Propzie’s Founders Reflect on Better Effects of the Pandemic

Propzie owners, Yariela Carrizo and Daniel Detoni are creating a community of trusted residents and vetted local professionals is our purpose

First of all, how are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times?

Yariela Carrizo: Thank you for the opportunity to be featured in Startup Info. My family is doing great, but I am aware that many families have faced major issues, including job loss, loss of loved ones, and housing insecurity. During lockdown, my family worked together to adapt, while recognizing that this adaptation feels like work – for everyone!

Tell us about you, your career, how you founded Propzie?

Daniel Detoni: Yari Carrizo and I came from business development, marketing, and public relations backgrounds. Back in 2014, we had a friend in common who was looking for someone to take care of and rent her furnished apartment during her time away. From that day, we started learning about property management for short-term rentals, as well as the operations required for guest turnover, and from that point, we began building Propzie.

How does Propzie innovate? 

Yariela Carrizo : We are a remote property management solution that connects buildings and landlords with local service providers. We create a community of trusted residents and vetted local professionals.

How the coronavirus pandemic affects your business and how are you coping?

Daniel Detoni : Yes, it did affect us, not only because part of our income comes from the tourism industry, short-term rentals, and vacation homes, but also because we were investing in expansion and landlord acquisition at the time of the lockdown. However, we have felt a strong demand for our services as we have all shifted to our “new normal.” We took this time to re-evaluate our vision and see the big picture ahead.

We are proud that during 2020, Propzie’s leadership team was able to continue to deliver on our commitments to our shareholders and to stand up for our vision to create value for our clients, our people, our partners, and our communities. At one of the most challenging times, we have emerged stronger, and with a strong foundation and an exciting future.

Did you have to make difficult choices and what are the lessons learned?

Yariela Carrizo : We did, from restructuring to reviewing strategies and vision. We also had to lay off a few employees. The most important of all the lessons we learned was that we will do whatever it takes to keep our commitment to our vision and our team. We emerged from the second half of 2020 stronger than when we entered: we onboarded our new technical founder, reorganized our company, and closed new partnerships for 2021.

How do you deal with stress and anxiety, how do you project yourself and your company in the future?

Daniel Detoni : I try to be mindful and create positive habits in my life in challenging times. I pay attention to my thoughts and feelings in a way that increases my ability to manage difficult situations and make wise choices.

Who are your competitors? And how do you plan to stay in the game?

Yariela Carrizo : We are living through proptech’s momentum. There are many technology startups in the rental market, but the pandemic is changing the way buildings and residents interact with visitors, couriers, concierge professionals, and services. And with this vision, Propzie has entered to remotely manage and rent properties – and build a trustful community surrounding each property. We will continually transform our business and embrace changes to create more valuable solutions for our clients.

Your final thoughts …

Daniel Detoni : During these challenging times, nothing is more important than our health and our loved ones. We view 2021 as our momentum, and we are no longer navigating a crisis, but are facing a new reality. We are ready for it.

Your website :

Yariela Carrizo : www.propzie.com