Reham Fagiri never set out to disrupt the furniture industry—she just wanted to sell a couch. But what should have been a simple task turned into a logistical nightmare, riddled with haggling, no-shows, and last-minute cancellations. “I was moving from Philadelphia to New York and quickly realized how frustrating and inefficient it was to buy and sell secondhand furniture,” she recalls. That frustration sparked an idea, and in 2014,
AptDeco was born—a platform designed to take the headache out of furniture resale while making sustainability second nature. Fast forward to today, and AptDeco has grown from a local solution into a nationwide movement, with more than 500,000 users and a mission that extends far beyond convenience. “We’re not just making furniture resale easier—we’re tackling a massive environmental problem,” Fagiri says. With over 12 million tons of furniture ending up in landfills each year, AptDeco is rewriting the script by championing circularity and waste reduction. “Every piece of furniture that gets a second life through AptDeco is one less item polluting our planet,” she adds.
But what really drives Fagiri? Inspiration is everywhere, she says—books, podcasts, even everyday experiences. But nothing compares to hearing directly from AptDeco’s users. “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do,” she explains. “Their feedback shapes our product, guides our decisions, and reminds us why we started in the first place.” This customer-first mindset has been a key ingredient in AptDeco’s success, transforming it from a transactional platform into a trusted community. “It’s about more than just buying and selling—it’s about creating an experience that feels seamless, safe, and, dare I say, enjoyable.”
Fagiri’s path to entrepreneurship wasn’t exactly conventional. Before launching AptDeco, she honed her skills at Goldman Sachs, where she transitioned from software engineering to product management—a shift that gave her a strategic edge. “Goldman was my training ground,” she says. “It taught me how to think critically, solve complex problems, and, most importantly, navigate change.” Those lessons became invaluable when she took the leap into entrepreneurship, leaning on a tight-knit circle of advisors and mentors to help steer the ship. “Starting a business can be overwhelming but having trusted voices to turn to made all the difference,” she shares.
AptDeco’s impact extends beyond individual buyers and sellers. The company has diverted over 33 million pounds of furniture from landfills, offsetting the equivalent of 19.2 million pounds of CO2 emissions. Its hybrid model—blending peer-to-peer transactions with professional services like pickup, delivery, and assembly—eliminates the usual pain points of secondhand shopping. And big-name brands have taken notice: AptDeco now partners with more than 30 major furniture companies, including West Elm, Article, La-Z-Boy, and Pottery Barn, offering resale solutions that benefit retailers, consumers, and the planet alike.
So, what’s next? Fagiri has big plans. “There’s so much untapped potential in this space,” she says. “I want AptDeco to be synonymous with furniture resale—seamless, sustainable, and completely hassle-free.” With her drive, vision, and deep commitment to sustainability, she’s well on her way to making that a reality.
“Every day is an opportunity to take this business further,” Fagiri says. “And honestly? I can’t wait to see where we go next.
