The Pitch: eTing
30-01-2015 Student entrepreneurs pitch their startup company to Erasmus Magazine. In this edition, Jules Maessen presents his company eTing: a professional network app which will be launched this March.
Name: Jules Maessen (24)
Study: fourth year student Business Administration
Company: eTing
In short: “eTing is your shortcut to a professional network. Meet online, connect offline in a local pub or bar.”
The idea: “I came up with the idea a year ago when I realised that during network events, I never have a clear overview of the people who are present. You never know with whom you have a fit so you just greet people endlessly. With eTing you can log in with your LinkedIn account and swipe through people who are nearby and relevant to you. You can connect with them, start chatting and meet offline at one of the suggested places presented in the chat.”
Turnover: “We have no turnover yet, but we are planning to generate revenue on the short term by letting company’s promote themselves during the swiping and charge the coffeehouses we suggest as meeting points with a small contribution. On the long term we want to collaborate with network events.”
Setting up the business: “I’m working on eTing for about a year now, but to build an app you are very dependent on the technicians. A few months ago I met with one of the current cofounders of eTing, he is an RSM alumnus and has his own app development office. We started working together last October and created the business plan, marketing plan and campaign within a month. The beta version will go online in February, so we can get the bugs out and get more user feedback. We plan to launch the app this March in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.”
Unique Selling Point: “We are the only ones with an app like this in the Netherlands. Across the world there are similar ones, but one of the first things you learn as an entrepreneur is that you’re never the only one with a certain idea. It’s just a matter of how you execute it. eTing will be a very accessible way to network, you meet with a lot of people who can be useful for you in a short amount of time.”
What I’ve learned from my study: “I noticed that during my study I developed a certain vision of how I see myself within the business world. I have done various internships and discovered what I don’t like to do, so consequently discovered what I like and want to devote my time to. Which is setting up this company.”
Most important personal lesson: I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship and my most valuable personal lesson is to focus. Once you have a clear and compelling vision in mind, you know where to go to. It becomes some sort of funnel, with more of a pull power than a push power. Because your goal is so tangible, you get energy from it and kind of get pulled to it, instead of having to push your way to it. It is very important for an entrepreneur to like what you’re doing and get lots of energy from it.”
My company in five years: “Hopefully eThing will be succesfull in the Netherlands and abroad. Besides that, I hope to have more companies and have the freedom to support other startups.” BK
