Storyblocks is Handoff’s premier beta partner. (from left to right) Co-working partner Judy Reyes, Handoff founder Latoria Pierce, CEO of Storyblocks TJ Leonard, co-working partner Redeit Admassie
The current business model in the United States fails many qualified workers, with jobs being either part-time or full-time. Working a set 40 hours per week is challenging for people like caregivers, but part-time jobs don’t have the same benefits or career advancement potential. DeliveryTechCrunch, a startup at TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield 200, wants to make a concept called job sharing, where two people divide responsibilities and pay a full-time job but get the same benefits, on a larger scale.
Founder and CEO Lattoria Pierce began work on Handoff while she was involved in Ideas42 Venture Studio. Pierce was asked to build from live experience and challenges. Inspired by her mother, who was a single mother, she set out to find a solution that would include single mothers. She spent a year talking to moms in the workforce and employers.
“What I discovered was that there was a mismatch and ‘why’ shocked me — why don’t we see working mothers in certain organizations in certain roles? 40 hours a week is a barrier for many parents and caregivers,” Pierce said. position and they have perseverance, but time can be an issue.”
Part of Handoff software to facilitate job sharing
Job sharing is already commonly used in many European countries, and Handoff’s mission is to expand it in the US as well, by helping employers create a basis to start offering job sharing roles. Its minimum viable product is a job sharing enabler that makes sure that the work sharing relationship can be managed and that the work is equally divided between the two people in it. “Talent is starting to show up in droves,” Pierce said when Handoff launched its first pilot. Therefore, the startup has created a talent communication portal for them, which speeds up employers to access pre-screened qualified talent.
Pearce said job sharing can help with diversity, equality and inclusion by getting more women, women of color and caregivers into the workforce. Handoff’s talent pool has a wide range of professional and educational backgrounds, including people with a high school diploma and more than ten years of experience, people with MBAs, and people who have worked in the public or public sectors. 98% of people who come through the Handoff portal are caregivers, and 75% are people of color.
Organizations are looking for people to fill the roles of business management, executives, administrators, human resources and marketing. Pierce says these spaces are the sweet spot for the Handoff because employers see high turnover and need to fill multiple positions, but they struggle to hire qualified staff. It also recently launched a pilot program with group care homes, many of which are already using a job-sharing system, to test Handoff’s employee coordination program.
Handoff’s go-to-market plan includes working with employer partners (currently being used by organizations such as Financial Media Service Stories). It is now increasing its seed funding and is targeting between $500,000 and $1 million. The higher amount will give Handoff listed extended 18 months.
