Scheduler AI

How This Couple Grew Scheduler AI to Revolutionize Meeting Scheduling

Founded By

Maddie Bell

Founders

Profitable

Yes

Year Started

2023

Customer

B2B

Founded By
Maddie Bell: Founders
2

Profitable
Yes: Year Started
2023

Customer
B2B

Who is Maddie Bell?

Scheduler AI was co-founded by Maddie Bell, who hails from Cincinnati and previously managed billion-dollar brands at Procter & Gamble. A graduate of Duke University, Maddie, along with her husband, Mike, combined their expertise in digital innovation and AI to start their venture while raising a family.

Maddie Bell & Mike Bell, the co-founders

What problem does Scheduler AI solve?

Scheduler AI saves you the headache and time of coordinating meetings by using AI to handle the back-and-forth scheduling, so you can focus on what truly matters.

Scheduler AI Homepage

How did Maddie come up with the idea for Scheduler AI?

Maddie Bell's idea for Scheduler AI grew from a personal frustration with the chaotic nature of scheduling meetings and appointments. As she and her husband Mike, both balancing demanding careers and family life, found themselves frequently unable to coordinate their schedules with friends, they recognized a common pain point. This frustration led Maddie to envision a tool that could effortlessly manage meeting orchestration, emphasizing that scheduling should begin with a conversation rather than a calendar.

Before diving in, Maddie and Mike sought validation for their concept through participating in high-profile hackathons, which they notably won, solidifying early proof of the idea's potential. They listened closely to their experiences and those of others, repeatedly refining their solution to align with the needs of people looking to reduce the burden of scheduling.

The initial focus naturally shifted and expanded once Scheduler AI entered the market, with the feedback and evolving landscape of AI technology guiding its growth and complexity. This journey underlined important lessons for Maddie about the value of market-driven development and responsiveness, ensuring the idea not only addressed the problem it aimed to solve but also resonated with a broader audience beyond their initial concept.

How did Maddie Bell build the initial version of Scheduler AI?

Scheduler AI's first version involved developing a powerful autonomous AI meeting orchestration platform. Maddie Bell and her co-founder, started by prototyping the AI functionality using early-stage AI models before GPT became widely known, and invested about a million dollars into building the MVP, including a state-management layer and integration with large language models. They iterated on the technology via participation in and winning hackathons, like Slack's Global Hackathon, to refine the functionality. The initial build phase was challenging but benefited from their vast industry knowledge and strategic patience in understanding customer needs. Despite the hurdles, including high complexity and cost, they successfully patented their innovative system, focusing on leveraging heuristic layers to manage conversational interactions effectively across platforms.

What were the initial startup costs for Scheduler AI?

"- Funding: Scheduler AI raised $2 million from Drive Capital, bringing their total fundraising to $2.8 million.

What was the growth strategy for Scheduler AI and how did they scale?

SEO

Scheduler AI excelled by focusing heavily on optimizing their website for search engines. They've crafted content that targets specific keywords like "AI meeting scheduling" and "automated meeting software." The strategy ensured they rank high on search engine results, thus attracting a constant flow of potential users searching for such solutions. Their website content is both informative and rich with pertinent industry keywords.

Why it worked: Their audience consists of professionals actively searching for AI-enhanced scheduling solutions online. By optimizing for these specific search terms, they captured their target market's attention, leading to increased website visits and conversions.

Strategic Partnerships

One pivotal avenue for growth was through strategic partnerships. Scheduler AI successfully collaborated with Slack, which not only won them Slack's Global Hackathon but also provided crucial exposure to a broader audience. Integrating their AI with widely used platforms like Slack allowed them to seamlessly become part of users' existing workflows.

Why it worked: Integrating Scheduler AI with a platform like Slack tapped into a large, already engaged user base, offering immediate credibility and ease of adoption. Such partnerships expanded their reach and showcased the practical application of their AI, leading to increased business interest.

Networking and Word-of-Mouth

Leveraging their connections within the Ohio tech ecosystem, Scheduler AI connected with key players in the industry, including Drive Capital. This networking led to significant investment rounds and opened doors to further growth opportunities. Their strong community presence and reputation have bolstered their word-of-mouth marketing, drawing in new users from referrals and recommendations.

Why it worked: Networking positions Scheduler AI within influential tech circles, resulting in valuable endorsements and introductions to potential investors and customers. The credibility from winning competitions and strategic partnerships enhanced trust, making users more likely to recommend them to their peers.

What's the pricing strategy for Scheduler AI?

Scheduler AI offers a subscription plan starting at $49 per month per user, providing an AI-driven meeting automation platform, with no free plan but a 14-day trial available for new users.

SchedulerAI Pricing

What were the biggest lessons learned from building Scheduler AI?

Embrace Evolution: Scheduler AI found success by continuously refining its product based on user feedback and market needs. This adaptability allowed them to pivot effectively from general scheduling solutions to more specific business-to-customer meeting orchestration.
Understand Your Customer: Deep immersion in customer needs, through direct feedback and constant iteration, enabled Scheduler AI to hone in on the specific pain points their technology could address. This intense focus on the 'jobs to be done' for their customers provided clarity and direction.
Team Dynamics Matter: Founders Maddie and Mike Bell leveraged their long history and established trust, allowing them to navigate the challenges of co-founding with a spouse. This unique dynamic underscores the importance of knowing your team deeply and establishing clear roles and communication.
Patience and Persistence: The journey from idea to traction was marked by periods of uncertainty and seeming stagnation. By committing to specific customer problems and slowly iterating, the team persevered, ultimately discovering a strong market fit.
Leverage External Support: Engaging with accelerators, competitions, and investors not only provided necessary funding but also valuable validation and market insight. This external support was crucial for guiding decisions and building momentum.

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