Today, we’re talking to Byron Binkley, the founder of Sella, a locally-based org that wants to help you buy and sell your used stuff. Binkley founded the org after seeing the same recurring issues when trying to buy and sell stuff on online marketplaces such as Craigslist and eBay, like price haggling, sharing personal info, and the no-shows when you finally did get a taker for your stuff. He wants that process of buying and selling to be 100% frictionless and enticing, because buying pre-owned versus new is good for communities, local economies and the environment.
Tell us about your work — your job and/or any volunteer work.
I’m the founder at a venture-backed tech startup called Sella, which is a “sell it for me” service for all the people out there who don’t have the time, inclination or know-how to sell their own stuff on eBay, Craigslist, OfferUp and other marketplaces.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to find work that’s at the intersection of two passions: I love tech, startups and working with teams to build something out of nothing, and I’m personally driven by the urgency to leave future generations with a healthy planet. With Sella, I wake up every day motivated by our mission to make resale frictionless for the masses, and then I get to spend my time working with great people on interesting startup challenges!
What’s your favorite Portland memory?
Honestly, it was driving through the Gorge on the way into town when we moved from NYC. After a cross-country drive, we descended into the Gorge to breathtaking views and a few dozen windsurfers scooting across the Columbia. I loved living in NYC, but I love the daily exposure to nature in Portland and the access to incredible hikes, snow, farms and other activities.
What’s your favorite local outdoor experience?
It’s got to be the PDX Adult Soapbox Derby on Tabor. That event packs so much Portland character into one day. Ideally we’re going early, setting up some shade for the kids, bringing a cooler and inviting friends to drop on by.
What’s your favorite way to find out about local happenings?
With two kids, I tend to search online for experiential outdoor activities — berry picking on Sauvie island, waterfall hikes, snow parks in the winter, stuff like that. Before I had kids, I was a regular at lunch, dinner and drink spots up and down Division and Hawthorne, and I would routinely flip through Portland Mercury and other local papers to check out local events.
If you could eat only one meal from a local restaurant for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Easy — the Toro Bravo tasting menu from 2012.
What’s a project you’re on (big or small)? How can our readers help you or participate?
Sella is really my life’s work, and we’re on a mission to make buying and selling pre-owned as easy and commonplace as ordering from Amazon is today. Getting things you no longer need into a new home where they’ll be used and cherished is good for the planet, local communities, and your wallet. If folks out there have the time and know-how to sell their stuff, by all means, they should get to it! For everyone else, Sella is a safe, easy, affordable way to turn your clutter into cash.
What are you looking forward to this year?
Spending more time in person with friends and family!
Know of a person or organization that we ought to feature? Send us an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Bridgeliner Locals to Know,” and you could see their name in an upcoming newsletter!