Today our guest founders freelance service Workzilla Sergey Protsenko and Peter Schekochikhin. Vorkzilla - a service that will pick up a few minutes of the ideal artist for any small task.
Whether you are an employee of the company, student or manage your own business - one way or another you encounter cases in which not understand or for which you do not have time?
Now your problem will be solved experts. WorkZilla.ru With a few mouse clicks, you will find people who will work for you quickly, efficiently and with pleasure!
- Hello! Tell us briefly about yourself: where they were born, where I studied, what interested than spend your free time?
My name is Sergey Protsenko. I was born in the city of Kostroma. He graduated from high school with honors. He received two higher education in the specialty "Applied programming" and "English language translator" Ivanovo State Power University.
Both with honors. Participant, winner, winner of many local and international competitions in mathematics and programming. My hobbies are soccer, Formula-1.
My name is Peter Schekochikhin. I am 26 years old, I was born and live in Moscow. I have education in economics with honors and MBA, produced in South Korea and the United States. I am currently teaching at HSE economy.
I play football and skiing. A couple of years ago, I ran a marathon, last met the new year on top of Mount Elbrus. Plus, I am fond of motor racing and karting CCM.
- Tell us about the startup Workzilla, how and under what circumstances, the idea to create a project, who was the mastermind?
Internet as a platform for starting a business has been chosen for a long time, and independently of each other. Specifically Vorkzilly idea was the result of brainstorming, we have undertaken with Peter 3 years ago. We discussed a lot of ideas, and it was decided to stop on this.
We wanted to use the enormous amount of people who use the Internet. By bringing together those who need help and those who have free time
- Why it was chosen this niche, this market?
Our initial idea was - the order simple, routine tasks to relieve the customer to give him a focus on complex and important tasks to increase the effectiveness of its work and to give the opportunity to earn performers who have free time and desire to work.
But if you look at the real problems that are performed in the system, they do not always fit the definition. Often people entrust not only routine, simple tasks, but also tasks that are beyond the limits of their competence, such as database setup, a topic for a blog WordPress, install software and more. Also, this may be the problem that require mass (e.g. progolosat, comment, etc. Calling customers. D.).
So now I would describe as a universal Vorkzillu centralized service for finding artists to address diverse problems with a focus on short-term objectives.
I must admit that today we are still in a search for areas where it is necessary to direct the efforts. Service is still quite young, so even possible different options
- How many people stood at the origins of the project, how many people are working now?
At the source of the project stood two people: Sergey and Peter. 90% of the work on the creation of the first prototype were done by us. Now the team is working 5 people on a permanent basis and regularly attract additional resources to deal with specific tasks in the project.
- What investments have been made in a startup? Do you have any investor or do without it?
Up to this stage all project expenses paid by us without assistance. It's like financial investments and investments of their own intellectual work. In the near future we plan to attract early investment.
- What difficulties have you encountered in the initial phase? How to overcome them?
Working with freelancers certainly become one of the major difficulties encountered. In particular, the trial and error method had to answer questions like how to choose a qualified freelancer, how to properly motivate and make him loyalty, how to control his working process, if it is located, how to solve the problem of time zones, how to achieve efficiency and t. e. Now we have made significant progress in this direction, but at the stage of "learning" lost a lot of time.
There were other difficulties, such as the novelty of some of the technical aspects, work with users, organizational issues, but, by and large, they were all operating difficulties that do not cause major problems, and that we successfully cope We walked and the process planned work on the system. All tasks have been fulfilled.
- What would you change, do differently if the same project started now?
Now, when we know for sure that our business concept is successful, we would have immediately attracted more resources and accelerate development of the system. The system is quite complicated, so in the first stage requires a lot of resources. These resources oblodali we do not, so they had to put their time.
- What is the business model of the project?
Our service is a mediator in the customer and the guaranteeing execution of the interests of both sides. Also vorkzilla in minutes selects the most suitable candidates for a particular job among the many performers thanks to our unique algorithm, which is very important for the customer. And for the artist - we bring the work directly on its "desktop".
As a Commission service takes 10% of the order value. Current monetization model is not final, we have a lot of ideas on this account, but now our task - to create a popular user-friendly quality service.
- When do you plan to enter the payback?
September 2012. Its operating expenses already pays for the service.
- How do you see yourself prospects of further development of your business?
In the near future we are planning to attract investments first, the conclusion of the project on the return. All this should take place in parallel with the increase in the volume. Only recently, we have prepared a version that satisfies both users ourselves. The challenge now is to attract users.
- What are your main competitive advantage?
Quickly and easily! Briefly they can be formulated that way, although on the second aspect, a lot of work. In addition, we can fulfill any orders. From solving mathematical problems to writing poems and search sites for promotion. The contingent of the most diverse artists, so even the most intricate problems can be solved.
- What forms of advertising attract users you find most effective?
It is impossible to identify any universal effective method of advertising. For each service, it is your own. If we talk about our service, then we have a good result brings advertising on sites with similar themes.
Plus the important work already shown interest had come resource users. We must persuade them to invite their friends to the site, as is likely, they will also be interested in it. Recall the popular expression "Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are."
- What are you doing to attract users, has become a regular visitor?
No special steps we are taking, and are constantly working on quality. If the service will solve the problem of users, then they will come back.
- On the selection of some professionals should pay attention to?
Technologically, we have quite a complex project, so technicians are the backbone. It is necessary to ensure the competence of employees and that they understand the task. But the matter does not end there. We need to make sure that all employees are treated the project as our common cause.
- How many hours a day do you work and how to plan your time?
On the day of the pay on average 10-12 hours. On weekends, mostly tourists, but sometimes still have to sacrifice your free time.
- How do you have a team decides to develop new features?
All decisions on the project with regards to the new features are taken by us, together with Peter. Occasionally there are disputes about the need for an innovation. Our improvements can be divided into two groups.
The modifications, which are the result of numerous requests and suggestions of users.
The modifications that are consistent steps towards the realization of our long-term goal, the vision of the project.
- Why did you choose this name, what does it mean, remember how and under what circumstances it occurred?
At the presentations, we often say: "In our time, all good projects start at Wiki or end with Zilla. We chose the second option." While a friend of ours was going to open the project to the end, "Zilla", we decided to take his idea and simply added "work". The result was a kind of Zilla, which is struggling with coos.
- What will change on the Internet in the next 2-3 years? Which areas will be the most popular and profitable?
On such matters is always difficult to answer. Internet finally consolidated in the minds of people as an integral part of our lives. Now there is still a difference between buying in the "store" or "online store." After 3 years, it will be almost no.
We hope that in 2-3 years, anyone who needs help in solving a variety of problems will remember Workzilla.
- Based on your experience, what would you recommend to those who are just planning to start an internet business?
We vzgyad to succeed you need to have several components: an interest in the subject area, a team of partners with whom comfortable and easy to work, willing and able to work hard.
- Your farewell budding entrepreneurs ... and wishes of visitors TimesNet.ru
We must be ready to succeed, come what may. At some point, everything can be destroyed and we should have the strength to start all over from scratch ...
