Veselin what's your backstory?

I was born and raised in Burgas, a vibrant city on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. From an early age, I was drawn to technology, which later led me to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology at the University of Economics in Varna.

While still a student, I ventured into freelancing, developing web applications, and learning firsthand how to create scalable software solutions. These early experiences shaped my entrepreneurial spirit and laid the foundation for my later ventures. On a personal note, I got married at the age of 23, and my family has always been my biggest inspiration. Today, I am the proud father of three wonderful daughters who keep me motivated and grounded.

What does your company do and how did you come up with the idea?

After 15 years of developing PHP-based web applications and successfully selling that business a few years ago, we decided to channel our experience into something new. That’s how VEVS was born—a rental software platform designed to meet the needs of businesses across various industries.

Our mission is to provide a complete package that includes rental software, a website builder, hosting, customization, and ongoing support. Businesses use VEVS to save time, streamline operations, and enhance their customer experience, all while having a platform that adapts to their unique needs.

The idea for VEVS came naturally. Over the years, we noticed a recurring demand from clients for comprehensive, all-in-one solutions—not just software, but a full ecosystem to support their business growth. This inspired us to create a platform that delivers everything in one place, empowering businesses to focus on what they do best.

How did you get your first 20 paying customers?

Before launching VEVS, our previous business had already served nearly 50,000 clients worldwide, giving us a strong reputation and a vast network. This foundation played a crucial role in gaining our first paying customers for VEVS.

Our approach has always been to build products that can be used globally, freeing us from the limitations of a single market. This allowed us to introduce VEVS to a broad audience from the very beginning. Leveraging our established client base and reputation, we reached out to potential customers who were already familiar with our work and trusted our ability to deliver high-quality solutions.

This combination of global reach and prior credibility gave us the momentum to secure our first 20 customers quickly, laying the groundwork for VEVS to grow.

What steps did you take to validate that there was a need for your product?

Before launching VEVS, we had delivered over 15,000 custom modifications to our previous products. This gave us deep insights into the specific needs and pain points of businesses across various industries. Over the years, we worked with a diverse range of clients, from startups to small and medium-sized enterprises, which allowed us to understand their challenges and what they valued most in a software solution.

The journey wasn’t entirely smooth. We faced challenges in designing a product flexible enough to cater to diverse industries while remaining intuitive for end users. Through client feedback and ongoing adjustments, we refined VEVS to ensure it truly met their needs. This iterative process, driven by real-world experience and client collaboration, confirmed that we were on the right path.

Why launch a website builder in a crowded market, and how did you succeed?

When we first launched VEVS, the website builder made up 50% of the platform. However, as we evolved, the focus shifted to our business rental software, which now accounts for 90% of the platform. The website builder remains a valuable feature, but its role is complementary—it ensures our clients don’t have to worry about how to create a website once they’ve chosen our rental software to run their business.

Our decision to include a website builder wasn’t about competing in the crowded web design space; it was about convenience and integration. By offering a built-in website builder, we eliminated the need for clients to rely on external solutions like WordPress or design agencies. They can get everything they need—rental software and a functional website—in one seamless package.

How do you acquire new customers, and which distribution channels work best for you?

Our primary customer acquisition channel is organic traffic through Google search. We’ve invested significant effort in optimizing our content and website for SEO, ensuring potential customers can easily find us when searching for rental software solutions. This has been our most reliable and scalable source of new leads.  We also use Google Ads, though we allocate only a modest budget to this channel. These paid campaigns help us target specific keywords and industries, providing a steady stream of additional traffic and customers.

However, the most effective and rewarding channel for us has been word of mouth. Many of our customers recommend VEVS to their peers, which speaks to the trust we’ve built and the quality of our service. This channel has grown organically over time, fueled by our commitment to excellent customer support, a reliable product, and a positive client experience.

If you could only have 1 distribution channel moving forward, which would you keep and why?

If we had to choose just one distribution channel, it would undoubtedly be word of mouth. It is the most powerful and authentic form of marketing. It not only brings in highly qualified leads but also fosters trust and credibility from the outset. Customers who come through referrals are more likely to convert and remain loyal because they already have a positive perception of our product, thanks to the recommendation of someone they trust.

Who are your main competitors, and which channels do they rely on?

Since VEVS caters to multiple industries, our competitors vary depending on the specific sector. For example, in the car rental industry, we face competition from dedicated rental software providers, while in the car dealer industry, the competitors are entirely different platforms tailored for dealerships.

Despite the diversity of competitors across industries, we’ve observed that they rely on distribution channels similar to ours - SEO, paid advertising, and recommendations.  These shared strategies highlight the importance of optimizing our presence across these channels to maintain a competitive edge across industries.

After your first 20 customers, how did you acquire the next 100? Which platforms or methods did you use?

To acquire our next 100 customers, we focused on building trust and expanding our reach through multiple strategies:

Client Reviews: We actively encouraged our clients to share their experiences and write reviews about our services. Positive testimonials helped establish credibility and attracted potential customers who value peer feedback.

Social Media Engagement: We maintained an active presence on social media platforms, sharing success stories, product updates, and industry insights. This helped us connect with our target audience, boost brand visibility, and engage with potential customers directly.

Referral Program: We introduced a referral program to reward existing customers for recommending VEVS to others. This strategy leveraged our most satisfied clients as advocates, producing a steady flow of high-quality leads.

These approaches proved highly effective in the early stages, as they combined organic reach, customer trust, and word-of-mouth promotion to grow our customer base efficiently.

What distribution channels did you try that didn’t work?

One approach we tried but found ineffective was cold emails and calls. While we initially thought this would be a good way to directly reach potential customers, it didn’t yield the results we expected.  The primary challenge was that this method felt intrusive and didn’t resonate well with our target audience. Most prospects were either not interested or already overwhelmed by similar outreach efforts. Additionally, it was time-consuming and didn’t align with the trust-based relationships we strive to build with our customers.

What specific tools, software, or resources have been most helpful in growing your business?

As software developers, we’ve relied heavily on in-house solutions to support and grow our business. For example, we created an automated follow-up email system that helps us stay engaged with leads and customers, improving retention and conversion rates through timely communication. We also developed a custom ERP system to manage customer accounts and streamline operations, providing a centralized and scalable approach to client management.

More recently, we’ve incorporated AI into various aspects of our business. It assists us in delivering faster, more accurate customer support, creating marketing materials, and even producing videos. These tools and resources have been instrumental in scaling our operations while maintaining the high level of service our customers expect. By building our own solutions and leveraging AI, we’ve been able to innovate and adapt to changing demands effectively.

How did you make the transition from a side hustle to full-time entrepreneurship?

My journey into entrepreneurship began early—I started freelancing while I was still a student at the University of Economics in Varna. Since I never had a full-time job, there wasn’t really a “transition” in the traditional sense. Freelancing was my full-time focus from the start.

This early start allowed me to gain invaluable experience, build a network, and understand the needs of clients across different industries. Over time, the skills and insights I developed through freelancing naturally evolved into creating my own business ventures, including VEVS. Entrepreneurship has always been my path, and I’ve been fully committed to it from the beginning.

What drives you to do what you do?

I have a deep passion for building software. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about creating solutions that help businesses operate more efficiently, solve their challenges, and grow. Seeing the positive impact our products have on clients and knowing that we’re contributing to their success is what keeps me motivated every day. It’s this love for innovation and problem-solving that drives everything I do.

Any quotes you live by?

"Chance favors the prepared mind."

Any promotions you would like to add for Founderoo readers?

We’d love to offer Founderoo readers a special promotion! Simply contact us and mention that you read about us on Founderoo, and we’ll give you a 10% discount on our services. We look forward to helping your business thrive!

Your links + socials

VEVS Facebook

VEVS Youtube

VEVS X

‍