Quick Pitch: Hub36 is content creation, email marketing and social engagement on steroids.
Small businesses can quickly communicate with customers, by creating branded messages with photos, text, video, audio and embedded links– in a matter of minutes. Impactful communications that are more powerful than current methods as outlined below.
Small business owners have limited time, finances and staff resources.
Hub36 offers them an inexpensive way to reach and connect with customers through a fully featured mobile app and web platform that:
builds on what current platforms do well.
adds to what they completely miss altogether.
simplifies the process, which can be complicated and time-consuming.
Hub36 delivers:
A disruptive product. The “next level” improvement to the current, established method.
A specific plan to deliver a user base and to grow at optimum speed.
The right time-frame, valuation, and ROI for investors.
A knowledgeable, capable team ready to execute the plan.
In our first year, Hub36 has developed a product and strategies for each of these points that deliver a solid return in a short time-frame. Six months after this round of financing, Hub36 will have earned its first revenues and it expects to reach operational breakeven in an additional 12 months.
Small-Medium businesses (SMBs) need to communicate with customers by engaging with them about sale, event and service/product information, while also offering them free content and giveaways or discounts that drive brand awareness, and ultimately sales.
This enagagement is currently done through email and social marketing.
Mail Chimp and Constant Contact are the two biggest and most well-known leaders in email marketing, driving a multi-million dollar industry.
However, there are limitations and issues with these offerings:
The PROBLEM: Current platforms lack the speed and feature sets required to create, post and track multi-media, branded content in real-time from anywhere (mobile), AND reach an extended user base. The learning curves can be steep, and therefore time-consuming and the one-size-fits-all messaging for the masses is not at all personal.
The SOLUTION: Hub36 is the next level of email and social marketing by addressing these limits while still remaining robust, yet simple to understand and use. Given the convenience and flexibility of mobile, this is a new way of creating and delivering communication digitally to different audiences, from anywhere.
Hub36 does 3 things profoundly different, and never before available in email and social marketing campaigns for small-medium sized businesses:
Real-time. Don’t get stuck behind a desktop computer, creating lengthy marketing campaigns and informational product pages. This tool allows you to deliver brief, but rich content to email and social media from a tablet right from your sales area—where you need to be every day. Hub36 is branded messaging with multi-media content, built and tracked in the moment delievered right to your customer.
Personal messages. Mail Chimp and CC lack the personal touch. Creating campaigns is so time-consuming that sending personal messages to individual customers is unheard of—they are built to blast to the masses, in multiple lists. Hub36 can do both.
Extended Reach. When you love a brand, you talk about it. Let your customers use your branded templates and endorse your business to their circle of friends. They get discounts and incentives, you reach new customers through their endorsement. 75% of consumers said product information found on social channels influenced their shopping behavior and enhanced brand loyalty.¹
How it works:
Select a basic layout from our library, upload your logo/colors and save it in your account. Create a variety of branded layouts ready to use when you are.
Select one of the branded layouts from your account. Tap to add your content (images, text, audio, video, web links) and in minutes your message is ready to share to email and social media. Track in real-time too.
Analytics: Studies show that businesses focus on conversion, which of course is an important metric for the placement of advertising dollars. Our built-in analytics address this need by easily tracking pages right on the device, so users monitor the traction of the messaging in real-time, and can easily split test messages to different platforms.
However, it’s also important to realize that in addition to specific conversion numbers, businesses have to also consider the buyer’s path, steering them to purchase by creating connections. This is really hard to measure, but a necessary part of the process. Consumers are savvy, but also on ad overload. If businesses are consistently pitching, focused only on selling, consumers will rarely look. But if a SMB can create different, interesting touchpoints then customers are more inclined to look often and engage.
Because Hub36 is content creation on steroids, and speed, a pizza place can share a page with coupons an hour before dinner, then quickly demo a tip for making the perfect pizza crust, with video, text and photos. Versatile. Game-changing because the messages are so easy and fast to create.
You change up your messaging minute by minute. “The trick is to connect the dots along your customer’s purchase journey and to engage with them consistently, yet also in a moment-appropriate way.”²
Retailers need to understand that “people and their devices are wired as one”³ and if a meaningful, thoughtful experience can be had with a brand, then mobile is the way to capitalize on that positive experience—in real-time as it happens.
Hub36 is delivered as a SaaS model via mobile apps (iOS and Android) and web based platforms. Users can decide the best way to interact with the service or use both given the situation.
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¹ Deloitte-The New Digital Divide, 2014 study
² Deloitte-The New Digital Divide, 2014 study
³ Deloitte-The New Digital Divide, 2014 study
PILOT: We’ve identified user bases in small-medium sized businesses to pilot our current product, version 1.0.
These users need to create inexpensive content quickly and often, where mobile is the optimal method of creation. We have begun engagement and have strong development contacts, but undoubtedly strategic investors have contacts who can help. Again, our core focus is small- medium sized businesses, of which there are 5.5 million.
User #1: RETAIL
Example: Robert’s Home Furnishing Store
Robert’s new shipment of antiques arrives from London! How does he let his top clients know about it, without spending too much time? Afterall, he has to unpack and price his goods—and he can’t leave his selling floor.
Using his Hub36 branded template on his tablet, he takes a few photos of key items, records a short video of the process and even records a personal voice message to his customers. He has a beautifully formatted, content rich message to email or post on social media. A personal note created in minutes. Recipients can also view and print the 8.5” x 11” standard page as a reminder to go to Robert’s place.
Extended Reach:
Robert asks customers to use one of his branded templates to show off a purchase and post it on social media. By doing so they can enjoy a special offer of Robert’s choosing, such as a discount or free delivery service. Customers post about their purchase creating a brand endorsement to their circle of friends. That’s a powerful extension.
User #2: TRADESHOWS
Example: Stellarosa Tile
Stella is a Tile exhibitor at The DIG Home Tradeshow. She is showcasing new product, and several classics that sell well for her. The brochures she used a few months ago are now outdated, since she recently moved the showroom location and they don’t include any of the new product she’s offering at this show.
The Dig Show introduces her to Hub36 and has created a blank, co-branded layout for her to use! There are 3 ways she can use it to drive her sales:
Extended Reach: Stella asks local customers to create a message highlighting their latest Stellarosa Tile project. Entries are posted to Facebook and the winner receives a $1000 gift card. An easy way to run a small contest.
User #3: SERVICE
Example: Summer Camp
Camp Coco is the coolest camp in the neighborhood. And you know why?Counselors send parents multi-media pages of their kids doing fun things at camp!
Counselors can get specific and highlight a child’s birthday, an accomplishment, an act of kindness, a special activity or just general camp days. Counselors get to be with your kids all day while you’re slugging it out at work. They get to hear the funny things your kids say and do and now they can share…a short, quick, personalized message goes a long way with parents who can also print and save. It’s no wonder parents heart Camp Coco.
Extended Reach: Camp Coco sends parents a link to its blank, branded template and asks parents to create a message describing why they love the camp. Each message they post earns their child a free day at Camp Coco.
Recap: Because Hub36 is a fast tool, businesses can capitalize on in-the-moment marketing because, as we know, timing is everything. These examples fit with our vision of why fast, mobile messaging is necessary.
This is personal service that develops that path to a sale, by creating and maintaining connections with loyal fans; who in turn will readily endorse your brand just because they had a good experience or because you offered an incentive in exchange for their opinion.
PRODUCT, version 1: Our in-house CTO, Andrew Root developed a working dashboard (front-end) and server (back-end) allowing users to login, create an account and test drive the Hub36 functionality by creating, sharing and saving their very own branded messages in minutes.
This product was not created in a vacuum—we researched for months.
Hub36, version 1.0 was shaped in two ways:
Interviews: We met with our contacts in various markets: retail, service, manufacturing, entertainment, tradeshow and theater over a 6-9 month period and asked a lot of questions.
Research: Based on these interviews, we developed a 35 page product planning guide and study that outlines the methodology, planning and growth opportunities for Hub36. Our plan includes SCRUM and agile development techniques that adhere to strict budgets and lean iterations that can quickly respond to and adapt to customer feedback and changing market landscapes. Our in-house CTO is very familiar with managing agile development, how to prioritize each iteration and how to budget for it.
PATENT PROTECTION: We filed our first Provisional Patent Application in Sept 2013 and our full utility patent in Sept 2014 covering the methods of data compilation and algorithms necessary to support dynamic content placement, including images, text, audio, video and web links as a business marketing tool. In Nov 2014 we filed our first Continue in Part (CIP) patent application to cover additional new enhancements to the technology identified through development. These enhancements include next-level ideas of how this technology further expands and diversifies from all existing competition, revealed in the Business Plan tab when you request more information from us.
MARKETING: Our sales and marketing team, Tim Martinez and Jason Fishman have specific, proven methods for driving customer acquisition through targeted campaigns and ad placement. We’ve established in this round’s budget a methodology for acquiring 2500 new, paying users in year one.
Our strategy is to start slowly targeting small-medium sized businesses of which there are 5.5 million, offering a basic monthly package subscription; and introducing product improvements iteratively based on feedback, and eventual growth rounds of financing. Our plan includes customization options for enterprise level and licensing usage, resulting in the next tiers of revenue, revealed in the Business Plan tab when you request more information from us.
Hub36 is pre-revenue but has built a compelling strategy, product demo and team to execute its growth plan —in less than 15 months.
We are looking for visionary investors who see the power in real-time, digital communication delivered in brief, but content-rich, branded messaging created quickly.
Whether Hub36 is an outright replacement for Mail Chimp and Constant Contact, or another tool in the marketing arsenal, depends on the user’s needs. Hub36 is the solution for real-time, personal and extended reach messaging in a proven multi-million dollar industry, prime for disruption.
Ivory Clay, Inc. needs a seed round to set its plan in motion.
Test the product with 1-3 pilot user bases for free.
Move the product to iteration 2.0 for mass distribution based on pilot feedback.
Secure our first 2500 users with our sales and marketing plan.
Drive a higher valuation and secure additional rounds of financing for growth.
Additional plan details and how investors benefit, are revealed in the Business Plan tab when you request more information from us.
Ava Herrera: Founder, President, Vision and Strategy
Ava Herrera graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN with a BA in Business Entrepreneurship, and afterwards obtained a 3 year AA degree in Interior Design from FIDM in Los Angeles, CA. Ava worked for over 10 years as a designer, rebuilding residential properties and settling FEMA and insurance claims related to the Northridge earthquake; and for a hi-end residential firm, Design Concepts, specializing in kitchen and bath remodels with extensive experience in budgeting, planning, trade organization and design. At the same time, she developed a line of children’s clothing called “Spunky Punk” that she designed, manufactured and sold to over 250 boutiques nationally and sold to another manufacturer. In 2000, she was offered an Operations position with Greystone Home Collection to help develop a stocked program of home furnishings, textiles and trims at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, CA opening eleven to-the-trade only showrooms in three years.
Her first app, called DotGlu is live in the iOS App store and is the consumer-facing aspect of this technology, allowing moms to created digital, multi-media scrapbook type pages of family memories. She quickly determined that small businesses could use this same technology to engage with customers in a real-time and very personal way. The new B2B concept, Hub36, began with extensive planning, team development and enhancements ideas that have taken shape over this last year.
Ben Root: Legal, Funding, Strategy and Operations
Ben Root is a University of Michigan grad (Economics) with a Harvard Law degree, with cum laude distinction. He has over 15 years as a Senior Partner at Latham & Watkins in Los Angeles, CA as a transactional attorney in business law. As an entrepreneur and business consultant, Ben has extensive experience with start-ups, strategy, planning, funding, protecting technology and commercializing products. Ben also serves as the Executive Vice President of Gol! Beverage Company, a startup that has raised approximately $1 million in A round capital, is selling product in domestic and international markets, and is working to reach projected sales goals of $50 million in the next 5 years.
Andrew Root: Chief Technology Officer
Andrew Root is a computer software engineer with 8 years professional experience as a programmer, product developer and development team manager. Root is currently a Managing Director at Transparatech, a web development firm in San Diego, CA with a focus on Drupal web systems and Javascript based applications. Root has a long list of technical competencies, including backend languages such as PHP and Node.js, SQL and ODM, along with frontend languages such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript.
Having participated in many agile projects over the years, Root has a great deal of experience with the SCRUM project planning methodology. As an open source software advocate, Root is always evaluating new software packages for suitability in new technology solutions. He manages the local chapter of the San Diego Drupal Users Group and their annual SANDcamp Drupal technology event. He holds a BS from University of Colorado Boulder with a concentration in Computer Science and a minor in Business Administration.
Norman R. Van Treeck: IP Strategy
Norman R. Van Treeck is both a software entrepreneur and a registered patent attorney. As an entrepreneur, Norman assisted in development of a software platform which was sold to Google. As an intellectual property specialist he has represented high-tech intellectual property clientele ranging from startup ventures to Fortune 500 corporations regarding computer science and electronics matters, software buyout situations and in all aspects of intellectual property.
Norman holds a degree in Computer Science, with minors in Math and Statistics. His technical expertise includes work with computer hardware, radar systems, microwave systems and advanced electronics. His computer science, programming skills and experience involve designing network architecture which led to his position as Vice President of Systems and Network Engineering for a Los Angeles-based Internet company. He now expertly advises other entrepreneurs on specific protection of their technology processes, as well as on a broad range of intellectual property matters.
Tim Martinez: Sales and Marketing
Tim Martinez is a Los Angeles based entrepreneur. Over the past decade, Tim has worked with hundreds of companies from start-ups to large private companies as a mentor, consultant, advisor, manager and investor. Tim has written numerous publications, contributed to various business blogs and is the author of “The Marketing Pocketbook”. He has also been a featured speaker at various trade events on topics such as “Powerful Cost Efficient Marketing Strategies” and “10 Step Marketing Plan”. Tim’s formative years in business include working in licensing, retail, sales, marketing, design, apparel and athlete/talent management. His experience and success in these fields led him to start a sales & marketing agency in 2006, which was acquired in 2011. He has consulted for major corporations including Haagen Dazs, Warner Bros Consumer Products and Jart Skateboards. Tim has a strong understanding of business, branding, licensing and marketing and has amassed strategic relationships across multiple verticals, including major media outlets, corporate finance groups, marketing executives, advertising agencies, film and TV producers, entertainers, agents, technology developers, investors and many other influential groups and individuals.
Jason Fishman: Development of Digital Strategies
Jason has 10+ years as a “New Media Enthusiast”, thoroughly enjoying and understanding all aspects of what’s possible via digital strategies including social media platforms, CPI ad campaigns, blogging and email platforms. He has held leadership roles at niche ad agencies helping develop different brands at various stages. Jason has successfully implemented programs that produced millions in marketing product sales while working with the major publishers and brands. Playing a lead role at Mind Medium Creative, a boutique marketing agency, he saw substantial growth on key accounts including Capitol Records, Snoop Dogg, Volcom Stone, Amp Energy, Bridget Marquardt, Robin Jeans, Logic Mobile, and an Action Sports Video Sharing website; which was sold based on the success of the re-branding campaign, user experience strategy and marketing campaigns Jason planned and executed. Jason has also held pivotal roles in the initial stages of a social gaming startup, for which he produced a marketing plan and presentation materials used to raise capital funding of $3M, as well as the acquisition of a spectrum of entertainment licenses. Most recently, Jason conceptualized, built-out, and launched the product marketing division of an ad sales firm to increase awareness, interest, and demand for mobile/tablet ad products, which led to significant increase in revenues.
Keith Whitworth: Financial Officer, CPA
Keith Whitworth has 33 years of experience in the world of finance as a CFO, Controller and CPA with versatile expertise in management, operations, finance and accounting for the tech industry. His years of experience have led to innovations in improving reporting processes, reducing costs and providing detailed operations information to management.
Saritasa, Inc.: Software Development
A forward thinking and comprehensive development partner, Saritasa provides an infrastructure that supports and nurtures every aspect of product development. This process starts with the preparation of a detailed road map called a Product Planning Guide; the development then utilizes agile development techniques known as scrum to ensure a project stays ontime, on budget and most importantly can pivot in a quickly evolving marketplace. The scrum method ensures that product, version 1, is built carefully with a balance between robust and lean, ensuring a vital first product, but with built-in flexibility for the success of future iterations. The full team is over 100 members strong and all work is done in-house with experts in every possible category of development including: Facebook applications, mobile apps-all devices and platforms, social media, PHP, ASP &.NET, WordPress, Drupel, FLASH, OpenGL, online marketing and SEO. Together with Saritasa, we have written our 35 page road map, or Product Planning Guide, and have cost estimates to begin building Hub36.