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What is 30under30?
30under30 is an Anthill initiative that was launched in early 2008 to encourage and promote entrepreneurship among young Australians. Each year, we invite our readers to nominate young Australian entrepreneurs deserving of recognition for their outstanding entrepreneurial endeavours. More.
Jack Fitzgerald, VIC (b. 1987)
Name: Jack Fitzgerald
Age: 23 (Born: February 1987)
Gender: Male
State: VIC
At age 23, Jack Fitzgerald is well on his way to never having to call someone “boss.” And for that, he rejoices.
“Working for someone else sounded like a jail sentence. I had to create a business or join the 9-to-5,” he says.
The result was Ship 2 Anywhere, a website that allows people to compare shipping costs of top couriers. In short — one-stop shipping shopping. The site, launched earlier this year, generates pricing and service options, and allows a user to book his or her choice. Ship 2 Anywhere adds a small margin to each booking to provide revenue.
Ship 2 Anywhere grew out a chance meeting with a guy who, like Fitzgerald, worked as a lifeguard on weekends. It turned out they took the same logistics course at university. Fitzgerald had the web and SEO skills; the partner (Fitzgerald refers to him only as “Michael;” you know who you are, buddy) had the logistics sales experience.
“Without each other, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Fitzgerald says.
Ship 2 Anywhere, initially funded with the help of family and friends, is still building its client base, but the company already has several advantages. Start-up costs were so small that they said “no” to potential investors more than once, and the risk level is low because the shipping suppliers take on the bulk of the responsibilities.
And the company already got some love from Anthill as one of its SMART 100 winners. Fitzgerald said Ship 2 Anywhere also finished fourth in the contest’s Readers’ Choice category, thanks in no small part to a vigorous campaign on Twitter and Facebook.
“The day the results were announced, we received phone calls from perspective clients and partners looking to work with us,” Fitzgerald says.
“Find people who have done what you want to do, approach them and annoy them until they give in and meet you. Then suck every last bit of information out of them.”
— Jack Fitzgerald
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To check out the full list of Anthill’s 30under30 winners, click here.