Leah Busque

First-time entrepreneur

I want to change the world.

Airbnb, Groupon, Square, Gowalla

Finding a new solution to an everyday problem is the most rewarding feeling.

Worrying about competition and not focusing on who they are and what they are building.

1. Tell anyone who will listen about your idea. Don’t worry about keeping things stealth or about the competition. Take in everyone’s feedback and use it to shape your own independent perspective.

2. Never pass up a good networking opportunity, and nothing can replace an in-person meeting. Always show your passion for your idea – you never know where these meetings will lead.

3. Iterate quickly and constantly look for customer feedback. Make it really easy for customers to pick up the phone or drop you and email to share their experiences. Continually make improvements and push code focused on these improvements at least once a week, if not every single night.

A true visionary, Leah originated the phrase, "service networking," a now industry-wide term describing the productive and service power of a web-based social networked community. In the fall of 2008, while trying to figure out how to juggle dinner out with her husband, Kevin, and buying dog food for her 100-pound yellow labrador retriever, Kobe, Leah’s flash of inspiration resulted in her registering the RunMyErrand.com domain name from her iPhone, and mapping the entire business model in her head prior to their meal. Eighteen months later, the company is flourishing, and has expanded and evolved into TaskRabbit.com.

In 2001, Leah graduated magna cum laude from Sweet Briar College, earning a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science. At Sweet Briar, Leah served as the Student Government Association president, and after graduating, was honored to serve as a Young Alumna Trustee on the Board of Directors of the College for a three-year term.

Immediately after graduation, Leah started a career at IBM, Westford, MA, as a Software Engineer, working in the Messaging and Collaboration Software Development group. There she focused on engineering software that millions of people around the globe use daily, securing patent applications for software algorithms, speaking at annual conferences, and publishing in technical journals.

A Boston native, Leah is a volunteer math tutor for the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, and returns often to Sweet Briar College as a guest lecturer for women and entrepreneurship. Leah enjoys theater, dance, and spending time with her husband, Kevin, and 100lb yellow lab Kobe.