14 November,2017 09:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Dhara Vora Sabhnani
I WORKED as a freelancer since college and was familiar with the problems faced by people like me. Since I was associated with a start-up, I also knew about the problems employers face with respect to human resources...
"I WORKED as a freelancer since college and was familiar with the problems faced by people like me. Since I was associated with a start-up, I also knew about the problems employers face with respect to human resources, as young companies can't afford to hire HR professionals," says 24-year-old Abhishek Gupta. Armed with personal experience, Gupta, a web developer and graphic designer based out of Kolkata, formed a local freelance marketplace, Tootle, in April this year. Tootle's USP is helping people connect with professionals in their locality, with a maximum area limit of the city.
"Though there are many freelancers, the platforms available to sell your skills are limited. The reason why I was fixed on sticking to a city limit is because communication gap is a primary concern. The way you talk to someone within the community [be it ethnic or geographical] is quite different from the way you would talk to someone outside of the community. Sometimes, the quality of the project goes down when you are not on the same page. Things become easier if you hire someone living close by. Also, the competition on Tootle comes down as you are just competing with someone from your locality, and not freelancers from around the country," says Gupta. This, however, can be a setback too, as chances are you might not be happy with the options available within your city.
Abhishek Gupta, founder, Tootle
Incubated at Nasscom 10,000 Startup Warehouse, Tootle now has more than 35,000 users (a mix of freelancers and employers). The services that you can look for are photographers, videographers, beauty artistes, models, tutors, CA/CS, graphic and web designers, and more. They are hosting a section for electricians and other handymen on a beta phase as well. You can also chat with potential talent or employers on the website. Freelancers pay a fee for every connection they make. Employers can avail of the service for free. The team does a KYC verification to check the authenticity of the professionals.
Log on to mytootle.com
Cost Rs 250 onwards
