Meet Sophie Vu: Founder of Randevu
We want to know about you! Tell us about your background.
I'm Sophie Vu, CEO and Co-founder of Randevu, an AI relationship platform for busy people to develop meaningful relationships. I'm a brand and GTM leader with 20+ years experience establishing and scaling B2B & B2C software companies, including Unbabel, Vibes and Hootsuite. I have a graduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management, and did my undergrad at San Francisco State University.
Tell us about your business! Give us your 30-second pitch
Beyond the swipe, likes, fans and followers, having meaningful relationships has become increasingly challenging in a noisy, highly digital world. Nearly 61% of U.S. adults are lonely. According to an 85-year Harvard study, positive relationships keep us happier, healthier and help us live longer. Randevu is an AI platform that helps people focus on deepening relationships and staying in touch with everyone in their circle. Randevu makes making plans IRL effortless and provides insights for improving interactions over time. Using Randevu, you will understand yourself and your relationship with others, empowering your social and mental well-being and personal growth.
What made you decide to start a business?
I've been a startup tech executive for my entire career. Along the way, I've come to believe that technology can be used for social good, to solve human needs, not just for the sake of technology. That's why I started Randevu. I was feeling lonely and craving meaningful connections with people. But it was hard to make time for friends and family, and I was frustrated by the endless back-and-forth messages it took to schedule a simple hangout. One day, I had an epiphany. I realized that there had to be a better way to connect with people. I wanted to create a platform that would make it easy for people to meet up, have meaningful conversations, and build lasting relationships. Randevu is a platform that helps people connect with each other in real life. It's designed to be simple and easy to use. Think of Randevu as a personal assistant who gets to know you with a few simple onboarding questions and become more knowledgeable such as knowing whether you would invite a close friend to attend a hot yoga session on Sunday or have a spiced chai with a co-worker at a local cafe on Wednesday. I'm excited about the potential of Randevu. I believe that it can help people to connect with each other in a more meaningful way. I also believe that it can help to reduce loneliness and isolation in the world. I'm committed to making Randevu a platform that is safe, secure, and easy to use. I believe that everyone deserves to have meaningful connections with people, and I'm excited to help make that happen.
What advice would you give to a new entrepreneur?
My advice is to be passionate about your business. If you're not passionate about your business, it will be difficult to succeed and do the hard work day in, day out. So make sure that you're working on something that you're truly passionate about.
What has been the most challenging part of running a business?
The biggest challenge for me has been the transition from having a steady income to bootstrapping my business. The financial uncertainty can be stressful and anxiety-inducing, making it difficult to focus on the business. You have to trust yourself and stay focused on the big picture while disciplined to make progress day-to-day.
What about your business makes you most excited? What is your biggest accomplishment to date?
I'm most excited about the initial validation we've received from potential users and customers. We have more than 100 people signed up for our beta launch, which is scheduled for this summer. This feedback gives me the signals to keep going and working towards our mission of helping people live healthier and more fulfilling lives through human connection.
What is a common misconception about your work?
That being a founder/entrepreneur is glamorous and building a startup is a linear journey (it's not).
What podcasts are you listening to?
The Mel Robbins Podcast, Profitled Podcast, Hidden Brain
What is your guilty pleasure?
Watching cooking tips and recipes on TikTok
How can we follow you?
Want to Be Featured Too?
Thanks so much, Sophie, for sharing your story! Want to share yours as well? Feel free to reach out! We’d love to meet you.