Meet Jessica Mendoza, co-founder of Monadd
I’m Jessica Mendoza, founder of Monadd. By day I had a corporate job where I was leading global digital projects, mostly in the field of marketing and product launches. In my spare time, I consulted with multiple small businesses on marketing strategy. One of my most recognisable clients at the time was the art and technology incubator, called New INC, at the New Museum in New York City. I always enjoyed having multiple projects to work on.
What inspired you to get into tech, and to start your business?
A natural curiosity to figure out how computer systems work made me dive more into the tech space. Then, when it came the time to start Monadd, the inspiration came from solving a real pain point on getting information updated across accounts. I have lived in four countries and seven different cities, and as work becomes remote more people like me will continue to move. The need to be in control of one's information is necessary for the modern workforce.
What has been the most challenging thing so far?
For any startup, one of the key challenges is garnering enough visibility in front of the right audience. Many people when they discover Monadd are quick to tell friends and family, but up to that point of discovery we have to make sure that the right people find us at the right time.
Your platform has recently announced it is integrating Post Office EasyID. How do you think startups and legacy enterprises like the Post Office can work together in future?
Many large entities want to provide a better user experience to their customers, and startups can help facilitate that gap with their technology solutions. In the future startups should see those that they feel most aligned with, not as competitors, but rather potential collaborators in furthering their mission. It does take a longer time to work with legacy enterprises but it's a worthwhile investment of time to get the visibility, interactions, and recognition many struggle to get. At Monadd, we're happy to set the tone, to inspire other startups to come.
What plans do you have for the business over the next two years?
I would love to share more on this, but those are plans that are kept behind closed doors at this stage. What is true is that early stage startups can rarely rely on a plan for the next two years as many conditions may change. They can set the direction and then embark on the choppy waters until they hit land again, as Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: "a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor."
What advice would you give to other women who are just starting a business? Particularly within tech?
Reflect on the skillset you have, that you enjoy and you are good at; the skill sets that you can do but you don't want to do; and, the skill sets that you don't have and don't want to do. Then, focus on the things that you are really good at, take on the things you can do but don't want to do as needed, and get support or find resources for the rest. It will save you a lot of frustration in the long run. If you find yourself doing it all then you have overexerted yourself, and likely will need to find your balance again. Focus and delegate instead.
What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment in your career to date?
As a business that is less than two years old, built by an immigrant who has lived in the UK for three years, and is now working with one of the most established legacy enterprises in the UK, this is a significant milestone to date for me and the team at Monadd. We are continuing to engage with large enterprises and we're aiming to break more milestones in the near future.
