Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Reham Fagiri. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Reham, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

AptDeco was born out of our frustration with the chaotic and inefficient process of buying and selling furniture through platforms like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. These methods left us haggling with strangers, coordinating awkward pickups, and even dealing with the hassle of no-shows.

We believed there had to be a better way—one that made furniture exchange simple, safe, and sustainable. That’s where AptDeco’s mission began. We envisioned a world where buying secondhand furniture wasn’t just an afterthought but the first choice for consumers. Today, we’re not just reshaping how furniture is bought and sold; we’re also addressing the massive environmental impact of the furniture industry. With over 12 million tons of furniture ending up in landfills each year, our mission to promote circularity and reduce waste drives everything we do.

This mission is personal. We’re passionate about creating a platform that’s easy for users and makes a real difference for the planet. By connecting people with the furniture they love while diverting millions of pounds from landfills, we’re building a future where sustainability and convenience go hand in hand.

Our story isn’t just about furniture—it’s about changing the way people think about ownership, waste, and sustainability​​​​.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Reham Fagiri, co-founder and CEO of AptDeco. My background spans from working as an executive at Goldman Sachs, managing tech products generating billions in revenue, to founding AptDeco out of a very personal frustration. When I was moving from Philadelphia to New York, I realized how difficult and inefficient it was to buy and sell secondhand furniture. Haggling with strangers, dealing with no-shows, and coordinating logistics made the whole process feel chaotic. This sparked an idea—why couldn’t there be an easier, safer, and more sustainable way?

That idea became AptDeco, a fully integrated resale platform that transforms the way people buy and sell furniture. We started with a simple mission: make it easy for people to give their furniture a second life while diverting it from landfills. Fast forward to today, AptDeco has grown into a national business, serving over 500,000 users and partnering with top brands like West Elm, Pottery Barn, and IKEA.

What sets us apart from others in the furniture resale space is that we handle everything from listing to delivery. Our proprietary logistics technology ensures furniture gets picked up and delivered without the usual headaches. Unlike platforms like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, where you’re left coordinating with strangers, AptDeco makes it seamless and secure for both buyers and sellers. Plus, we’re contributing to the circular economy, which has helped divert over 33 million pounds of furniture from landfills so far.

What I’m most proud of is how we’re making a real environmental impact while scaling our business profitably. We’re not just a marketplace—we’re driving a movement toward sustainable consumption. As we grow, we want people to choose secondhand first and see AptDeco as the go-to platform for beautiful, high-quality furniture that’s affordable and environmentally conscious.

At AptDeco, we’re changing the furniture industry from a linear consumption model to a circular one. Whether you’re furnishing your first apartment or upgrading your space, we’re here to make the process smooth, safe, and sustainable.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of the key moments that truly tested our resilience at AptDeco came when we faced the logistical challenges of expanding beyond New York City. When we first started, we were focused on a peer-to-peer marketplace in the NYC metro area, where we managed the deliveries ourselves. Our in-house logistics team was tailored to meet the demands of the city—tight spaces, challenging schedules, and high-density neighborhoods. But as we started to grow and get interest from customers and retailers outside of New York, we realized our logistics model needed to evolve quickly if we were going to scale nationally.

Expanding into new markets came with a host of challenges. Every city had its own unique logistical hurdles—longer distances, different customer expectations, and a lack of established infrastructure. We had to rethink how to offer the same seamless experience to customers in places where we didn’t have direct control over the logistics network. That’s when we made a major pivot by partnering with third-party logistics (3PL) providers while continuing to refine our proprietary logistics technology.

It wasn’t an easy transition. We faced setbacks, including delays in deliveries and miscommunications with third-party partners. But rather than retreating, we dug in, focused on problem-solving, and made continuous improvements to our logistics software. We built out algorithms to better match buyers and sellers in these new regions, optimized delivery routes, and offered flexible scheduling to meet customer needs. Throughout this time, we stayed committed to delivering a top-tier experience, ensuring that our users didn’t feel the growing pains we were facing behind the scenes.

Looking back, this period of expansion required resilience at every level—from operational adjustments to maintaining trust with our customers during the transition. But it paid off. Today, AptDeco operates across multiple markets with a mix of in-house and third-party logistics, and we’re proud to offer a seamless experience nationally, while continuing to grow profitably. That journey not only strengthened our operations but also proved our ability to adapt and thrive under pressure​​​.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

At AptDeco, we take a multi-layered approach to building brand loyalty, starting with personalized, high-touch customer support. Every interaction is designed to make our customers feel cared for—whether they’re listing a piece of furniture or waiting for delivery, we provide ongoing updates through proactive communication, so they never feel left in the dark. We’ve built a user-friendly platform that handles everything from curated listings to secure, easy payments and seamless logistics. Our proprietary logistics technology ensures that pickups and deliveries are coordinated efficiently, with precise scheduling that gives customers flexibility. By making the process smooth and reliable, we remove the typical hassles of buying and selling furniture, which keeps users coming back.

Beyond convenience, our mission resonates deeply with eco-conscious customers. As a company driven by sustainability, we’ve diverted over 33 million pounds of furniture from landfills. This environmental focus builds loyalty, especially with Gen Z and millennial consumers who prioritize sustainable choices. They feel connected to a larger purpose when using AptDeco, knowing their furniture choices help reduce waste. In fact, 40% of our users refer friends and family because they believe in what we’re doing, and our referral programs reward them for spreading the word.

Another key element is our ability to maintain strong relationships with existing users. We use customer data to send personalized follow-ups and highlight products that match their style and needs. This tailored approach, combined with engaging content like customer stories, furniture transformations, and tips for sustainable living, keeps our community invested in the AptDeco experience. Our 60% reorder rate and high NPS score (58) are a testament to how well this strategy works.

Finally, we’re proud of the social proof we’ve built with 40,000+ customer reviews averaging 4.6 stars, showcasing that we deliver on our promise of convenience, quality, and sustainability. This reinforces trust in our brand, leading to repeat business and long-term loyalty from a community that knows we consistently deliver an outstanding experience​​​.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aptdeco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aptdeco/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aptdeco/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reham-fagiri-97683b1/
• Twitter: https://x.com/aptdeco?lang=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCacwwt_UdUca4mvwFyfHPXQ?themeRefresh=1
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/aptdeco-new-york-2