Moovaz
Moovaz – the easiest path to international relocation.
Moovaz is a “one-stop moving company” – started in 2017 by friends Jerry, Vishnu, and Junxian – that aims to make international relocation a seamless and efficient journey. Calling itself the provider of “The Best International Moving Services in Singapore”, it is a member of the International Association of Movers (IAM) and has been used by thousands of families and individuals alike – with glowing reviews.
What is Moovaz’s story?
It is easy to mistake Moovaz as a company that simply moves belongings from one place to another, but co-founder Jerry Chua emphasises that what they call the “relocation journey” is about far more than just moving.
“Before you even start moving – say, from the UK to Singapore – there’s a lot of anxiety and stress because you don’t know what to expect. What subscription plans do I need to cancel? How can I get housing in Singapore, which bank should I open an account with, and what insurance plan and schools should I arrange for my family? What about money exchange? There’s a lot to consider. Moving is one part, but relocation is the whole journey we aspire to simplify.”
Indeed, Moovaz prides itself on handling many international moving concerns from accommodation and financial matters to lifestyle and family ones. Usually, Jerry says, the resources are ‘pretty fragmented’ due to the traditional working processes of the older players, making it hard for individuals to plan. Jerry capitalised on this by doing research on the American startup scene, before modifying and integrating whichever fresh takes and processes on relocation they could apply to Moovaz. The result is a streamlined and efficient system that makes things easy for any customer.
Their target audience – what the company calls Global Nomads – are all too happy with the convenience.
“These people move around the world, seeking different life experiences in the form of employment or residency. Based on our research, there are about 250 million Global Nomads around the globe. If they were a country, they would be the fifth largest one in the world. It’s a very interesting market, and one from which we can relieve a lot of pain.”
Building the startup
In growing the enterprise effectively, Jerry says their strategy is to focus on a few ‘corridors’ at a time. Like how they began their foundation by going all-in and becoming experts on moving before expanding their repertoire, the company’s strongest business ‘corridors’ thus far are Singapore-, Hong Kong-, and Australia-outbound relocations (to the rest of the world). It is in these countries that they have built up strong bases of industry contacts, allowing them to provide top-quality service and accumulate customer trust – which then enables them to forge new connections for other corridors around the world.
That said, industry challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic have threatened to stunt Moovaz’s growth. The company has managed to adapt and soldier on as a result of teamwork.
“We’re still a startup. We’re still learning which industry players are good fits for us, and how we can adapt to unexpected situations. COVID-19 has been game-changing – suddenly we were projecting zero revenue, but the ability to understand how we can still be relevant and prepare for a post-COVID reality has been important. Overall, we’ve really learned to sit back, look at our customers more, and plan ahead better in terms of our products. The challenges are difficult, but ones we can overcome. In tough times, it’s really about the resilience of our team, open communication, and celebrating small wins when we can.”
Moovaz’s long-term goals
Moovaz’s vision is to let anyone move anywhere freely and without worry – something that the team embraces. “The long-term goal for customers is not a logistical one – it’s a soft reset of their lives,” Jerry says. “Ultimately, we just want to make a cool product that can help people make smooth transitions into their new lives. We want to inspire freedom, like our tagline says, and let people relocate without fear. That’s our goal – and if anyone has thoughts about moving like that, we want them to think of Moovaz.”
As a side note, some of Moovaz’s plans have changed in light of the COVID-19 situation. Jerry adds that people can now, for example, relocate to Phuket while still working in Singapore. New kinds of markets have surfaced, and Moovaz is always talking to HR departments of big companies to know what they’re planning.
NTUitive and Moovaz
For the most part, NTUitive’s aid in Moovaz has been ‘soft’ – Jerry first met his NTUitive mentor through his friend, who was an NTU alumni at the time of their first venture. What has really helped, Jerry says, was not the grants, resources, or workshops catered to entrepreneurs – it was the mentorship and guidance. In fact, that is what Jerry believes all aspiring entrepreneurs should have: a good mentor will help smoothen the harsh learning curve in gaining experience in any industry.
“Frankie (from NTUitive) has been an always-positive mentor. I still believe that he’s the biggest impact NTUitive has made on Moovaz from back then. After experiencing that, I’m just trying to give back and try to help those who want to start their own journeys. My advice is simple: take the plunge and do it. Only by doing it will you have a ‘sure-win’; because even if you fail, you learn from your mistakes!”
Last words from the co-founder
“Anyone who wants to embark on a new life journey: international relocation can be complex and frustrating. Allow Moovaz to help alleviate your stress by guiding you through the journey!”
“And as for students: we’re quite a good place to work at, and we’re open to anyone looking for exciting experiences. Interns and graduates are always welcome!”
Interested applicants are invited to learn more at https://www.moovaz.com/careers.
