A Chat with Founder of MatchPad, Anne Kavanagh

I got lucky. I never had to deal with finding a random roommate in an unknown city. Two of my best friends from college were also moving to New York City so our plans were set from the beginning. Not everyone is as fortunate. I have heard countless horror stories of people trying to find roommates or apartments in an unknown big city. Whether it be fake ads, creepy potential roommates or incomplete and outdated posts, finding a place to live with a compatible person can be incredibly difficult. That is where MatchPad comes in. MatchPad is a roommate matching service that uses a mathematical algorithm to look at one’s lifestyle, location and budget and match them with a compatible roommate. I had the opportunity to hear from MatchPad’s Co-founder and CEO, Anne Kavanagh, for an inside look at the business.

TechDay: Was there ever a time when you thought that the business would fail?

Anne: “This is an interesting question. I think as a founder this is possibly one of the most dangerous thoughts that can enter your mind. Although, like every other founder out there, I've had bad days, but there has never been a moment I have thought to myself "this is the end". I feel that the moment you have this thought is when your business will fail because you can't see any way out. I personally combat this with being prepared for every situation and adapting/pivoting as necessary, utilizing the data and experiences through growth to give our users, investors and the company what it needs to grow.”

T: What did you feel like on the best day of your company's existence and why?

A: “Launch of the Beta...This is such a special untainted moment. You don't know what’s ahead of you so all your experiences are full of passion and creativity and excitement. You see months of work come to fruition and it’s the first time you see a user engage with your company or product.”

T: What’s your differentiator?

A: “In the last 6 months we have seen so many real estate tech products come to market. Many are offering the same features or tools. I firmly believe that the team beside you is what will set you apart from the crowd. If your values are aligned, you can pull together to execute efficiently and be open minded to adapt with your users needs, you can do anything. On the technical side of things we encompass the entire rental search to offer the best options to our users so they don't have to sacrifice on where or who they live with. We also offer a suite of features to make the entire rental process easier for both the tenant and landlord, in other words we are planning on offering a complete rental marketplace from the user’s journey beginning to end.”

T: What’s the level of growth you’d be satisfied seeing in the next year?

A: “We are currently available in LA and NYC. In the next 6 months our expansion plans include 3 more US cities, London and we are launching in Ireland in the next 6 weeks.”

MatchPad is essentially Match.com for roommates and apartment seekers. All profiles are verified to avoid any type of scam and ensure great user experience. It’s free, safe, and easy to use. With MatchPad, finding the perfect roommate and apartment is a very attainable goal.

Special thanks to MatchPad co-founder and CEO, Anne Kavanagh.