Why did you start Joydrive?
I love creating simple solutions to complex problems—from helping lead the start-up of a digital auto lending business at a $13B finance company to securing four patents for my photographic art frames. After 14 years working in the automotive industry, I decided to follow my passion and create a simple solution to the greatest problem facing the auto industry: the car buying experience. My unique intersection of auto, digital, finance and entrepreneurship gave me the vision and courage to start Joydrive.
How has your background prepared you for Joydrive?
Prior to Joydrive, I had 14 incredible years with Ally Financial, formerly GMAC, the largest Automotive Finance Company in the nation. My career gave me insight into several distinct areas of the industry, including leading consumer and commercial operations, financing corporate bond exchanges during the 2009 bailouts, and most recently helping lead Ally's National Digital Auto business. I learned the valuable lessons that: 1) relationships matter and 2) working with dealers, rather than circumventing them, may actually lead to a simpler solution.