What if there was a world where your resume was more than just a list of skills? A world where it's a captivating story that grabs attention and lands you the job you deserve. Let me tell you a secret, this world exists. That's the world Rezi has created.
Jacob Jacquet created Rezi to help people land jobs. It's like a super-powered resume builder! Over 2.6 million people have used Rezi to make their resumes look amazing and get noticed by employers. Rezi's resumes are designed using the latest and greatest techniques, making them really stand out.
Jacob Jacquet
The company is doing incredibly well, earning over $215,000 every month and today we’ll figure out how Jacob Jacquet managed to achieve such success.
How was Rezi created?
The story of Rezi's creation is quite interesting. Jacquet often shares it in detail, so if you're interested, you can find more links at the end of this post.
Jacquet launched Rezi in 2015, right after graduating with a modest 2.2 GPA. Surprisingly, it was his well-crafted resume that landed him interviews with top companies like Google, Goldman Sachs, and others. This success sparked an idea: if his resume could achieve such results, why not create a tool to help others do the same?
He decided to share his resume on Reddit, and the response was overwhelming. The narrative of a poor student achieving great success resonated with many. This early validation led him to name his venture Rezi — a catchy name that’s easy to remember and closely associated with resumes. This focus on branding, execution, customer experience, and design has been the cornerstone of Rezi's success, now translating into millions in annual revenue.
Moving to South Korea
At just 23, Jacquet packed his bags and headed to South Korea in 2016, eager to dive into the country's exploding startup scene. This decision proved to be a game-changer. South Korea, the third-largest English market globally, hosts Google Campus in Gangnam. As a young entrepreneur with big dreams, Jacquet embraced the challenge and took a job teaching English to secure a visa and steady income while building Rezi.
Today, Rezi is a well-known name in Korea, recognized as the first foreign-founded startup in the region. Here are some articles that delve into Rezi's journey in Korea:
English academy Jacquet taught at in Seoul. Working on Rezi in this room during free time
The first version of Rezi
The initial version of Rezi was incredibly simple — a Microsoft Word document with a user guide, which Jacquet sold for about $9.69. This MVP validated the need and potential for a SaaS product.
The earliest MVP of the Rezi Resume builder
From 2015 to 2018, Jacquet focused on securing funding to develop the software version of Rezi. By September 2019, Rezi was launched as a B2C SaaS.
Rezi today
Launching Rezi
It's been 3,340 days since Jacquet launched Rezi in May 2015. Consistent effort, avoiding mistakes, and staying ahead of competitors have been his guiding principles.
In the early days, Jacquet actively shared his startup journey on various platforms, with Reddit being the most authentic and engaging. After graduating, he had interviews at Google, Dropbox, Goldman Sachs, and others, all thanks to his resume, despite his 2.2 GPA. Now, Rezi offers the same high-quality resume creation for free.
Attracting and retaining customers
Growth is the lifeblood of any startup. Two articles that highlight Rezi's growth strategies are:
Initially, Rezi focused on creating excellent software. Partnerships with AppSumo and StackCommerce were crucial. AppSumo boosted the user base during the COVID-19 pandemic, while StackCommerce drove revenue growth. Organic growth followed as Rezi improved its SEO and website content, leading to sustained user acquisition.
Rezi also employed a strategy of forced virality on social media, giving away its most expensive subscription for free. This tactic proved successful, with just under 70,000 sign-ups in a single day in October 2023.
Outside of these events, Rezi's primary user acquisition strategy involves ranking for relevant keywords, particularly those related to "AI Resume Builder."
Achievements and future plans
Rezi is currently profitable, boasting a lean development-heavy team where managers aren't a necessity. With a profitability rate of 54.97%, Rezi operates efficiently. The 11 employees account for approximately a fourth of the total expenses, and being based in South Korea helps keep development salaries reasonable. Employee costs stand at 24.90%, while customer acquisition costs are not explicitly measured.
Advertising costs have been minimal, with about $15K spent monthly for the past year in an attempt to achieve a positive return on ad spend (ROAS). However, this strategy was reconsidered, and ad spending was halted. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) has steadily increased, currently standing at $101.90, thanks to the removal of the Basic plan and the implementation of an anti-churn cancellation flow.
Traffic to the Rezi website is steadily increasing, with monthly visits reaching 432,638 in the last 30 days, marking an 18% month-over-month growth.
The team operates out of their office in Seoul, South Korea, with 11 employees.
Team in Seoul
Rezi’s main office
Lessons learned from building Rezi
Through the journey of building Rezi, several key lessons have emerged. Making a great first hire, such as the founding engineer, proved to be crucial. The French national in Seoul, with a scrappy, self-taught full-stack engineering background, joined Rezi as the new software was received from the development agency. This hire has worked in near-perfect harmony with Jacquet across product, business, hiring, and operational decisions.
Proper management of the cap table has also been a significant advantage. By avoiding excessive dilution and maintaining control, Rezi has survived many years and reached profitability. Jacquet emphasizes that funding is not always synonymous with success, and inexperienced founders should be cautious.
Rezi was a pioneer in incorporating AI into resume building, launching a fully optimized consumer product just as the world became obsessed with AI in December 2022. This early adoption disrupted existing resume writers and builders, establishing Rezi as the go-to AI resume builder, constantly recommended on platforms like LinkedIn, Reddit, and Google.
Personal and professional insights
Jacquet believes in preparing for success and letting it shape habits and behaviors. He advocates for high standards in internal thinking, self-image, and routines that promote healthy living through frequent exercise and a reasonably healthy diet. Consistent adherence to a strict routine has significantly improved his performance as a CEO.
Being an interesting person and seeking out others with unique experiences is encouraged, while avoiding lame distractions. Kindness and helping others without expecting anything in return are emphasized. Jacquet advises against obsessing over money, noting that it tends to follow ability, commitment, and passion.
His skills, particularly relevant to Rezi, include an eye for product design, proficiency in Webflow (having built Rezi.ai solo), public speaking, avoiding mistakes, and making sound decisions over the long term.
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
For those starting their entrepreneurial journey, Jacquet advises focusing on execution rather than getting bogged down by complex ideas. Understanding what success looks like and emulating it is crucial. Users interact with products objectively, and their experience will determine the product's success.
Being unrelentingly optimistic and seeking risk is crucial. If self-doubt arises, engaging in healthy activities that boost confidence, such as running, is recommended. Shipping and sharing products, and promoting them passionately online, are essential steps. Engaging with users provides valuable insights and makes the journey more interesting.
Jacquet advises against aligning with business people, instead seeking out innovators or technical professionals. Innovators typically seek knowledge or impact, while business people often seek a percentage.
Conclusion
Rezi's success is like a recipe with a few key ingredients:
- Smart planning: They knew exactly what people wanted in a resume and how to make it shine;
- Understanding people: They really listened to what people needed and built something that helped them;
- Always improving: They never stopped trying to make Rezi better and better, adding new features and making it even more awesome.
For those interested in learning more about Rezi, Jacquet invites them to visit the website, connect on LinkedIn, or follow on Twitter.
