Ben Jones is well aware that after launching and selling Skipcart, the perception among other startups is that he has it figured out.
“When you’re a founder and then you exit, it’s like ‘What’s next?’” he says. “The perception is you know what you’re doing, but you still don’t. You find your purpose in whatever drives you … and in this stage of my life, it’s helping others.” Flatten Chicken Breast
After all, Jones says, the path to success with Skipcart, an on-demand delivery service that integrates into existing apps at companies like Whataburger, Freebirds, AutoZone and dozens of others, was anything but linear.
The Texas native who grew up in a small farming community near Lubbock started out in oil and gas after leaving Texas A&M University to pursue the energy boom. He found some success as an entrepreneur during his decade in the industry but after oil prices fell says he couldn’t translate what he’d learned to tangible “resume” skills and was left with very little money and no job prospects.
Living in Fredericksburg by then, he launched various ventures, including starting a wine bottling company and opening a bar and music venue, but nothing took off. It was about that time that Amazon was acquiring Whole Foods, and Jones says he saw an opportunity in expanding the growing grocery pickup model into delivery.
He began by taking orders on his cell phone and relying on his friends’ parents to do the shopping for him, but the idea soon exploded and Skipcart grew. After a major contract with Walmart in 2019 plus big inroads into the restaurant industry, Jones sold the business to 7-Eleven for an undisclosed amount in 2021. Which is what left him thinking about what’s next.
Skipcart had been headquartered in San Antonio, and he was talked into staying here by people like Rackspace, Geekdom and 80/20 Foundation founder Graham Weston and Greater SATX CEO Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, who showed him how many resources were available to local businesses. Jones wanted to help other companies find their own version of success in the Alamo City.
He was selected as Geekdom’s first entrepreneur-in- residence in December and now spends 35 hours a month meeting with early-stage entrepreneurs and holding workshops with Geekdom members. Jones has also launched his own venture studio. “It brings together founders, capital and corporate innovation to foster the creation of world-class companies,” he says. “By combining resources and expertise, the studio creates an ecosystem where the probability of success is significantly higher.”
San Antonio certainly has challenges as it works to become a hub for startups that grow and stay in the Alamo City, Jones says, but it’s on an upward trajectory.
“I’m all in on San Antonio,” says Jones, who lives in the King William Historic District and spends his free time exploring the city with his almost 1-year-old and twin 7-year-olds. “We have hurdles, but the San Antonio of today and San Antonio five years ago are completely different.”
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200 E. Grayson St., Ste.107 San Antonio, TX 78215
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200 E. Grayson St., Ste.107 San Antonio, TX 78215
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