By: Swoop
Author: Pete, you co-founded Swoop in 2018, and the company has grown rapidly since then. Can you tell us about your journey from Microsoft to starting Swoop?
Pete: Of course – before starting Swoop, I spent five years at Microsoft, helping to expand their online stores internationally across enterprise, education, and small business. I worked in places like China, Australia, Singapore, and Europe, which was an incredible experience. But what really motivated me to start my own business was seeing the entrepreneurial spirit of my parents. They’ve run small businesses for over 40 years—my mother was a marketing consultant and started multiple businesses, and my father founded a graphic design company. I knew I wanted to create something of my own, and that led me to start Swoop with one of my closest friends & co-founder, Amir Ghorbani.
Author: What was the driving force behind Swoop? What gap did you see in the market that inspired you to tackle the ground transportation industry?
Pete: Amir and I noticed how fragmented and dated the ground transportation industry was. He comes from a transportation family, so he had firsthand experience with the challenges operators face. We saw that the industry wasn’t digitized—everything was manual and inefficient. So, while Amir was at Deloitte and I was at Microsoft, we spent time visiting transportation operators to understand if the challenges Amir’s family faced were widespread. It became clear that if we could create a platform that helped operators digitize their businesses while also connecting demand from people looking for transportation solutions, we could really make an impact.
Author: You mention that Swoop operates on both the demand and supply side of the transportation industry. Could you break down your business model and how you serve both sides?
Pete: We essentially run two business units under Swoop. On the demand side, we help companies—mostly corporate clients—book transportation for anything from employee commutes to large events. Our goal is to make booking transportation as seamless as possible. On the supply side, we’ve built Moovs, a SaaS platform that helps transportation operators run their businesses more effectively. The platform handles everything from fleet management to payments and marketing. Moovs is designed to help operators digitize their business and ultimately grow it.
Author: Today, Swoop has become a multi-million-dollar company serving customers around the world. What are some of the biggest challenges now compared to when you started?
Pete: One of the fascinating aspects of building and growing a company is that the challenges never disappear—they evolve. Early on, the goal is often to find product-market fit and operate with maximum efficiency. Now, my focus has shifted to empowering the team at Swoop to make meaningful contributions and thrive. My priority is to create an environment where employees feel valued, inspired, and have the autonomy to do their best work while enjoying the journey.
Author: As you look ahead, what milestones are you focusing on over the next six months?
Pete: On the demand side, we’re continuing to innovate for companies and their commute – like better route optimization and using data to provide more impactful insights. On the supply side, we’re building products that help operators grow their businesses and become more efficient. AI is playing a huge role in this as well—we’re on the verge of transforming the way operators manage their transportation businesses by integrating AI into our platform.
Author: Scaling a company like Swoop has its share of challenges. What advice would you give to someone looking to start or scale a business?
Pete: The most important thing is to stay patient and focused. Results don’t happen overnight, but when you believe in what you’re building and stay persistent, you’ll see progress. Be humble, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments along the way. When you find something that works, double down and keep pushing. And remember, scaling is all about consistency—once you find a formula that delivers results, keep at it and continue refining it.
Author: Next to building an impactful tech business, what do you like to do in your free time?
Pete: I try to balance family time, especially with our newest addition, Claire, and staying active—whether it’s playing basketball, biking, or hiking, anything that gets me outdoors. I’m also always focused on learning and self-improvement, whether for personal growth or to better help others. For me, it’s all about getting 1% better every day.
Author: Finally, are you open to connecting with aspiring entrepreneurs or founders looking for advice?
Pete: Absolutely! I love talking with people who are navigating the startup world. One way to reach me is on LinkedIn—feel free to connect with me there at linkedin.com/in/peterevenson.
Published by: Holy Minoza
