I have a very specific picture in my head of what a tech start-up looks like. Through all glass walls, you can see guys in skinny jeans hunched over computers. There are individuals in glasses writing incomprehensibly endless equations, words and arrows on those transparent dry erase boards. I’m sure most of the audience of this article has the same image set in their minds.
I am interning in the marketing department of one of Nashville’s own tech start-ups and (thankfully) I don’t see as many skinny jean-clad males as I expected. If you do not already know from the seemingly millions of fliers that have been handed out on campus, OrderUp is an online restaurant delivery service that brings Vandy favorites, including Cabana and Hattie B’s, straight to your dorm room. The service knows all of campus’ locations, so you can get the chopped salad of your dreams or even a cup of frozen yogurt delivered to the stacks in the library. Even though I am at the office twice a week, I felt as if Hadley Miller, OrderUp’s community marketing manager, would have a better idea of the start-up life.
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Photo by Caroline Zambelli
Spoon: How did OrderUp start?
Hadley Miller (HM): In 2009, co-founders Chris Jeffrey and Jason Kwicien started OrderUp to offer customers a marketplace of restaurants. The company then started to receive orders for take out and, about two years ago, it started the delivery service.
Spoon: How did it start in Nashville?
HM: It started as a franchised company last summer and then in March it became corporate entity of OrderUp, Inc.
Spoon: What differentiates OrderUp?
HM: The real-time tracking service on both the computer and the app, a much lower delivery fee and faster service on average. Also, I think the fact that we have a team here in Nashville makes a difference in our marketing and service.
Spoon: When did you get acquired by Groupon?
HM: This summer, July 15th to be exact.
How many people work in the office in total?
HM: Here in Nashville? Five, plus three part-time interns.
Spoon: Do you see that number going up any time soon?
HM: Probably not anytime very soon, but definitely in the future.
Spoon: How does technology work into OrderUp?
HM: The tracker for real-time updates and ordering from the app are two important tech features. Also, marketing wise, the need for social media to get the word out there.
Spoon: How do you get involved with campuses?
HM: Mostly going to student organizations and sponsoring events on campus. Also, handing out fliers with coupon codes.
Spoon: What’s your favorite part of working at a small company?
HM: Watching it grow and knowing you have played a part in that growth is a really cool part of working [at OrderUp].
Spoon: Where do you see OrderUp going in the next year?
HM: Expanding our market here in Nashville and opening new OrderUp markets
Spoon: What is your favorite place order from?
HM: I don’t know, I don’t really order from the same places multiple times…*opens the app to look back at her order history* I have actually never ordered from the same place twice. I normally try all the new places as soon as we get them.
Even though the office was lacking dry-erase boards, the exciting and progressive energy that truly defines a tech start up is definitely present, as you can see from Hadley’s ever-changing lunch order.
Sign up today and get $7 off your first order by clicking this link: www.orderup.com/spoonu. OrderUp makes ordering food so easy and quick that your only problem now is, what do you want to eat?