By: Joshua Finley
Adam Graham, a seasoned entrepreneur with extensive experience in mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets, is the founder and CEO of JustFix, a cutting-edge startup revolutionizing the home maintenance industry. With a rich background that includes running a global public company, Adam is well-versed in navigating the complexities of both private and public markets. His latest venture, JustFix, aims to simplify home repairs in a way that’s as seamless as booking a ride with Uber.
The Uber for Home Maintenance
JustFix, founded in 2021, is designed to make home maintenance as simple as a click of a button. “We try to make it as easy as booking a taxi or a takeaway to get a plumber, a locksmith, a handyman round your house to fix things” Adam explains. The app connects homeowners, tenants, and landlords with trusted tradespeople available in their area within minutes, effectively removing the stress and anxiety typically associated with finding reliable help for urgent repairs.
Three Essential Tips for Launching a Startup
Drawing from his extensive experience, Adam shares three critical tips for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to launch their own startups.
Pick a Good Product or Service
Identifying a unique and unsolved problem is the cornerstone of a successful startup. Adam emphasizes the importance of innovation and originality. “Pick a good product or service. Find something no one has done before. I did that with JustFix,” he states. The home maintenance market, unlike ride-sharing, presents added complexity due to the necessity of skilled trades, which is why JustFix focuses on vetting and training its tradespeople to ensure quality and reliability.
Lean into Corporate Governance
Effective corporate governance is crucial for the stability and growth of a startup, especially when preparing for public offerings. Adam highlights the importance of establishing best practices early on. “Running a public company requires additional oversight. It’s about getting best practice in corporate governance, which sounds really boring, but making sure that you’ve got certain processes and procedures in place,” he explains. This includes having a well-constituted board and maintaining good financial reporting to ensure reliability and transparency.
Protect Your Autonomy as a CEO
Maintaining the autonomy to make swift decisions is vital for a startup’s agility. Adam advises new CEOs to balance governance with flexibility. “It’s important not to tie yourself up in red tape. Ensure that the chief executive of the company still has enough autonomy to run the business without going back to the board every 5 minutes,” he recommends. This autonomy enables the CEO to respond quickly to market changes and operational challenges, fostering a more dynamic and responsive business environment.
The Future of JustFix
Currently operating in the UK, JustFix is poised for expansion into Europe and North America. Adam and his team are preparing for an IPO on the Aquis Stock Exchange to access capital and provide liquidity for their investors. “We’re still an early-stage company in growth mode,” Adam notes. “This is a way to access capital, provide some liquidity for our investors, and give us other levers to pull because we’re planning to use acquisitive growth as part of the mix as well as just organic growth.”
Adam Graham’s vision for JustFix is to create a seamless, efficient solution for home maintenance, much like Uber did for transportation. His journey inspires entrepreneurs, demonstrating how innovation and determination can drive meaningful change.
Click here to download the JustFix app today.
Published by: Nelly Chavez