Employers looking for people who want to do freelance work can use a new iPhone app launching today, an app that shares some characteristics with other gig-economy tools.
Peer Hustle was founded by a George Washington University grad who was born in Uganda and whose day job is at IBM. The app is, to be sure, far from the first to address hiring — something I asked the founder, Ian Balina, about.
For one, he says, a lot of existing tools target blue-collar jobs, like people who’ll fix something in your house. Also, he says, they lack in-app components like the ability to send messages and make calls within the app, or to make payments, and even to do reviews, a la Uber.
Lastly, he says, they’re not as local, or as hyper local; his allows you to find gigs, a la Tinder, within 100 miles of wherever you are when you open the app up.
But, I said: it’s the white-collar jobs, not the handyman stuff, that can be done remotely; so, why the hyperlocal focus?
Because, he says, you may need a photographer for a shoot. And, along with it, a makeup artist, and other parts of a crew. And you may need them today.
Peer Hustle is self funded. An Android version is on the roadmap.