TLabs Showcase focus on startups featuring US-based day trip planning and content site DayZipping.
Who and what are you (including personnel and backgrounds)?
DayZipping is a site that helps user find and share day trips. Our core team consists of the following four individuals:
- Webb Brown, CEO, background in software development and investment banking. Most recently worked for a SunTrust Robinson Humphrey investment banking coverage group.
- Paul Godfrey, CTO, over 12 years of web development experience. Previously a senior web designer for a leading foodservice provider.
- Emily Brown , CMO, approximately ten years in the advertising industry. Previously represented Martha Stewart and National Geographic.
- Dan Cho, social media consultant, five years of experience in the digital advertising industry
What financial support did you have to launch the business?Our business was initially seeded by our founding partners. However, we quickly acquired capital commitments from a group of angel investors to support our growth.
What problem are you trying to solve?
We are trying to help people that have a short period of time in a city that they are unfamiliar with.
Currently, people are likely to call or email friends that know the area.
Our experience has been that this leads to forgotten details, inaccurate directions, and valuable information that is quickly lost. DayZipping attempts to solve all three of these problems.
Describe the business, core products and services?
By using Google Maps technology, our site allows users to geographically search for daytrips.
The social aspect of our site lets users see which activities in the area their friends recommend.
Who are your key customers and users at launch?
At launch, we had approximately 400 test users. These users are located across the United States with approximately 75% between the ages of 25-34.
We were in discussions with the North Carolina Department of Tourism along with numerous regional companies to provide services to our users.
Did you have customers validate your idea before investors?
Yes, we had 30 users in our initial focus group. These users ranged in aged from 24 to 60 years old and were spread across the eastern United States.
What is the business AND revenue model, strategy for profitability?
Our revenue modal is to provide local discounts and promotions.
Additionally, our discussions so far have shown us that departments of tourism and commerce are interested in sponsoring the site.
Our business model is to remain agile by building our services around an active community of users that provide the majority of our content.
We have been able to appeal to these users by providing lesser known travel ideas and the prospect of future discounts.
SWOT analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats?
Strengths:
- Agile, versatile skillset, experienced core team.
Weaknesses:
Opportunities:
- Many adventure travellers looking for a universal option for planning short trips.
Threats:
- Other geotagging sites focusing more and more on trips.
Who advised you your idea isn’t going to be successful and why didn’t you listen to them?Several initial users believed that other travel sites could provide a lot of the information that we were hoping to communicate.
Even if this was the case, we believe that by focusing specifically on day trips without providing excessive travel services brings value to our user.
Also, we feel that our Ajax development makes a much more fluid user experience compared to other sites in the industry.
What is your success metric 12 months from now?
Our success metric is unique monthly visits. By focusing on creating a valuable and entertaining user experience, we hope our user traffic will continue to see rapid growth.
TLabs Showcase is part of the wider TLabs project from Tnooz.