Elevator Pitch is a regular feature on Lifehacker where we profile startups and new companies and pick their brains for entrepreneurial advice. This week, we’re talking with Taryn Williams, founder and CEO of online marketplace TheRight.Fit.
In 128 words or less, explain your business idea.
TheRight.Fit is an online marketplace that allows you to find, cast and book creative talent. We have photographers, models, actors, social media influencers, videographers, makeup artists and so much more–essentially anything you need to bring a creative campaign or execution to life.
What strategies are you using to grow and finance your idea?
We’ve raised capital, led by venture capital firm Airtree, along with some high profile angel investors, to allow us to grow and scale internationally. We also have some fantastic strategic partners, including leading global ad agencies, who are strongly supportive of our growth and expansion plans.
We have a community of influencer ambassadors, who as genuine users of our platform, are our biggest champions and an integral part of our online marketing and community strategy.
What’s the biggest challenge facing your business?
TheRight.Fit is such a disruptive platform, changing the mindset of how clients and brands book talent can be a challenge. Showing them it really can be that simple, that efficient, that easy to find, cast and book talent—they’re often in disbelief! So for us, the biggest challenge is scaling this education piece as fast as possible across new markets and verticals as we enter them.
How do you differentiate your business from your competitors?
We’re the first of our kind, globally, which is very exciting for us but also means we need to move very quickly! There are competitors in different segments of our business—traditional offline modelling agencies for example, or videographer production platforms, or influencer marketing agencies. We’re none of these specifically, and instead remove all the pain points and middle men along the way, connecting the client and talent directly, safely and securely, to make the whole process simple, cost efficient and faster.
What one phone, tablet or PC application could you not live without?
Slack! I’m absolutely addicted and the speed with which it allows our team to communicate and connect efficiently whilst on the go has been a lifesaver for a quick moving business with multiple projects on the go. Also with team members being based internationally, it helps to ensure everyone feels connected and provides a collaborative work approach that you simply can’t get using emails.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?
“A good plan violently executed today, is better than a perfect plan next week,” is one of my favourite quotes and advice given to me by my mentor. Sometimes, perfection is the enemy of good enough. In a startup, you really do have to just get it done. Be nimble, agile, and ruthlessly efficient in your output. Its one of my guiding philosophies.
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