FARMISH

From Page 10

“I think (users) are looking to build a brand versus just make an occasional sale. at may be hobby gardeners, that may be someone working toward more of like a market gardener or interested in selling wholesale (or to) local retailers. But I think it’s still within the hobby gardener area, especially for content creators. People who are ... building a brand outside of their individual community,” she said.

Stewart said there also are opportunities to grow Farmish through corporate partnerships with grocery chains like Meijer, Kroger or Whole Foods.

“All of these stores right now are trying to nd ways to incorporate local produce at their regional stores. If she was able to provide a vehicle for that, that would be critical, and I think it could do really well,” he said.

First, Stewart said, Osman will need to gure out how to make her revenue model sustainable. Similar apps use a transaction fee-based model, but Osman hypothesized from the beginning that fees would be a turno to users in farming where margins already are slim.

“She’s got to prove some traction for big corporates like that to be interested, so that’s another step we’re going to be working on,” Stewart said.

Growing attention

When global supply chain issues or unforeseen circumstances like avian u cause shortages or price spikes in the grocery aisle, Osman said Farmish is a great resource.

At the end of January, the company got a bump from an article on All Recipes proclaiming Farmish was, at the time, one of the cheapest places to buy eggs in the U.S., second only to Dollar General. Newsweek then picked up the coverage, and the media attention snowballed.

Osman said egg sellers saw a bump.

“A few weeks ago, I connected with a user a little bit north of where I live. ey had been posting on Facebook for quite a bit, and it just wasn’t working. But she joined Farmish, and they sold over 20 dozen eggs within a week,” Osman said.

e company aims to raise another $500,000 in seed funding to keep the platform’s momentum going.

It’s an exciting time to connect with a new generation of growers for whom technology and farming are naturally intertwined, Osman said.

“Most of our users are under 44, so they grew up using Instagram and Facebook to connect with people,” she said. “It was only natural that they had tried (social media) to connect with local farmers, but those platforms aren’t built that way. ey restrict a lot of content, especially when it comes to selling homegrown food or food of any kind. It was just a natural transition for people to (try an app) that still felt familiar but solves the problem for them.”

Contact: rachel.watson@crain.com (989) 533-9685; @RachelWatson86

Wedge

From Page 10

“So many franchises are small businesses or midsize businesses; once one uses it, (others) typically follow suit. So, it just helps us grow quite a bit faster,” Baxter said.

Wedge has been especially successful in helping restaurants and retailers nd job candidates for customer service roles. ough they might not have much to show on paper regarding work history, they can shine in the videos.

In December, Wedge integrated “self-serve” QR code scanning that allows restaurants to use the same technology used with contactless menus to allow applicants to scan and then upload their application videos.

“ at’s where we’ve seen a lot of success,” he said.

Fueling the talent pipeline

Baxter said it’s been fun to be part of Grand Rapids’ growing startup scene as a creator of high-tech, highwage jobs, with salaries ranging from $60,000 to $240,000 per year, and on the receiving end of city resources — from Start Garden and Spartan Innovations to the investors taking notice of West Michigan tech founders.

“It’s been awesome to be a part of the tech ecosystem, both from a growing company (standpoint) and with some great talent that we can pull from in that capacity. But then on top of that, just as an entrepreneur, I think rubbing shoulders with other entrepreneurs who are, quite frankly, wrestling with just as many challenges as successes — there’s a lot you can work through together,” he said.

“We’ve gone through some of the challenges and headaches, the funding rounds and just what the market’s bringing, and being able to come alongside entrepreneurs earlier in their careers, I love being able to o er some of that wisdom, both good and bad.”

Contact: rachel.watson@crain.com (989) 533-9685; @RachelWatson86