Three of the five co-founders Robert Sanders (L), Chad Robischon, and Katie Fraser (R). Not pictured: Aaron Goff and Sharath Udupa.
When he’s not working for Microsoft or running his multimedia company 4th and State, Chad Robischon (B.A., 2012) does marketing for a new startup called Stash.
“Stash afforded me the opportunity to help design a product from the ground up – creating something from nothing but an idea and long hours,” Robischon said. “It may sound nerdy, but I find it fun thinking of all the ways a customer could use a product, and what tools could make it easier for them… What really keeps me excited about this startup though is the team.”
CEO Katie Fraser, who attends the UW Foster School of Business, leads the peer-to-peer storage company and they recently won $2,500 at the UW Business Plan Competition.
“I’m sure this analogy is thrown around a lot, but being part of a startup is a roller coaster,” Robischon said. “One week we were rejected by an accelerator, the next we won $2,500 and were featured on KOMO 4 News and Geekwire. In one moment you can feel as though everything is taking a long time, and in the next you can feel like you have so much momentum.”
The main concept of Stash allows people to store one item, like a bike or mattress, and only pay for the space it needs instead of an expensive and oversized storage unit. Useful for summers away or three months abroad, college students are a key audience for this service.
“I hope we are able to create a community of people who want to not only make money, but help their neighbors by storing their items – to create the same feeling as when you ‘ride with a friend’ or ‘stay in a home away from home,’” Robischon said.
While Robischon’s skills are growing, so is Stash. They are currently looking for another developer to add to their team. If interested, contact info@stashwith.me.
“Ideally it takes off and we get a nice office somewhere down by the water,” Robischon said. “Our team would be able to come into work and bounce new ideas around. I am very fortunate to be working with such talented people.”