The teams behind Urban Company’s clean sweep in home services

Reorganisation is almost always cumbersome, regardless of how big or basic the changes are. Urban Company’s founders, however, view it as a necessary evil. They ask themselves the question — whether the eight-year-old startup needs a quick shakeup — every six to 12 months.

So far, the decisions to recast key teams have been based on how the business is evolving and what’s the best way to promote talent. This eagerness to adapt internally has, to a great extent, helped it crack the tough market of hyperlocal services and stand apart from a long list of competitors.

At least 100 startups emerged in this space in 2014-15, but they either remained confined to one city or packed up following setbacks. Many names, such as HouseJoy, LocalOye, HandyHome, UrbanPro, Taskbob, TimeSaverz and DoorMint, are barely recognisable today. Urban Company, meanwhile, has built operations in 47 Indian cities and expanded into five countries, offering services from home maintenance and repairs to personal grooming.