For a long time now, it’s been possible for anyone to build a website or eCommerce store without writing a single line of code. In fact, people have been using WordPress to build websites for almost 20 years! (It launched in May 2003). However, in the last three years, we’ve…

An important stage when planning your marketplace is to figure out the best revenue stream — how you’re going to make money. You want it to be sustainable and reliable. When considering revenue streams you’ll need to ask yourself the following: Who will you charge? (Customers, suppliers or both) When…

When you’re building a marketplace, you’ll need to consider how people make bookings and what information the provider needs to collect from customers. A lot of careful thought and consideration needs to go into the design of your booking process. Getting it right and creating a smooth experience for both…

There are so many amazing opportunities for marketplaces out there that are only limited by our imagination and our drive to build them. You probably have a high-level vision for the type of marketplace you want to build, the next step is to think about how your marketplace should work…

Being a founder of any early-stage start-up requires you to wear a lot of hats. You’ll find yourself doing things you’ve never done before, learning skills you never thought you’d need and tackling jobs that you didn’t even know needed doing! There is so much to do and you’re constantly…

So, you have a great business idea for a marketplace. There’s a gap in the market and you just know you’re on to a winner. But ask yourself honestly, what evidence do you have that you’re solving a big enough problem? Before you rush in and spend loads of time…

Marketplaces are big business! In fact, many are now household names — just look at the likes of Airbnb, Uber and Etsy. They seem to be everywhere, solving problems for people around the world. Marketplaces are also catching the eye of investors. In recent years we’ve seen mega-rounds of investment…

“Know your users.” Regardless of what startup bible you read, the most consistent thread is undoubtedly this. Getting as close as you can to both users and their problems, gives you the best shot at building the right thing, and user research is your vehicle on which to do so. …

Touch Surgery: User Research Case Study — Touch Surgery is known for creating beautifully interactive surgical simulations, breaking down complex procedures into actionable steps. It’s ideal for junior residents (surgeons in their first two years of training) whose aim is to practice and rehearse surgical workflows. The Touch Surgery app has proved to be incredibly popular, with…