Fenton Business Owner Creates App

Fenton Business owner Joshua Latimer wanted an app to help out his window washing company.

But when he couldn't find it, he created it, used it and now sells it. The app is called Street Bidder and is aimed to help small service businesses.

Latimer recently submitted information about the business through the Small Business Spotlight.

What does your business offer? 

iPad,iPhone, and Android App for finding new customers.

What's your most popular product or service? 

The "Platinum " plan in our App

When was the business founded?

11/2012

How did your business come to be? 

Street Bidder has went through the rigorous process of becoming a reality over the past 11 months. Ever since I had an epiphany last summer(2012)...Street Bidder has become an obsession.

I also own a window and pressure cleaning company in Michigan called Birds Beware Window Cleaning http://www.BirdsBeware.com. We employ 12 full time staff.

Gaining a consistent and steady flow of work is always at the top of the priority list for small business owners. Direct mail, radio, email, Facebook, newspaper, and coupon books. Nothing really seems to "fit like a glove".

"It always drove me nuts when doing direct mail that half of my cards would end up at apartments or vacant and un-kept homes, So I figured out a better way"

Birds Beware loves technology and their crew leaders use iPads to manage their day. From accepting credit cards to filling out the daily work logs; The company always embraced technology. Another unique thing that Birds Beware does is the way they give residential estimates. The sales manager walks the property and then prints out a full color estimate sheet in the truck with a mobile printer.

But here is where it gets cool. Every residential estimate sheet has a FULL COLOR picture of the prospects house! "This has been a real x-factor for us." Josh said. The customer reaction is shock and awe of the level of professionalism. It only takes about 5 minutes but helps them close the deal at higher prices than any local competitors.

It didn't take long before Street Bidder was born. It is common knowledge in the direct mail industry that the more you personalize a postcard, the higher the response rate. I began testing the theory of sending people postcards with real prices on one side and a picture of their house on the other. It looked promising but was VERY labor intensive. Sending homeowners a postcard with a picture of their own house and a real price was very tough before Street Bidder.

"I looked everywhere to find a solution to this problem, but it didn't exist. So I got to work." 

Street Bidder was created by a business owner to use in his own business. This is an app for the little guy made by the little guy.

Why did you choose the area you did?

Our business is not dependent on a certain location being that it is an app.

Contact information:

http://www.streetbidder.com/

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