Was macht eigentlich das Travel Start-up rhome?

Can you describe your startup in one sentence?

rhome is a software solution that eliminates all obstacles to (mobile) work abroad. We do this both for employers—by minimizing social security and other legal risks—and for employees themselves, whom we help apply for visas, find suitable housing, and connect with the local community.

In your opinion, what sets rhome apart and makes you stand out from the competition?

rhome is more than just a compliance tool. We’re the place where compliance and wanderlust finally come together.🧡 Our focus is on a holistic, end-to-end approach where we support both employers and employees every step of the way.

Bei welcher Gelegenheit kam die Unternehmensidee?

Julia quit her job two years ago and took the opportunity to finish her dissertation and various other projects on different islands across Europe. While this has resulted in some lovely Instagram posts, it has mainly led to increasing complaints from her (salaried) friends, whose employers do not allow remote work abroad despite their clearly expressed wishes.

Julia’s experiences and her friends’ complaints inspired her and Daniel to start a company that addresses these issues—and that’s how rhome was born. After all, it’s not just employers who struggle to adapt to remote work; employees also face many challenges. Julia and Daniel are determined to solve these problems and usher in a new era of work with rhome.

What was the best advice you received when starting your business?

Build resilience through a strong inner drive. Being an entrepreneur is 90% about hearing “no”—from customers, investors, employees, lawyers, and more. If you don’t have an entrepreneurial vision in your mind to drive you forward, you’ll quickly lose your patience or your nerve. Our entrepreneurial vision consists of personal and business goals. The combination of both creates a point in the future that magically draws us in.

What has been your greatest achievement so far, and what has been your biggest challenge?

There’s no better feeling than onboarding your first customer. I don’t think either of us will ever forget that 🙂 Since then, of course, there have been many great moments: coming in second place at the Travel Startup Award, having our own booth at Web Summit for the first time, and, just before Christmas, securing our biggest client to date. All of these moments have definitely touched us deeply and given us the energy to tackle the challenges ahead.

There are challenges every single day. It’s hard for me to pinpoint the biggest one. I think the biggest challenge for us as a team was realizing that this is now our everyday life and learning not to let things get to us quite so much. The life of an entrepreneur is one big rollercoaster ride—day in and day out—and if you don’t learn to enjoy that process, every challenge feels like the end of the world.

What are your plans for the next few months?

Of course, we want to give more and more people access to “remote work from anywhere.” That’s why we continue to reach out every day to companies looking for ways to make this possible for their employees. You’ll find us and our message at many trade shows, webinars, and online channels in the coming months. The second major focus for the coming months is expanding our services for employees. We’ll be adding even more travel features, establishing even more connections with the travel industry, and thus creating a seamless travel experience for our rhomers.

Let's say you receive a loan of 500,000 euros. What would you do with the money?

We are actually in the final stages of our funding round. We will invest the capital in exactly the areas described above: expanding our reach, welcoming even more rhomers to the platform, and providing them with a unique travel experience.

Where do you see further potential for innovation in the tourism industry?