Mark Smith
Feedcoyote is a Business Network Platform augmented with CRM capabilities that equips freelancers, entrepreneurs, and SMBs with the right tools to work more efficiently and collaborate together on various projects to make more money.
We use Machine Learning to streamline and automate the collaboration and end-to-end deal flow which saves time and increases productivity, all in one place.
Tell us about yourself?
I’m a survivor of the earthquake of magnitude 7.3 that left more than 300 thousand dead in Haiti in 2010. I migrated to the US from Haiti at age 22 with no English and learned it within months.
Despite the challenges, I completed 4 degrees within five years and graduated with a 4.0 GPA, including a Doctorate degree by the age of 28. During my Doctorate, I started working at Microsoft and got three promotions back-to-back.
I’ve become a University Professor at 29, teaching business courses to undergrads. I also wrote a chapter in an academic textbook that is currently used by Freshmen at a university.
The long-life desire to help others has always motivated me to go above and beyond. As a result, combining my business acumen and my experience in the tech industry, amidst the Pandemic, I have decided to take that leap of faith and launched my own tech startup
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Take the first step although you don’t see the full stairway yet, because you can always figure it out as you go and learn along the way.
What problem does your business solve?
We are solving the problem of lack of connectivity among entrepreneurs and freelancers as they often work in silos and have to navigate different platforms looking for business opportunities while creating tedious manual processes, which results in loss of time and productivity.
Research shows that freelancers spend on average 3-6hrs per week looking for business opportunities. New entrants spend 75% of their time sourcing for leads, and 42% of entrepreneurs express experiencing economic isolation.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
I decided to launch a startup as I’ve dealt with the issue of lack of connectivity personally as an entrepreneur and also worked closely with SMBs as a Customer Success Manager at Microsoft, which gave me more insights into the problem.
Right now, entrepreneurs and freelancers use different platforms for each need. For example, they use network platforms to get leads and CRM platforms to manage those leads, which is time-consuming and inefficient. As I’ve interviewed other entrepreneurs and freelancers, I’ve noticed the same trend.
Therefore, I decided to assemble a team so we could address the issue and build solutions to help other independent workers collaborate and work more efficiently.
What is your magic sauce?
The Feedcoyote platform combines an integrated management tool with our lead generation business network which fosters better collaboration and closed deals for independent workers, all in one place.
We use Machine Learning to streamline and automate the collaboration and end-to-end deal flow which saves time and increases productivity
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
Create deep value for independent workers and help them work and collaborate more efficiently. Become market leader in the collaboration networking space Generate at least $100M YoY in revenue International expansion Obtain unicorn status
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Lack of funding for people of color in the tech industry has historically led to fewer or lack of innovation in product development.
As a Black founder myself, I’ve experienced the difficulty of raising capital and getting mentorship from traditional institutions, although we had a product and a solid team.
It seems like we always have to do more or go the extra mile to show that we can make it work, although our credentials and expertise show that we have what it takes.
How do people get involved/buy into your vision?
At Feedcoyote, we are excited to provide solutions and help independent workers collaborate, manage, and grow their businesses in just a few clicks, all in one place.
If you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur, or small business owner, sign up today for a 1 Month Free exclusive deal at https://feedcoyote.com.
