Where Are They Now: GigRove

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Three years after Springwise first covered GigRove, we check in with founder Marko Islamovich as the company introduces its latest offering, Spaces.

GigRove is a platform that connects guests with hosts and companies with remote workers. Its goal is to be the ultimate place for remote hiring. The platform collates what may be the largest collection of remote jobs on the internet, and companies get the largest database of remote workers from around the world.

Now, with Spaces, the company is expanding into the arts. Gig and performance space is now bookable through GigRove in the same way as jobs and workspaces.

Hosts looking to earn a bit of extra cash list their empty, usable spaces on GigRove. Artists, performers and freelancers browse and book with only a few clicks. Rates are set by hosts, and the spaces provide a valuable alternative to often expensive, traditional gallery and warehouse locations.

Booking is simple. Users select the dates for which they would like to use the space, and hosts accept or reject the request. GigRove provides administrative support by managing booking confirmations as well as handling payments for hosts. Hosts are also offered the option of enabling instant bookings, which entails GigRove providing automatic confirmation once guests send a request for an available listing.

Spaces are currently available in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin and Paris. GigRove is also planning further expansion.

Potential employees and performance artists can browse jobs and spaces without logging in. Creating an account makes it easier to use the platform extensively by providing a single location for managing bookings, applications and resumes. Membership benefits include being able to rent a space for free and a members-only messaging feature.

Islamovich is a passionate advocate for and believer in location-independent, globally connected living that seamlessly integrates work into the everyday. “The concept of a home and work will change for many,” he says. “More and more people will live in a mobile manner and ultimately, have multiple homes and jobs over the years.

They designed their tech stack to be a one-stop shop for a better work and life experience. Guest profiles within Spaces are also connected to the remote jobs platform, so employees can see reviews from hosts who posted on guest profiles. This gives employees another layer of information about prospective teammates, which provides so much more context than simply relying on resumes.

Islamovich and the team are constantly learning and working out new ways to help creatives, freelancers, entrepreneurs, digital nomads and more live and work a location-independent lifestyle. The company’s progress is based on establishing trust with end users and listening to feedback. However they also never forget to stay true to their vision. It’s a balancing act, and one that Islamovich says has taught him three key lessons.

For GigRove, building a service for consumers comes after building a successful service for business users.

Many organizations work the other way around. Islamovich says that for GigRove, starting with business users was the best way to establish a strong market for the product.

Secondly, a successful product market fit starts with design. It is essential to gaining and retaining the interest of the consumer.

As a company develops, Islamovich recommends getting the crazy experimentation out of the way as early as possible. His experience with GigRove taught him that making design changes and trying new ideas later on can be difficult. Users are already used to the original product and so change must be handled delicately.

Life and work are no longer completely separate entities.

GigRove’s development focuses on supporting the millions of people building the movement towards a much more integrated live-work lifestyle. Islamovich believes many more people will begin to experience the joy of doing work they love from a location of their choice.

In future, it is likely that a wider demographic of workers will also seek the joys of flexible working. Often thought of as only for younger employees, remote working could begin to work for families and an aging workforce. Islamovich believes that the environment where the work is done hugely influences the work that we do. According to remote workers he has met, it helps relieve stress and live healthier lives. He sees GigRove’s role as helping people enhance that common line of work and life. The solution to that problem for them is remote working tools.

This identification of a consumer problem and creative innovation targeted to solve it is a key quality of a successful business. Spotting a trend before it becomes mainstream and carving a valuable role out of it for yourself can help contribute to success in any industry.

Additionally, Islamovich sees the increased interest in minimalism as part of the trend of connected mobility. People with less clutter and fewer items are freer to move at any time. Another issue that co-working/remote working is solving for many is the daily commute. “Companies are certainly realizing that this is a huge issue for the well-being of their employees. Those hours spent in the commute could be spent on something much more pleasant and enriching, whether that is time at the gym, with the family, reading or any number of other enjoyable activities.”

Islamovich sees a positive future of both remote working and his business: “So the future of work is the remote – a future with more health, better employee performances, and a generally more joyful life.”

Takeaway: At Springwise we have seen an increasing number of businesses looking to the future of their businesses, not just in terms of financial success, but sustainability and productivity too. The health and happiness of employees is key to a thriving business. Tools like GigRove that facilitate employee autonomy therefore also create a flourishing workplace environment. Islamovich’s careful consideration of the remote working field, not just at present but also in the future, is a clear contributor to his success. What future developments might affect your field? Are there any gaps that you could fill proactively, or trends that should be paid attention to?

Website: www.gigrove.com
Contact: [email protected]

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