Tell us about your business and what it does.
AskForTask is a secure online marketplace for all kinds of tasks on an everyday to-do list.
AskForTask makes it simple to post any kind of task online. Whether a simple, quick errand, or several hours of skilled labour that may require multiple taskers, no job is too simple or complex to post.
AskForTask lets users set job specifications and expected price. After this, offers begin to flood in, and the job can be assigned to the most appropriate Tasker based on the type of work needed, when it is needed, and of course our user-generated reviews.
What was the original inspiration behind the idea for your business?
Originally, the idea of AskforTask came from needing a task done for myself. The faucet in my house broke down, for which I searched hours to find a repairman online, in the phone book, and through referrals my friends/family had given me. After having an extremely bad experience with a plumber I hired through classifieds, I realized there was a huge gap between the service industry and the consumer. Thus AskforTask was born, and the idea of a global community where trustworthy individuals shared their skills was put into motion.
Have you owned a successful business before? What were the characteristics that led to success?
Yes, our entrepreneurial journey begin with starting an online marketing company that catered to SMBs. My brother and I started it when we were only 15 and 18 years old respectively. We learned a lot from that startup that helped us avoiding those mistakes again and creating something valuable to masses.
How does your product and/or company stand out from its competition?
AskforTask listens to our user base for feedback, and implements changes based on what makes our platform run smoothly. Unlike other unmediated job sites, we change and adjust the platform and bring in new features on a consistent basis to keep it fresh and user-friendly. Our service price-point is the lowest in the industry at 15 per cent, as well. Our experienced team also helps in achieving unprecedented growth.
What is the most important lesson you learned in the early stages of your business?
The most important lesson I learned in the early stages was to get the working product out, obtain feedback from a select group of users, and implement changes based on that feedback. Rather than attempt to create the perfect product – as no product is ever perfect – we decided that listening to our core users was the best method to move forward. I speak about this more in depth in my latest blog entry here.
What are the key company milestones that you would like to achieve over the next year?
Over the next year, we are eyeing international growth and will be expanding to numerous U.S. cities. With this, we hope to expand our team to accommodate this growth, which is why we are aggressively hiring great talent across the board. Moreover, we are bringing some great advisors to help us take AskforTask to the next level.