Concept Discussion

Pitch: Jesus is my referral

Hi Jordan,

After thinking through the problems and opportunities of a Christian marketplace, I have a concept that I'd like to run by you:

Premise:

Referrals and partnerships for top-tier, values-driven freelancers

Invitation-only marketplace focused on coaching and consulting verticals

"PageRank"-like value metric where reputable freelancers offer reputable referrals

Work relationships based on Biblical values and principles of craft and service

Internal resources and coaching for developing and scaling freelancer businesses

Look at this way: Are you part of a reputable primary and specialty medical practice? You go in for a check-up or schedule a referral to address a particular need. The practice's reputation is enough for you to trust their providers. They take care of running the business, the provider focuses on serving you the customer.

In business, this largely exists for consulting firms serving enterprises. For SMEs and freelancers, it's another story.

Problems with current options:

Former employees turned freelancers are overwhelmed by admin, tech, and sales; they'd rather focus on utilizing their expertise

Too many options; needle in a haystack problem (LinkedIn)

Transactional marketplaces (Fiverr, Upwork) not a fit for a large and growing number of freelance consultants, particularly those not serving in a creative or technical discipline

Cat-and-mouse game of chasing customers instead of designing "grand slam offers" to draw in best prospects

Launch Approach:

Build out list of freelancers from existing network and ask for their best referrals

Establish testable verticals, quality standards based on reputable freelancers

Launch a series of webinars and videos in partnership with freelancers to build leads and expand network

Event/video CTA: form submission and manual referral process

MVP: launch invitation-only marketplace (white label platform: Whitelance.co?) growing one vertical at a time based on validated opportunities

Long-term Opportunities:

Helping talented professionals set up and grow their freelancer business through a comprehensive array of services, including course creation and promotion

"Missions" section where members can post opportunities that invites freelancers to give their time and skills to serve others in need

Create a leads engine – education (videos & webinars), streamlined business audits, organic & paid search) – for emerging freelancers

Why:

We place our trust in Christ; all "referrals" begin with Him

Teaching Christians how to disciple through their work

Introducing Jesus to those who seek trusting and values-driven partnerships

Questions to consider:

Is this a concept worth validating?

What is the initial investment for discovery and validation?

Who is the right person to champion this effort?

⁠

Part II:

Here's what I can offer you:

Refine (iterate) the idea and plan based on your vision and some customer discovery research

Hire a contracting team that can build work well within your budget expectations

Ensure a very high quality, profitable product with the right level of support – my goal is to create something you could build your whole brand around

I can bundle my rate with the contractor to keep things simple. My questions for you are about budget and timing:

In terms of an initial investment, what do you think this is worth? How much would you like to make from it in one year? Five years?

Where does this fit among your priorities? Which quarter in the coming seasons could you begin to invest time and resources?

Can you initially commit 1-5 hours/week to work on this project? Roughly, I estimate 4-6 weeks for an MVP and then another 4-8 weeks for a marketable solution. Beyond that you should budget about 1-5 hours/month for maintenance and growth.

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