Reham Fagiri knows from experience how annoying it can be to sell your used furniture when you're moving. That's why she, along with co-founder Kalam Dennis, started AptDeco, a New York City-based startup that takes the pain out of selling pre-owned furniture by handling all of the logistics for you.
The company launched in 2013 after graduating from the prestigious Silicon Valley tech accelerator Y Combinator.
By that time, Fagiri already had years of business experience under her belt. After graduating with an engineering degree from the University of Maryland, she landed a job at Goldman Sachs, where she spent five years working her way up the ranks.
But then Fagiri found herself searching for the next big thing. "Being a manager is one of the hardest things you can do, but I had an itch for more," she told Business Insider. "But I didn't know what." She packed her things and went to Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. Soon after, AptDeco was born.
We visited with Fagiri in her recently redecorated home in Harlem, which was completely decked out with items she purchased off of the site she helped build. Let's take a look inside.
When describing her personal style, Fagiri says, "I'm a mix of eclectic plus modern — I like bold colors and clean lines."
Fagiri moved to the US from Khartoum, Sudan, when she was just 16. "Leaving anywhere at 16 is intense, but thankfully I had my brother [in the US] and my best friend moved with me, so it was great," she said.
"My travels inspire me, coming from Sudan, and I've been a lot of different places," she said. "I love culture and bringing colors and traditions from different cultures: Kenya, South Africa, and more." This chess board, for example, was purchased during a recent trip to Kenya.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider