In our latest real estate tech entrepreneur interview, we’re speaking with Ajay Pondicherry from Block Party.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Ajay Pondicherry and I created Block Party. Before Block Party, I held leadership roles in a variety of small to large e-commerce and live entertainment companies in Los Angeles and London. I am also an unashamed nerd for technology, food, music and anything Aaron Sorkin.

What problem does your product/service solve?

Block Party helps agents save time and capture more client info at Open Houses. With our app agents can digitize their Open House sign-in, automate guest follow up, and open up infinite marketing possibilities…all while showcasing their brand to potential clients in a slick interface. Btw it’s a free app with no subscription required…and it’s available on iOS, Android and the web.

What are you most excited about right now?

So I keep hearing rumors that they’re going to do a reboot of The West Wing…but business-wise, I’m most excited about tools and services that can help small & medium sized companies take control of their marketing and scale their business. Beyond Block Party, there’s so much that’s possible for businesses that want to have kick-ass marketing which drives results. With tools like Intercom, Canva, and Zapier, amazing digital marketing doesn’t have to come with a large cost — or any cost at all if you consider Block Party (ahem!) — so I think savvy real estate agents and brokerages are well placed to benefit.

What’s next for you?

Block Party’s current functionality is great at digitizing Open House guests’ info and then staying in touch, but there’s a lot more that’s possible both up and down stream in the client funnel. Sorry for the e-commerce speak here (funnels and cookies make our world go ’round), but there are proven strategies from that industry that will port well into Block Party and unlock value for agents. Some of those new features may be premium options, but the existing, core functionality will remain free. We also talk to our users every day to understand their challenges, as well as, what’s working in their business. A lot of the features in our pipeline are from that input.

What’s a cause you’re passionate about and why?

I want to improve how our society prepares young people to enter the workforce and discover a career that’s genuinely fulfilling. I know first hand that many young adults (even some middle aged adults!) don’t have the resources to guide them during this pivotal period. I’m now on the board of a non-profit “You Run This Town” that helps teenagers do just that. I’m also helping friends in creating for-profit businesses in this space. If we can find a better way to introduce kids to the path that eventually becomes their life’s work, we all stand to benefit.

Thanks to Ajay for sharing his story. If you’d like to connect, find him on LinkedIn here.

We’re constantly looking for great real estate tech entrepreneurs to feature. If that’s you, please read this post — then drop me a line (drew @ geekestatelabs dot com).