Proposition: BookingBug is an online platform for booking and scheduling, sophisticated in its flexibility and options available, yet simple and competitive to use for the freelance and SMB services market.
Num Employees:3 perm (3 freelance)
Year formed:2007
Turnover:P&C
Funds raised:Bootstrapped to date (£200K)
USP:BookingBug allows the freelance and SMB markets to expose and sell their services on a distributed afffiliate basis. BookingBug's target market is for time delineated repeat services such as tennis/golf lessons, driving/swimming lessons, spa/gym visits, hair/beauty sessions etc. BookingBug drives revenue both for the small business using BookingBug to book and sell their services and BookingBug's affiliate partners who are exposing the various services on their websites and directories. Both by using the affiliate/channel business model and targetting the services sector, BookingBug has simple, unique access to market. BookingBug's revenue comes from its core subscriptions, a cut of transactions managed through its payment platform/partners and a margin from the affiliate services it pushes.
Smart Money:2 Years bootstrapped (home office) in development the BookingBug platform was launched commercially and out of Beta end of Nov 2009. Without any marketing spend some 400+ businesses have signed up and have driven in excess of 6000+ bookings in less than 3 months. Major partnerships have been signed commercially and integrations are underway with BrownBook, MoonFruit, SocialGo, BView, School Of Everything, TrustedPlaces, FoodLoversBritain, QuickTV and KashFlow. Deals nationally in the both the sports/leisure markets with the FIA as well as the public sector for county council care services through the Opportunity Links partnership are underway. Several multinational names are completing tech due diligence shortly before signing off joint business programmes.
Extra Smart:The founding team of BookingBug Glenn Shoosmith and Gregory Bockenstette, have a blend of development, design and UI skillset that has allowed this offering even in its early stages to go to market fully formed in a user friendly manner. Their backgrounds at the enterprise level within the financial services/education sector such as Bank of America, CNBC, Reuters and RBS gives them the perspective to have built a scalable system that will technically match their global business ambitions for BookingBug.