Jake Risman is a passionate entrepreneur and executive who has proven that opportunity  combined with exceptional ideas plus hard work can result in a profitable and growing  enterprise.  

As a first-generation immigrant, Jake and his immediate family emigrated from Kiev,  Ukraine as refugees to begin a new life free from persecution. Jake spent his childhood in  Walnut Creek, CA. Jake went on to attend San Diego State University and earn a degree in  Marketing.  

Jake's drive and interest in technology led him to start San Diego Computer Techs, a  computer service and repair company his senior year in college. Following graduation  Jake borrowed $20,000 from a relative and acquired ITZ Fixed and successfully merged  the two companies and began a campaign of selling managed services contracts across  businesses in San Diego. Jake grew the business significantly and within 18 months  exited the business with a 10X return.  

Jake met now Upstrem co-founder Steven Maman and the two founded Moddeals.com, a  discount fashion retailer, and through organic growth and acquisition grew the business  to $20 million in annual revenue and exited the business to start the predecessor to his  current business Upstr?m.  

Jake took the experiences gained from his successful technology and retail businesses  and co-founded Shoemagoo a combination brick and mortar and online discount shoe  company. Through much learning and observation of the direction of online retail and 3rd party marketplaces Jake steered the business away from brick and mortar and toward the  growth in online retail, positioning it to take advantage of the imbalance in customer shoe  returns and the exponential growth in transactions occurring on marketplaces like  Amazon and eBay. This led to the birth of Upstr?"m, a technology and extreme efficiency  solutions provider, for challenged inventory.  

Jakes vision for Upstr?m has enabled the company to achieve triple digit profitable growth  over three consecutive years. In late 2019, Jake led a successful $20 million institutional  capital raise that has positioned Upstr?m to continue this pace of profitable growth for the  foreseeable future by providing a broader and more diverse solutions offering to retailers,  brands, and manufacturers.  

Jake is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and attributes much  of the recent growth in his business and leadership abilities to the relationship, learning,  and idea exchanges that have been facilitated through his participation.  

Jake is married to his beautiful wife and in 2019 began a new adventure with the addition  to his family of his first child.