Ross Backup is a cloud based computer backup service, and founder Aaron Ross happens to be a rabbi, but that’s not the only reason why his clients have such faith in him. He does know his stuff: Ross has been programming since he was ten, and also happens to be a tech commentator for national media outlets, including Fox News and Yahoo News.
So how and why did a rabbi become a tech entrepreneur? Call it necessity. Or fate. Oreven divine intervention.Here’s how it happened:
Ross was one of those kids who was programming in DOS back in the ‘80s,and fixing other people’s computers, too. He did study tech in school, and when his reputation for knowing his way around computers spread, he began working with small businesses as an IT specialist. It was also around this time that he became fascinated with the concept of backing up his information. His first backup was to a 10 GB hard drive and it took over 14 hours for the entire process to be completed.
But computers were still mostly a hobby for him at that point – until disaster hit and he lost everything in a house fire in 2011.
Luckily, he remembered that he had paid for a service to back up all of his family pictures and important documents. To his horror, the company did not deliver what it had promised, and hardly anything had been backed up. And who in tech doesn’t know the industry playbook? Get lemons, make lemonade. Working with some investors, he launched RossBackup to make sure that there was a reliable backup service out there.
The rabbi is always happy to talk tech, which happens to be his other calling.
Tell us about the product.
My product is called RossBackup. It’s a cloud based backup that not only backs up your computers and/or phones, it can even allow you to sync and edit files from anywhere in the world.
How is it different?
I believe that we are stronger than our competition for a few reasons:
Our product is very simple but powerful.
Our customer support team is amazing.
Our prices are excellent.
What market are you attacking and how big is it?
We are focusing on anyone who has a computer and wants to keep data, documents, pictures, videos or anything else safe and secure! We’ve been getting many moms, and college students who are worried about what will happen if they lose their laptops.
What inspired you to start the company?
After a horrible fire destroyed our home in 2011, I was relieved that my data was stored in the cloud. That is, until I checked and found that the company did not, in fact, back anything substantial up. Their logic was that my video files required manual backup and therefore held up the queue. I was devastated and resolved to offer a better product. RossBackup does it all automatically.
What is the business model?
The customer is always right. This used to be a famous slogan but it has unfortunately fallen out of favor. RossBackup really treats its customers like gold.With prices starting at less than $5.00 a month for unlimited data from one computer, our customer base ranges from college students to the business professionals. Our VIP package allows data syncing and our mobile apps make viewing your information a snap.
Who’s your favorite superhero?
My dad. He always finishes what he starts and has an amazing work ethic.
What are the milestones that you plan to achieve within six months?
Tripling the customer base and keeping our prices down.
If you could be put in touch with one investor in the New York community who would it be and why?
Michael Bloomberg. He has a very good eye for business and knows how to make things happen.
Why did you launch in New York?
The fact that I live in NY is a big reason, but there is more. New York has such a diverse population that I was able to more accurately pinpoint my target audience by following the current customer base.
What’s your favorite kosher restaurant in NYC?
Kosher Deluxe (Where I met Cindi).
