Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Metzner
Hi Jordan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Sam Nadler and I have known each other since we were 18, and we’ve spent much of that time building businesses together. We’ve successfully launched over six start-ups and plan to create even more in the future.
In the past, we co-founded California Burrito Co. and Washio, among others. California Burrito Co. was a popular burrito chain that began in Argentina and expanded into six Latin American countries. Similar to Chipotle, customers could personalize their burritos. We operated the business for five years before selling our majority stake in 2010 to a group of restaurant operators who continue to run the chain.
We later created Washio, an on-demand laundry service often compared to “Uber for Laundry.” Although Washio raised over $16 million, as reported by Crunchbase, it closed in 2016, and its assets were acquired by Rinse.
After that, I spent five years working at Amazon, while Sam worked at Lyft. During my time at Amazon, I contributed to projects like the Ring Drone and NFL on Twitch, while Sam, who holds an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, managed operations, partnerships, and growth at Lyft across six states.
We’ve now returned to entrepreneurship and are currently working on Ryz Labs, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs launch and scale their businesses by providing them with tools, guidance, and resources tailored for startup success.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely been far from a smooth road – more like a rollercoaster ride, full of ups and downs. Last year hit us with some major challenges, especially with all the turmoil happening in the tech industry. The first half of the year was rough, with uncertainty and rapid changes that put pressure on many companies, including ours. However, we managed to regroup and make a strong comeback in the second half, which was a major positive for us.
That said, the rollercoaster isn’t stopping anytime soon. Even now, companies are still navigating difficult terrain, and we’re no exception. Every day brings a mix of wins and setbacks, and while it’s not always easy, we’ve learned to stay resilient and adapt. It’s really about taking things one day at a time, staying focused, and tackling each challenge as it comes.
As you know, we’re big fans of Ryz Labs. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
RyzLabs is fundamentally a launchpad for startups, designed to support ventures at every stage of their growth journey, whether they’re just getting started or ready to scale. What we specialize in is connecting technical and non-technical talent from the thriving tech ecosystems of Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia with startups seeking to expand. Our strength lies in not only helping startups grow but also incubating and launching new ventures from scratch.
What sets RyzLabs apart in the competitive landscape is our unique hybrid startup studio model. This allows us to solve two of the biggest hurdles startups face: refining their strategic direction and building a strong team to execute that vision efficiently and cost-effectively. Our mission is to help these startups accelerate their growth, maximizing both speed and affordability.
We’re incredibly proud of our track record, having successfully launched ventures like HipTrain, a wellness coaching marketplace, and Offsiteio, a platform for planning corporate offsites. These projects highlight our dedication to innovation and our capacity to make a real impact in the industries we engage with.
Our process is straightforward yet strategic, starting with ideation and moving through to developing a marketable product or service. From there, we focus on leadership recruitment and investment preparation, all of which is supported by our “Human Capital” initiative. This initiative taps into the best talent across Latin America to drive our ventures forward.
Brand-wise, what makes us proud is our ability to nurture startups from concept to reality, and our success in helping existing startups scale by leveraging top-tier Latin American talent. This approach has allowed us to not only foster innovation but also to build communities around the businesses we support.
At RyzLabs, collaboration, creativity, and strategic growth are at the heart of everything we do. Whether you’re a new startup looking to make a splash or an established venture ready to scale, we’re here to help with a blend of expertise, innovation, and a broad talent network. We’re committed to creating success stories and are excited to be part of the next breakthrough in the startup world.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Without a doubt, my wife deserves the most credit. She’s my rock, and I truly couldn’t have done any of this without her unwavering support. Through all the highs and lows, she’s been there, providing me with the strength and encouragement I needed to keep pushing forward. Whether it’s long nights or stressful decisions, she’s always been by my side, keeping me grounded. Her support has been invaluable, and I owe a huge part of my success to her.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ryzlabs.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryzlabs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryzlabs
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryzlabs
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCehCsoj7k4P4o6JW7gmWEvw
