Individual service providers are a reliable staple in my life. I have moved between five cities, renovated real estate and have always needed cleaning help. In each case, I hired local movers, cleaners, handymen and electricians to help with the jobs. These local individuals offer two distinct advantages. One, they are known for their higher quality work due to personal accountability and two, they can be much less expensive than larger companies as they don’t have high overhead costs. Unfortunately, finding dependable individuals can be tough. I usually rely on word of mouth and getting lucky, as I haven’t found a reliable and comprehensive website to replace limited personal recommendations.
Now that is all changing, as a Stern classmate of mine, Brian Rothenberg, runs a New York City startup called SkillSlate. SkillSlate takes an interesting angle on empowering individual businesses while helping consumers find these local professionals. SkillSlate.com creates profiles for a wide range of service providers, like this one for a hairdresser in Staten Island or this one for a DJ in Brooklyn. The individual’s business profile not only highlights the important details of the provider’s rates and services, but also focuses on who the individual is through introductions, photos, and recommendations. The directory organizes this information giving consumers the power to filter through local individual service providers to quickly find exactly what they are looking for.
Next time I need reliable help, because there will be a next time, I am very excited about accessing SkillSlate. Moreover, as a member of New York’s entrepreneurial community, I look forward to seeing this startup expand and the positive impact it will make for New Yorkers and beyond.
