New Jersey entrepreneur Chis Owens, founder of LincSphere, a business networking app, gets asked a lot of questions about how his startup company compares to LinkedIn – and rightfully so. Both services are built around connecting businesspeople.
But Owens isn’t looking to simply compare his company with LinkedIn; he’s looking right past it.
Owens first began working on LincSphere in September of 2013, seeking to develop an effective, innovative networking tool for businesspeople. He saw a need in the market that LinkedIn wasn’t answering. He is now passionate about addressing that need.
“LinkedIn is focused on finding and initially connecting with a contact, but that’s only 10% of what networking is about,” Owens said. “We’re focused on the other 90%, which is building relationships.”
Owens noticed that at networking events, everyone would simply shake hands, exchange business cards, and never contact one another again. Obviously, this isn’t capitalizing on how effective networking can be, so he sought make a change.
“Networking is all about finding ways to help and assist each other, which eventually leads to business relationships,” Owens said. “So I wanted to make an app that helps people do it right.”
LincSphere focuses on “generosity-based networking,” which revolves around mutually beneficial business relationships where each person can help the other. In Owens’ eyes, there are three stages of networking: awareness, trust, and contribution.
“The third stage –contribution– that’s our real objective.”
He first envisioned the software on a website platform, but after gradually realizing what LincSphere would become, he decided a mobile app is the most effective platform. This, he says, opens up all new possibilities for what the software can accomplish.
Although it’s still in the beginning phases as a company, the app can already accomplish a lot. Users can scan business cards, store contacts, make introductions, send referrals, set reminders to follow up with their contacts, and even see their contacts’ locations on a Google map. All this can be done from a phone.
The goal of all these features? Arming individuals with the tools to harness the power of engagement, something that’s so crucial to the success of a proficient networker and businessperson.
Owens is keeping his focus on the “relationship” aspect of networking, and it’s beginning to resonate with people. In fact, reactions to the mobile app compared to the original website are significantly better.
“When I toured people through the mobile demo, people’s reactions were visceral,” Owens said. “People were saying, ‘I need this, and I have others that need this too.’”
Owens attributes this excitement to people understanding that generosity and a relationship-oriented mindset are at the heart of networking. Now, there’s evidence of this support, as the LincSphere Kickstarter is spreading the word and gaining steam. So far the campaign has raised $1,570 with donation rewards including discounts on early bird subscription access.
LincSphere will be free to download and use—up to 50 contacts. After that upgrading to a professional plan will give unlimited contacts for only $15 per year.
Although the service is still in its early phases, Owens expects LincSphere to fill the void of networking and solve many of its problems, such as struggles meeting people, following up, or people using networking simply to sell something. As he looks toward the future, his ambitions are high, especially now having a strategic investor in his company that will be building out the app.
“We’re looking to change the culture of networking.”
For more information on LincSphere, or to support the campaign, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2133585380/lincsphere-build-relationships-like-a-pro-mobile-a.
