complain to, someone to ask a question to, and give feedback.

Like many customers, I am too shy or in many cases, I just don’t have the time to track someone down. I’d love for MyGenie to be second nature for consumers; walk into a business, speak to them hassle free, get a response … quick, painless, my terms, easy.

3. One day I hope to:

First and foremost, be a wife and mother. Second, I one day hope to open a summer camp for child with disabilities and/or life-threatening diseases.

When times get hard in the office, I remind myself that the more successful I am with MyGenie™, the quicker I can pursue my lifelong goal. I’m a big believer in gratitude from giving.

4. Current obsession:

Chop’t’s Kebab Cobb salad; it’s the perfect salad for a Persian girl. It’s got the pita chips, the feta … so delicious! Oh and I absolutely adore my Porsche sunglasses that I borrowed (for an indefinite period of time) from my uncle. I’m going to the grave wearing them (while of course, eating my salad).

5. Favorite business tool:

It’s cliché, but my iPhone. Close second … my hot pink Hermes agenda book.

6. Favorite book(s):

Randy Pausch’s, The Last Lecture. It’s a must read. I’ll also read anything by Nicolas Sparks — because I’m a woman after all.

7. Best place to unwind:

My bathtub. It’s the only time I can disconnect from technology and everyday distractions. I find it’s become my Mecca for peace.

8. Would love to have dinner with:

My late grandfather. He was the most amazing man I could have ever asked to meet. I would love to sit down and have dinner with him to not only ask his opinion of what my life has become since his passing a few years ago, but also to introduce him to my boyfriend, who is definitely “the one.”

A close second would be Queen Rania of Jordan — she’s incredible.

9. You can never have too many:

Love letters, shoes, bags … and let’s be honest, money!

10. Essential business tip:

Don’t doubt yourself. I’ve learned this the hard way.

Don’t wait to do something because you’re scared that it isn’t perfect or that others won’t love it. Chances are, they will and someone else will do it if you don’t. Worst case, you fail and the lessons you learn will lead you to do something ten times better.

Photo Credit: MYGENIE