Today we’d like to introduce you to Robin Crockett
Hi Robin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
As a long-time cleaning business owner of Heaven Scent Home Cleaning, Inc., I spent many hours driving to provide in-person bids or free estimates for potential new clients over the last 29 1/2 years.
This challenge of time inefficiency caused me to think that there has to be a better way to get more cleaning business in less time. In 2017, I decided to embark on a journey to create a mobile app that would save time in the bidding process, giving me more time to manage my business and have evenings to focus on my family.
The idea came to me on a November evening in my home when I was too tired after a long day of cleaning to drive out to a potential customer to provide a bid – so I video called them instead. Thus, Virtual Bid™ was born. This idea has taken me from Atlanta to New Delhi, India, and back to MN where I was introduced to my current CTO, Chris Black.
I was determined to see this app through after recognizing all of the challenges I and other service-based businesses encountered while providing in-person quotes and (sometimes) winning jobs. I envisioned a solution that would simplify bidding for jobs. Leveraging technology, I created the Virtual Bid™ app, a user-friendly platform that allows businesses to provide real-time live walkthroughs in 15 minutes or less by providing bids virtually. My goal was to empower companies like myself to focus on delivering quality services while automating the often complex and time-consuming bidding process, and we have received glowing feedback so far.
We are currently building out our CleanQuote™ dashboard that will allow cleaning business owners and other users to provide bids virtually from a PC. This is our web-based solution to provide virtual walkthroughs and allow users to track team productivity and revenue won via our dashboard.
Our vision is that Virtual Bid™ will save thousands of cleaning business owners a life-changing amount of time and money, as it has done for me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There were many obstacles with raising capital and being a 56-year-old woman as a non-technical founder. I had no software development experience and was also part of a generation that had not been exposed to technology from an early age.
As a woman of color, I did not have knowledge capital that I could lean on in my community. That caused me to have to possess the grit necessary to find the help I needed. I was also faced with the harsh reality that software development is expensive – a truth I didn’t fully understand when I started.
As a business owner that started and has maintained a cleaning business for 29 years with an initial $20.00 investment, I knew how to work hard to build a business, which is exactly what I am doing with Virtual Bid™.
I started by taking classes that were free and joined cohorts at ILT Academy – a non profit that supports start-up founders to identify who your market is and how to successfully pitch to potential investors.
I was able to do a Shark Tank-like pitch in front of local investors in MN through my connection to NEON, an entrepreneurship non-profit located in my community in North Minneapolis, MN. This experience helped me secure the seed investment to hire a development team in New Delhi, India. This turned out to be a challenge due to the obvious distance, cultural differences, and being a woman working with a team of all men. But once again, I stayed the course and the app was developed.
A specific instance in which this process hit a road bump was when COVID-19 hit. During this time, their servers went down and I had no communication with them for over 60 days. All of the coding work had been paid for, but I received no updates whatsoever. It was a tough 60 days! I finally heard back and was able to have the code that was finished sent to America. This led to the initiation of Chris Black, CTO, who completed Virtual Bid™ and got it accepted into the Google Play and Apple App Stores in March of 2022.
The challenges I have faced, although many, have made me a better business woman. I now have more confidence in what I am doing and the in’s and out’s of my company. Virtual Bid™ is now a strong product that helps many people.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Virtual Bid™, we’re redefining the way cleaning business owners connect with potential clients. Our app is a game-changer, designed to streamline the bidding process by eliminating the need for time-consuming and costly in-person visits. With our innovative in-app video feature, contractors can “Skip the Trip & Bid Quick,” securing new clients right from the comfort of their homes. This not only saves time and money but also empowers business owners to manage their businesses more efficiently.
What sets us apart is that our app allows business owners to be in two places at once, handling day-to-day operations while seeking new customers, all through the in-app video call feature. This ease of use, combined with the convenience it offers to clients who prefer virtual walkthroughs, makes Virtual Bid™ the first of its kind in the industry. And, with our new CleanQuote™ dashboard, business owners will be able to manage more than ever before at their fingertips – accepted bids, quotes, employee call times, notes – you name it, we thought of it.
We’re most proud of our ability to help not only mid-sized cleaning business owners, but also franchises, reclaim their time and achieve a better work/life balance. By reducing the stress and time wasting that often comes with multitasking and physical travel, our app helps users grow their businesses without sacrificing personal time.
At Virtual Bid™, we want our users to know that we’re dedicated to making their lives easier and their businesses more successful. Whether you’re looking to supercharge your growth, simplify client interactions, or delight potential clients with a seamless bidding process, Virtual Bid™ is here to help you achieve your goals. Download the Virtual Bid™ app today and unlock the endless possibilities for your cleaning business or franchise.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I really love Minnesota culture and have lived here all my life. I like everything about it actually – the diversity, opportunities for women business owners, and resources to help small businesses scale. One thing I would like to see more of is more widespread information on entrepreneurial support in underserved areas such as NEON (Northside Economic Opportunity Network) for business owners and entrepreneurs like me.
Pricing:
- Virtual Bid™ app – $9.99/month
- CleanQuote™ dashboard – $49.99/user/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://virtualbidapp.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualbidapp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtualBidApp/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VirtualBidApp
