Willson Cross has had a long journey, starting fresh out of high school in his tech app journey. He truly worked hard in achieving his goal of being a software leader, starting off with a pet-related business. Afterwards, he slowly transitioned into Borderless AI, which is stated to be the first AI company that brings HR into the mix, with automating the process of paying international members, a strong feature. A successful venture, Cross proves true leadership into continuing his ventures, even after achieving initial success – his journey is still continuing.
What motivated you to start Go Fetch, your first business?
I just knew a few people that were successfully building internet companies and software businesses. I just happened to get to know them by chance. They were successful entrepreneurs. It was just very eye-opening to me that you could start a company on the internet from anywhere in the world. And I said I want to do this, why can’t I do this? I just have a lot of push and amps to do a business from an early age.
Friends showed that there was a big opening in the future of the humanization of pets and companion animals in the Canadian market. I saw the real-world problem myself; being a dog owner and not able to travel without getting a sitter. It was just another industry. I thought that was going to go online, an Airbnb for dogs.
Did you have any setbacks or struggles when you first started?
I could name a few. I think that’s something that’s not always talked about, the money needed to start. A year is a long time to go without a job, without any funding, without revenue. Well, you might get some funding, but it doesn’t mean you have the revenue.
Some struggles include being so young; Is anybody going to trust you enough? Can a first-time founder execute it? I was a first-time founder at the time, so all of these were financial setbacks. After four to five years, people started paying attention to us: You could go on our app and book daycare, where we would connect you with a trusted, verified service provider that would watch your pet. You can book a dog walker the same way you book an Uber, and you could book a dog sitter the same way you book Airbnb.
How was the transition from GoFetch to Borderless AI?
The company was acquired five years later. After it got acquired, we spent a couple of years figuring out what I wanted to do now with testing and killing lots of ideas.
Setting up the business legally, accountants, a team was easy. There were roadblocks, compliance roadblocks, like having my global businesses abiding to the laws of countries.
What was the most successful event in your venture?
Hiring our senior leadership team is what made it come to life. We have a great Chief product officer, a great Chief technology officer and a great Chief product officer, so those three hires were above and beyond for us in in creating something long-standing, that’s the greatest achievement. That’s what Borderless AI is today: How to pay your international talent across the world compliantly without the need to set up your own entities and payroll systems.
What is your message to entrepreneurs people who left school when they wanted to start a business but are uncertain?
Nobody should do that: If you need somebody else to give you guidance or give you a little bit of jolt to go start something, then you shouldn’t start it. It’s something you need to kind of feel from within, a feeling.
A desire for we’re going to do this anyway. It’s kind of we’re not going to do it because somebody gives us a little guidance, so I would say that those are going to become entrepreneurs are going to become entrepreneurs. Give that person guidance once they have made it (as an entrepreneur) because that’s the hardest part. You need a product or service, that people are willing to part money with. It’s not an easy decision to make.
I’m in a complex business. We’re moving money internationally, numbers of countries, employment law banking. Be good at one of those, but I’m not going to be an expert in all of them. So, what I need to be an expert in is making sure I find the right experts.
It’s your entrepreneurship that showcases your own confidence, and just because you first started off somewhere in one field doesn’t mean you can’t start off in another field. I’m a big believer that people can just do things if they’re high agency.
Babak Eslami | Writer
