Meet Laura Behrens Wu: A Rising Star in the World of Female Entrepreneurship

Have you ever wondered about the driving force behind some of the world's most innovative ventures? In this installment of our series on lesser-known female entrepreneurs, we introduce you to Laura Behrens Wu, a visionary who has been making waves in her industry. As we unveil her story, we'll discover how Laura's unique perspective and determination have set her apart from the crowd and paved the way for her success.

Before we delve into the details of her background and the venture that brought her to prominence, let's take a moment to appreciate the impact of Laura's work. With a keen eye for identifying gaps in the market and the tenacity to bring her ideas to life, Laura has disrupted her industry and created a thriving business that continues to grow. The fruits of her labor are sure to inspire young women everywhere to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.

So, who is this remarkable entrepreneur, and how did she get to where she is today? Stay tuned as we explore the personal journey of Laura Behrens Wu and the roots of her groundbreaking venture in the next section.

Discovering Laura Behrens Wu: The Roots of a Trailblazing Entrepreneur

While there isn't a whole lot of publicly accessible information about Laura Behrens Wu's upbringing, high school years, family background, or her parents' role in her development, we can still appreciate the incredible journey she embarked upon as a first-time founder. Born in Germany, Laura took the bold step of leaving her MBA program and building her company, Shippo, in a new country where she had few personal connections.

Despite facing significant challenges, Laura's persistence, determination, authenticity, and vulnerability helped her push through 115 rejections from investors before finally securing the funding she needed to grow her business. Her formative experiences have undoubtedly shaped her as a leader, teaching her the value of underpromising and overdelivering.

As we reflect on Laura's personal journey, it's important to recognize that her path to success was paved with a series of hurdles and setbacks. Overcoming these obstacles has played a crucial role in shaping the innovative entrepreneur she is today:

• Co-founding Shippo with Simon Kreuz in 2013
• Initially launching an ecommerce store for emerging designers and artists before pivoting to shipping solutions
• Facing numerous rejections from investors before securing funding

Now that we've explored Laura Behrens Wu's background, let's dive into the next chapter of her story: her journey from a breakthrough idea to the creation of a billion-dollar company. Stay tuned as we uncover the secrets behind her remarkable success.

The Genesis of Shippo: Laura Behrens Wu's Entrepreneurial Journey

Laura Behrens Wu embarked on her first entrepreneurial venture with the co-founding of Shippo in 2013. Along with her partner, Simon Kreuz, they initially launched an ecommerce store aimed at providing a platform for emerging designers and artists. However, recognizing the pain points in the shipping industry, they soon pivoted their focus towards shipping solutions.

Shippo is a multi-carrier shipping API and web app that connects with carriers like Shopify, Magento, Wix, Amazon, and eBay, offering support to over 100,000 businesses of various sizes. The platform streamlines rate comparison, label printing, and end-to-end shipping management to tackle the challenges faced by merchants. One way Shippo achieves this is by offering a simple interface for comparing shipping rates from various carriers, saving merchants time and money. At the time of its creation, Shippo's innovative approach filled a significant gap in the market, making it a standout solution in the industry.

Imagine Laura's "eureka" moment as she discovered the concept behind Shippo. Frustrated by the inefficiencies and obstacles in the shipping industry, she envisioned a tool that could streamline the shipping process for businesses around the world. This moment of inspiration laid the foundation for what would become a groundbreaking venture.

Shippo addresses the challenges associated with the last-mile delivery space, such as fragmentation and increased carrier networks. Some key statistics highlighting the impact of Shippo's solution include:

• Supporting over 100,000 businesses of various sizes
• Valuation of over $1 billion
• Raising $50 million in a Series E funding round in June 2021

Laura began working on bringing her idea to fruition in 2013. After launching the ecommerce store for designers and artists, she and her team pivoted to shipping solutions, eventually developing a working prototype that would evolve into the Shippo platform used by businesses today.

As we move forward, we'll delve deeper into the milestones and roadmap that guided Laura Behrens Wu's entrepreneurial journey, from the inception of her idea to the fruition of her billion-dollar company.

Shippo's Journey: From Idea to Breakthrough

The stages leading to Shippo's breakthrough involved multiple steps, from inception to scaling up and expanding internationally. Each stage presented its unique challenges and opportunities, shaping the company into the billion-dollar enterprise it is today.

While the table above outlines the key stages of Shippo's development, it's essential to remember that each stage entailed overcoming countless obstacles to move forward. Success was not a straightforward journey but a testament to the determination and resilience of the founders.

Some of the obstacles faced and overcome during Shippo's development include:

• Funding: Laura faced 115 rejections from investors before successfully raising funds. By remaining persistent and determined, she eventually secured the necessary capital to grow her business.
• Market adoption: Convincing businesses to adopt a new shipping solution was challenging. By focusing on addressing pain points and providing excellent customer support, Shippo gained traction in the market.
• International expansion: Expanding to new markets involved navigating different regulations, customs, and languages. Shippo overcame these challenges by adapting its platform to cater to each market's unique needs.
• Scaling the team: As Shippo grew, so did the need to expand the team. The company prioritized hiring talented individuals who shared its values and vision, ensuring a cohesive and driven workforce.

Connect with Laura Behrens Wu and Explore Shippo

Laura Behrens Wu's entrepreneurial journey is one of resilience, determination, and innovation. From her humble beginnings to her successes with Shippo, her story is an inspiration to many. Shippo has now become a billion-dollar enterprise, providing simplified shipping solutions to businesses worldwide.

If you're interested in exploring Shippo's product and services, visit their website at https://goshippo.com/. Laura speaks English, German, and Mandarin, making her accessible to a global audience. To join the communities surrounding Laura Behrens Wu and Shippo, learn more about their story, and network with like-minded individuals, follow them on their social media channels and connect through various online platforms.

Here's a comprehensive list of links for Laura Behrens Wu and Shippo:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurabehrenswu
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurabehrenswu/
• Shippo's Twitter: https://twitter.com/goshippo
• Shippo's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goshippo
• Shippo's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goshippo/