By Paige Brazil
Do you have
a specialized skill set you would like to tap into? A new idea for an innovative business but no tools to launch yourself into the business world? An up-and-coming application, Jobbertunity, will soon become the premier launch platform for aspiring entrepreneurs, and the application was created right here in Bryan College Station.
Local entrepreneur, Matthew Sherman, and his wife, Jane, first had the idea for Jobbertunity when they decided to start businesses of their own.
“The gist of Jobbertunity is to start a business in less than five minutes with the skills you already have,” says Matthew. “Starting a business and getting everything out there can be a little rough, so a lot of it is designed around getting an idea out quickly, efficiently, and professionally.”
The free app is designed for anyone to start a business by creating profiles to list their skilled time by the hour or well-defined services at a fixed rate. Through Jobbertunity, users can search a marketplace by distance and keywords, engage in direct conversations without any third-party affiliates, and build a credible reputation for their business or service.
Jobbertunity is designed so consumers can buy and sell on the same interface, which creates a sense of transparency and a community of respect, says Matthew. The process begins with the creation of a profile that details the prospective business, outlines specific skill sets, and describes the service provided. The app also has a toolkit that helps an entrepreneur get going, which includes a secure electronic payment platform and serves as a word-of-mouth accelerator to build reputation and legitimacy, says Matthew.
“The entrepreneurial [challenge is] building your own brand and defining your service and having communication with your customers,” says Matthew. “It takes a while to get your name out there. A lot of design for this comes from our personal experience, but also just talking with other entrepreneurs. It’s really about building that reputation and getting yourself out there.”
Although anyone can use Jobbertunity, the app has two main target audiences, which Matthew describes as new entrepreneurs and sole proprietors already running local businesses. It could also appeal to people in between phases of life, such as a recent college graduate, a stay-at-home parent, active retired persons, and more.
“It’s viable for all throughout someone’s lifespan, because there are those in-between periods of time,” says Matthew. While LinkedIn profiles and professional have a narrow focus, Matthew says he hopes Jobbertunity offers an alternative. “Where is your resume for your creative side, your side hustle, your entrepreneurial ideas? Jobbertunity is the place for all these things.”
The app is nearing completion and beta testing will begin locally in the fall with the goal of hosting a public launch before Christmas, according to Matthew. Matthew and his wife want to build a community around the app locally before it is officially launched globally.
“Small, local businesses have a place on this app, as do local entrepreneurs,” says Matthew. “Jobbertunity is all about supporting local economy and businesses that already exist, as well as individuals that will become businesses, and we want that to be part of this community.”
In regards to a long-term plan for the app, Matthew explains how he would like to eventually layer features that help each entrepreneur grow, such as using data from the app for marketing research and accounting purposes for each user.
The first phase is designed for the individual, explains Matthew. The next phase will focus on building a community of entrepreneurs. While the app will mainly focused on buying and selling a skilled service, the plan is to eventually include products as well.
“Entrepreneurship is [difficult],” says Matthew. “Our goal is to lower the barriers to entrepreneurship.”
For more information regarding Jobbertunity or to sign up to take part in the beta testing of the app, visit www.jobbertunity.com.
