Food transport service available to students through app
A sophomore who wanted real marketing experience reached out to a food-delivery service and brought it to Central Michigan University.
The company, called EnvoyNow, launched in Mount Pleasant Feb. 1 and created more jobs for students in the process.
EnvoyNow is a service originally created by Freshmen in the dorm rooms of the University of Southern California in 2014. The business allows students to order food from restaurants that don't deliver, and have it delivered by those who work for EnvoyNow. Students can request the service by using the online app.
The business has now stretched to college campuses throughout the United States.
A student who wanted to gain real-life experience in her field couldn't find what she was looking for on campus. She decided to create it herself by launching...
Three full-time students worked together to bring the business to Mount Pleasant, including Fenton sophomore Kaitlyn Koss. She is a marketing major and has become a Strategic Partnership Manager for EnvoyNow at CMU.
Central Michigan Life talked to Koss about how she and her roommate discovered the business and why they decided to bring a branch to CMU.
How did you learn about EnvoyNow?
KOSS: I had no idea it was even a thing before, because it wasn't on our campus. A friend of mine (from the University of Michigan) was trying to expand it to multiple campuses like CMU. He reached out to me and my roommate looking for marketing students that would be interested to start it, and we both were like 'let's do it.'
What motivated you to see it through?
It's cool to start your own company, but that's not really what I was looking to do in college. My goal as the restaurant marketing manager is to go sell my business to other businesses, so that's really what I was trying to gain— sales experience.
I originally just thought it would be a good idea for the campus, but I also thought it was great experience and an opportunity for me to put on my resume. Even the management process was interesting, finding employees and making sure people are interested in it before we go for it gung-ho — this is the exact experience that I need.
How long have you been working on this together and what was the process like?
I heard from him in December, I believe, and we started right away, asking people if they would be interested in driving, or if they were interested in general. We also have to find people to work in the (residence halls) as representatives to spread the word. They are given a promo code, telling people about EnvoyNow. (Representatives) ask if you want to download the app and tell you to input the promo code when you put the first order in. Representatives also get a dollar for every order they bring in and $10 for each driver that applies through them.
What is it like for drivers to work for EnvoyNow?
You get to pick your own hours, make tips and an hourly wage. Right now we have exactly 25 drivers, and are in the process of hiring more. There will be more job opportunities for students in the future.
What is EnvoyNow like on other campuses?
Within the first two months at the University of Michigan they had over 200 orders a week. They are obviously a way bigger campus than we are, but depending on how big it is for your campus, the hourly wage for drivers goes up.
At the University of Southern California, where it started, the drivers make $25 per hour because it's just so popular. We are starting out at $9 per hour.
Have you ever heard of students your age starting something like this?
The CEOs of this company, who seem incredible to me. I FaceTimed one of them and he was chilling in Hawaii. But besides them not really. It's not my company, I just brought it to Central, so they get all the credit. Props to them, because they were my age when they started it and some of them are still in college.
