Besomebody

Besomebody, Inc. is a Experiential learning marketplace that encourages people to live their passion.^[1][2] Beginning as a Hashtag on Twitter in 2009,^[3] former Procter & Gamble and GoPro executive Kash Shaikh created the #besomebody blog on January 11, 2011.^[4] Three years later, Shaikh founded the Startup company in Austin, Texas.^[5] Besomebody develops and operates an Online marketplace which enables users to book experiences with instructors called "Passionaries" to learn anything they are passionate about.^[6] Passionaries set the details and pricing for their experiences, and are paid directly on the platform.^[7] There are over 400 experiences available ranging from basketball and boxing, to pottery and piano.^[8] The company raised $1 Million from media company E. W. Scripps Company in 2014,^[9] and raised an additional $1 million in funding from angel investors in 2015.^[10]

On May 18, 2016, the company announced its relocation to Boston, Massachusetts in order to focus on expansion in the Northeast of the United States, as well as continue its product development in one of the world's foremost cities for Higher education and Educational technology.^[11]

Many prominent athletes, artists and entrepreneurs have become advocates of the #besomebody movement including World Cup Champions and Olympic Gold medalists Mia Hamm^[12] and Kristine Lilly,^[13] renowned aerialist and author Jennifer Bricker,^[14] Olympic Gold medalist and UFC fighter Henry Cejudo,^[15] American Ninja Warrior Travis Brewer, ^[16] and entrepreneur and investor Gary Vaynerchuk.^[17][18]

Besomebody was awarded the "General Motors Rising Star" award at the Capital of Texas awards in Austin on March 5, 2015.^[19] On February 18, 2016, Entrepreneur (magazine) named the company one of three apps that "just might take over Facebook."^[20]

Besomebody was featured in Season 8 of Shark Tank.

References

1. ↑ #besomebody. "World's Fastest Growing Motivational Movement Now Taking to the Streets". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2016-08-14. 
2. ↑ "Show Information: Nov. 16-17, 2013". Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
3. ↑ "#besomebody: How A Hashtag Became A Movement Became A Startup | texastechpulse.com". www.texastechpulse.com. Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
4. ↑ "Movement first, app second: The #besomebody story". Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
5. ↑ "Besomebody, Inc.: Private Company Information - Businessweek". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
6. ↑ "Besomebody founder matches passion with profit". Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
7. ↑ "Passion Project". Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
8. ↑ "About. - #besomebody.". Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
9. ↑ Ha, Anthony. "Besomebody Inc. Raises $1M To Build A Passion-Focused Community And Experience Marketplace". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
10. ↑ "Besomebody raised $1M to inspire people to do what they love". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
11. ↑ "'Experiences' Startup Besomebody Is Moving to Boston From Austin". BostInno. Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
12. ↑ "Kash Shaikh on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-08-17. 
13. ↑ "Kash Shaikh on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-08-17. 
14. ↑ besomebody. (2014-04-08), Passion Portrait: Jen Bricker. #besomebody., retrieved 2016-08-17 
15. ↑ besomebody. (2013-09-22), Passion Portrait: Henry Cejudo. #besomebody., retrieved 2016-08-17 
16. ↑ "Kash Shaikh on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-08-17. 
17. ↑ Gary Vaynerchuk (2016-06-26), I WANT LEGACY | DailyVee 046, retrieved 2016-08-17 
18. ↑ "Kash Shaikh on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-08-17. 
19. ↑ "Austin Hispanic Chamber names Capital of Texas award winners - Austin Business Journal". Retrieved 2016-08-15. 
20. ↑ Dholakiya, Pratik (2016-02-18). "Why Three Apps -- Eva, OneHive and Besomebody -- Just Might Take Over Facebook". Retrieved 2016-08-15.