A two-sided marketplace created specifically for talented developers and creatives who are overwhelmed with job opportunities. HIRED is making hiring, or getting hired, less painful. $4,499,665,336 in offers — placed by 1599 employers — 90% of participants received an offer.
At my annual sojourn to the TED Conference, I met Matt Mierkiwitz, an entrepreneur from Vancouver. Matt is a talented and insightful entrepreneur - as evidenced by being cited by FORTUNE as one of the top 30 entrepreneurs under 30. He is on his fourth successful startup. But Matt had a problem. He had a great business concept with a brand name that was challenging and divisive. "Developer Auction" is a two-sided market place where developers in the Bay area could quietly matchmake with hiring tech companies during a limited 2 week period, all online.
Developer Auction grew quickly due to a fresh approach to solving vexing problems for both sides of the market - developers who are overwhelmed with opportunities and hiring tech companies who need developers. While the name sparked buzz, many insisted that the name be changed.
Matt and I decided to collaborate on a new brand name where Team Vista would assist his highly-creative team with 2 days of naming exercises designed to uncover new and better naming options. Through our work sessions at the frog offices in San Francisco (thanks Doreen), we discovered that Matt's brand had many other verticals of relevance beyond the developer marketplace. Law, healthcare, sales to name a few. His platform worked for all. It has very broad shoulders and we advised that the new name should reflect that.
After generating hundreds of potential names and concepts, our handpicked nationwide team of linguists and entrepreneurs, offered up 10 brand name finalists. With three recommendations, some with free range with URLs, some with negotiation.
To name his powerful and expansive concept that quickly solves hiring challenges for candidates and companies alike, quite efficiently, a new name was hatched: HIRED.com.
Stay tuned as Matt and team rapidly gain altitude.