Greg Hovagim
Co-Founder and CTO
TankClarity
Your 30-second pitch
Louis Trebaol and I started TankClarity two years ago to address an all too common challenge: managing heating fuel. Our vision is to revolutionize heating fuel management both for delivery companies and consumers. The problem for heating fuel providers and consumers is information – or more precisely the lack of it—and TankClarity is the solution! We provide cloud based applications for fuel deliverers, an iOS and web applications for consumers, and IoT devices to connect them. Our most popular feature to date has been our critical level alerts via e-mail and text message, especially this winter with the volitale and extreme temperatures we have been experiencing. Consumers save time by easily connecting electronically with their fuel provider.
Who or what was your best resource for starting your company?
The University of New Hampshire’s Paul College was hands down the best resource for starting TankClarity. We started this project while Louis was enrolled in the Executive MBA program and used TankClarity for most of his projects in his final year. His cohort provided fantastic insights into the consumer views and overall business operation. The professors gave invaluable encouragement and feedback, both in and out of the classroom. And more than anything, this program gave us the confidence to pursue our vision.
What was your biggest obstacle in starting your company and how did you overcome it?
Thriving on limited resources is a big obstacle. We’ve developed a culture in TankClarity of focused, deliberate work. With so many potential things we could be working on, and both Louis & I wearing multiple hats, it’s easy to be reactive to pop-ups and distract us between competing priorities. Every week we bring focus to the ‘big rock’ that we have to invest our time.
What’s the best advice you have received?
The best advice we received was absorb all feedback and not take negative feedback personally. The feedback is about the idea and how to continuously improve in growing IoT marketplaces. It takes great discipline to stay focused, execute our strategy, and not give up on our dream.
What about the NH lifestyle appeals to you?
Both Louis and I are not New Hampshire natives. We both moved to NH to establish lives that matched the work/life balance we wanted. I moved here in 2008 to continue my passion of solving hard problems in the DoD community, and I never would’ve imagined that I would start my own company in NH. I’m proud to say, Live Free and Start!
What does the future look like for your company?
TankClarity’s future is very bright! We are pleased to share we were selected in the Accelerate NH 2018 cohort, and we were nominated for the New England Innovation Awards 2018. We are supporting several Fuel Oil Deliverers across New England, but I don’t want to make Propane providers feel left out in the cold currently with our Sensor technology. As we start Accelerate NH 2018 and lean into the pre-2019 heating season we are launching a new fuel ordering device that will provide single button push fuel ordering.
Connect with TankClarity
https://www.facebook.com/TankClarity-2091189070896354/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-trebaol-3a9ba17
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-hovagim-0188b85
Twitter: #tankclarity