I Created A Marketplace For Data Analysts & Landed Our First 50 Customers
Hi, my name is Jadd Elliot Dib, Founder, and CEO of Pangaea X, a digital platform that aims to bring together the world’s best Data Analysts and Scientist freelancers from across the world with potential clients/customers by providing them with a place where they can showcase their work, expertise requirements and navigate the difficulties of finding & completing jobs.
We currently have freelancers in over 60+ countries around the world in just over 12 months & 50+ registered clients.
What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
I hold a Bachelor of Science in the field of Computer Science from Queen Mary University in London and a degree in the field of Business/Managerial Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
I am a passionate data analytics professional with over five years of experience in risk advisory management across multiple sectors and industries.
Before launching my own company, I spent over three years as Risk Advisory Consultant, with one of the four largest consultancy firms in the world, Deloitte, where I specialized in data analytics, software asset management, and software license review across the Middle East region.
I also worked as a Consulting Manager for a data analytics specialized consultancy firm, where my role included managing & growing the business, building a client base for numerous different services such as BI gap assessment, analytics roadmap development, process automation, and predictive analytics as well as many others. I then went on to become the Head of the Data Analytics Department for an international Security & Defence consulting firm, Aeromaritime, where I developed my knowledge further.
I felt like there was a gap in the market. There are lots of freelancing sites out there but none dedicated to Data Analytics. Every day there are more and more people either getting certified or doing some sort of education in the “Data” field. Companies don’t always want to hire full-time employees for this young field and therefore I decided to bridge the gap and create a centralized place where all experts in “Data” can come together, bid for projects, share ideas & earn a living. Offer the freedom that we all deserve, to work for yourself, be your boss. As long as you have the knowledge and expertise and your work is of high quality then the fact that you are a freelancer should not stop you from earning a consistent and stable living.
We provide an equal opportunity for both companies of all sizes and freelancers. Everyone is free to bid on projects as long as you match the requirements.
Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.
The process of designing the entire platform and its functionalities was a long almost 12-month process. From creating a brand, an identity of who we are and what we stand for, and our company values to our vision. To identify every single possible user journey.
Have a plan, not for the first month or 2 but have a 2-5 year plan for yourself and your business before even starting the entrepreneurship journey.
The in-depth research that has gone behind every single button, feature, link etc on the platform is nothing small. Weeks if not months of research and internal discussions.
Legality and regulations of what we were doing, the company creation, all of it was a very long and detailed process.
Describe the process of launching the business.
So we started marketing & PR activities a few months before launch in order to build some credibility but also get the exposure and our name out there so that Data Analysts would know PangaeaX is the place they want to be.
We created a build up around our company and what we were planning to do. So when it came to launching numbers were good and healthy. We had already collected a database of freelancers and potential clients that had signed up to our “Launch notification”.
Funding has never been an issue for us as PangaeaX is funded by myself and there are no external parties. Before it was even a revenue-generating business many expenses had to be taken care of but for me, that was an investment. All investments come with risk but this was a risk I was willing to take. Funding the development of the platform, the company creation, the branding, the marketing & PR, the legal team, and consultations is all an investment. As a start-up, you should not have the mentality of I need to make a return on my investment in the first year, maybe not even in the second. We needed to be patient and lay out the foundations for the long and prosperous journey we have ahead.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
SEO has been a crucial fundamental that we may have taken a few months longer than we wanted to implement however once it was done, we saw and continue to see the difference it makes. Nobody has everything up and running at launch, so week after week and month after month, we continue to make improvements, such as newsletters, more PR & interviews etc.
Continuous development has been the key. Never be satisfied with what you have and where you are, continue to improve. We at PangaeaX have continued to move forward and improve, and develop more and more. We have our development roadmap set for the next 3-5 years already.
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
The future looks bright. We are a young business in the right field. Even if in some regions of the world, the data analytics industry is still young and hasn’t really caught up, it doesn’t mean it won't. We are ahead of the market, which just means that we will be ready and thriving for when it does catch up to us. It’s only a matter of time. We have big plans for PangaeaX, continuous development for the foreseeable future as well as an add-on on multiple different products to the company.
Opening offices in multiple different regions of the globe to sustain a high level of service to all our freelancers that are spread out around the world. Eventually, take the company to its IPO and go public.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
I’ve learnt many lessons along the way but one big lesson is that don’t expect everything to go according to your plan. You will face speed bumps and sometimes obstacles that could be business ending however persevere as to every problem there is a solution. All you have to do is look long enough and you will find it.
COVID was not planned but was a blessing in disguise. The world went on pause for a while during the global lockdown period and we were able to keep working and make sure we would be ready for when it reopened up. Do the best you can with the cards you’ve been dealt.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
We don’t use any third-party tools, we have developed everything on the platform ourselves.
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
Books:
Rich dad poor dad, Industry X.0
Podcasts/Masterclass on business, leadership. All the above have helped guide my mentality but as good as educational material is, the best thing for me was experience and exposure to the world, reality, business, economies & different markets.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
The best advice I could give someone is to give/dedicate 100% of your time and effort to your new business. Do not start it as a side business otherwise, it will always be of second priority. Have a plan, not for the first month or 2 but have a 2-5 year plan for yourself and your business before even starting the entrepreneurship journey.
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
Right now we have all our teams from Development, Marketing, PR, SEO, Legal & Branding already in place and we are not looking to recruit until further down the line.
Where can we go to learn more?
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
