In this in-person fireside chat, Vijen will share his extraordinary journey that includes being co-founder and CEO of Tide Cleaners. The original company (named Pressbox) grew from zero to 1,200 locations in 5 years, becoming the largest dry cleaner in the world.
Today, Vijen is General Partner at The 81 Collection, a Founders Fund for hard industries (Founders of Tide Cleaners, Grubhub, ShipBob, Industrious, Farmer's Fridge) based in the Midwest.
Where: Bond Collective, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60606 (inside Civic Opera House building)
When: September 22nd, 6-8:00 pm CT
What Else: Community-Building, Beats, & Beer
What is Startup Grind: We're a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. Our monthly fireside chat provides ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections, and inspire the startup journey ahead.
The 81 Collection
General Partner
The 81 Collection is the Founders Fund for hard industries (Founders of Tide Cleaners, Grubhub, ShipBob, Industrious, Farmer's Fridge) based in the Midwest. Vijen was the co-founder and CEO of Tide Cleaners. The original company (named Pressbox) grew from zero to 1,200 locations in 5 years, becoming the largest dry cleaner in the world. Pressbox sold to Procter & Gamble in July 2018, and V…
The 81 Collection is the Founders Fund for hard industries (Founders of Tide Cleaners, Grubhub, ShipBob, Industrious, Farmer's Fridge) based in the Midwest. Vijen was the co-founder and CEO of Tide Cleaners. The original company (named Pressbox) grew from zero to 1,200 locations in 5 years, becoming the largest dry cleaner in the world. Pressbox sold to Procter & Gamble in July 2018, and Vijen was retained as CEO of Tide Cleaners until 2020. Today, Tide Cleaners has 2,500 locations in 20 cities.
Before Pressbox, Vijen started his career at McKinsey & Company and Goldman Sachs in New York, London, and Johannesburg. He later worked in private equity, where he focused on retail.
Vijen lives in Chicago with his wife and two young sons. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in math and finance. His first business at 14 was selling Chicago Cubs tickets.
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