Welcome back to the C Clean Connect Blog!
For those of you visiting us here for the first time, our blog is a mixed bag that covers things like business trends and changes in the cleaning industry, with a special emphasis on the clients that we have the pleasure to work with here in the Bay Area. This week we are taking a look at one of our most unique clients, TaskRabbit.
Founded in 2008 by Leah Busque as RunMyErrand, the company was originally located in Boston, MA, and the idea reportedly originated when Busque was unable to find the time to buy dog food. The core concept was based on the idea of active community, and neighbors helping one another.
After securing initial funding in 2009, the company’s name was changed to TaskRabbit the following year, and they relocated their headquarters to the Bay Area. Since then it has been a steep ascent, and the company has received over $37 million in venture funding to date.
Today, they have over 140,000 vetted “Taskers” available around the clock to help customers with everything from grocery pick-up to cleaning and minor home repairs. And unlike some of the other celebrated players in the ‘Gig Economy’ (think Lyft and Uber), this isn’t a race to the bottom: these Taskers set their own rates.
In a surprise move, TaskRabbit was acquired by mega-retailer Ikea in 2017 in order to give their customers an easy way to hire someone to assemble their furniture. This had been a common complaint among the brand’s customers, and the move was credited with relieving a long-running sore point for the company.
Their ingenious model has helped TaskRabbit to grow a large, highly qualified network in a relatively small amount of time. And speaking of Uber, if imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery, this latest news should have the team at TaskRabbit blushing: the ridesharing giant is currently testing an “on-demand labor” service offering staffing for functions and events–something that sounds very much like TaskRabbit.
Another trend that bodes well for the company is the growing number of older adults who have begun to embrace online work. As the digital community ages and more people over sixty-five develop digital skills, the number of retirees using platforms like TaskRabbit is sure to increase. Meaningful work isn’t always easy to find for those seniors who want it, so this is not only good for business–it’s good for our older communities.
Here at C Clean, we’re proud to work with the innovative people at TaskRabbit. We can’t wait to see what’s next for them as they continue to develop their platform, and we’ll make sure to keep you posted.
Meanwhile, enjoy the November weather, and check back with us soon for more C Clean news. See you next time–and don’t forget to get out and vote!