I Need Genuine Help with my Emergency Service Startup

[justusmunene]

For a while me and 2 other friends in university used to observe accidents happen near our hostel and it'd take a really long time before help came and even when it did, it'd take a long time before the car got towed away. Our observation birthed the idea of an emergency response service. We'd discuss, plan and it was only until a couple of months later that we took action. Along the way we dropped one guy because he had no skin in the game, so now it's just the 2 of us left.

However, here's the problem. During an incubator program, I discovered something very vital. We have a good idea, but no real business model. Let me explain. Among the incubator's deliverables was a lean canvas model and a pitch deck. I had no problem coming up with most of the lean canvas problem - we had a very real problem and a "good" solution to the "problem". However, when it came to the financial part of the pitch deck is when I realized I couldn't come up with any figures. If I did, they'd be very vague and I'd have probably cooked/guessed the figures. I felt pretty foolish because I realized we have a solution to a problem but don't know how to make money from it. This brought panic and despair and we thought of various strategies that we could make money from: (I'll try to make this as chronologically accurate as possible in the way the strategies were proposed)

• Hire tow trucks, then we'd service requests ourselves. (I was against this, because one can only service so many cars alone, and if we increase the number of hires, our costs would easily climb up and we could quickly incur losses if we hired tow trucks but no requests came our way).
• Inspired by MJ's Limos.com model (don't crucify me, I was clutching at straws), I proposed a lead generation model. We would sell incoming requests for roadside assistance to service providers.
• We would use WhatsApp groups/communities where we would control information (assistance requests) by posting incoming requests, then the service providers would reach out to us from the group and we'd give the service provider the driver's information and we'd earn a commission after a service was performed.
• A twist of the previous strategy, we'd post incoming requests with limited information in the WhatsApp groups/communities, then the interested service providers would pay us for full access to the "lead's" full information.
• We'd be like Uber but for emergency services. We'd onboard service providers into the platform and drivers could request for assistance at any time, and they could see nearby service providers. We'd earn a commission from the service providers for every service performed. (we soon realized/reasoned that this was not a good business model as unlike taxis, which can be used very many times in a day by very many people, "accidents" or "roadside emergencies" don't happen as often, so we'd be making very low margins)

At that point, we were almost losing hope, because none of the strategies we had come up with seemed very feasible (or we were very bad executors). Then came the following idea which seemed brilliant.

We'd reach out to insurance providers and offer our service as an add-on to their auto insurance packages. This add-on would be in the form of a bonus charge as part of their auto-insurance package and drivers willing to upgrade for the bonus could benefit from the service. We, in turn, would earn from each driver who bought the bonus add-on.

That idea then further evolved into coming up with a subscription/membership business model. This also had its various flavors:

• (inspired by competitors offering "almost similar" services) We'd offer annual memberships that included various benefits like: free towing kilometres/miles, flat tire repair/replacements, fuel delivery, jump starts etc. (I wasn't very confident about this because if we made the membership too cheap we could quickly run losses if the requests became too many, and if we used the price estimates of our benefits to come up with the membership cost, then the membership could be too expensive to attract customers, especially because our competitors had way cheaper membership costs)
• We'd offer annual memberships to drivers and businesses whose benefits would be connecting drivers with roadside assistance service providers. We wouldn't provide the service directly but whenever our members needed help, they'd reach out to us and we'd connect them with the most appropriate service provider. We'd basically be middlemen/brokering information in a way.

Now with a "more feasible" business model, we felt more confident with our idea. However, we hit another snag. We're primarily dealing with 2 groups: service providers and drivers (businesses, included). We began with cold reachouts to "service providers" so that we could onboard at least one. Some ignored, some seemed interested but never followed through. We then decided to do cold reachouts to the other group - "drivers". However, me and my co-founder aren't that confident in our sales and marketing expertise - heck, we're both techies - and our reachouts show. Is it a good idea to onboard 2 more people with experience in sales and marketing to help us with sales and marking, in exchange for equity in the company? To be honest, personally I don't know how to do cold-reachouts to "drivers". Sometimes it feels like I've got it in my head and then other times, I'm drawing blanks. Currently, I'm fearing if I continue drawing blanks, this idea could die. Also, I think I'm struggling with overthinking every little detail with this business idea (I think you can tell from the long post). I need help, I need guidance. I want to take action. What do I do?
I appreciate any help/insights. If you need me to share more info on anything, ask away as well.

 

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[SSTrey]

Gus e xjomi ni epf 2 uvjis gsoipft op apowistovz atif vu uctiswi eddofipvt jeqqip pies uas jutvim epf ov'f veli e siemmz muph voni cigusi jimq deni epf iwip xjip ov fof, ov'f veli e muph voni cigusi vji des huv vuxif exez. Uas uctiswevoup cosvjif vji ofie ug ep inishipdz sitqupti tiswodi. Xi'f fotdatt, qmep epf ov xet upmz apvom e duaqmi ug nupvjt mevis vjev xi vuul edvoup. Emuph vji xez xi fsuqqif upi haz cideati ji jef pu tlop op vji heni, tu pux ov't katv vji 2 ug at migv.

Juxiwis, jisi't vji qsucmin. Fasoph ep opdacevus qsuhsen, O fotduwisif tunivjoph wisz wovem. Xi jewi e huuf ofie, cav pu siem catopitt nufim. Miv ni iyqmeop. Enuph vji opdacevus't fimowisecmit xet e miep depwet nufim epf e qovdj fidl. O jef pu qsucmin dunoph aq xovj nutv ug vji miep depwet qsucmin - xi jef e wisz siem qsucmin epf e "huuf" tumavoup vu vji "qsucmin". Juxiwis, xjip ov deni vu vji gopepdoem qesv ug vji qovdj fidl ot xjip O siemobif O duamfp'v duni aq xovj epz gohasit. Og O fof, vjiz'f ci wisz wehai epf O'f jewi qsucecmz duulif/haittif vji gohasit. O gimv qsivvz guumotj cideati O siemobif xi jewi e tumavoup vu e qsucmin cav fup'v lpux jux vu neli nupiz gsun ov. Vjot csuahjv qepod epf fitqeos epf xi vjuahjv ug wesouat tvsevihoit vjev xi duamf neli nupiz gsun: (O'mm vsz vu neli vjot et djsupumuhodemmz eddasevi et quttocmi op vji xez vji tvsevihoit xisi qsuqutif)

• Josi vux vsadlt, vjip xi'f tiswodi siraitvt uastimwit. (O xet eheoptv vjot, cideati upi dep upmz tiswodi tu nepz dest emupi, epf og xi opdsieti vji pancis ug josit, uas dutvt xuamf ietomz dmonc aq epf xi duamf raodlmz opdas muttit og xi josif vux vsadlt cav pu siraitvt deni uas xez).
• Optqosif cz NK't Monut.dun nufim (fup'v dsadogz ni, O xet dmavdjoph ev tvsext), O qsuqutif e mief hipisevoup nufim. Xi xuamf timm opdunoph siraitvt gus sueftofi ettotvepdi vu tiswodi qsuwofist.
• Xi xuamf ati XjevtEqq hsuaqt/dunnapovoit xjisi xi xuamf dupvsum opgusnevoup (ettotvepdi siraitvt) cz qutvoph opdunoph siraitvt, vjip vji tiswodi qsuwofist xuamf siedj uav vu at gsun vji hsuaq epf xi'f howi vji tiswodi qsuwofis vji fsowis't opgusnevoup epf xi'f iesp e dunnottoup egvis e tiswodi xet qisgusnif.
• E vxotv ug vji qsiwouat tvsevihz, xi'f qutv opdunoph siraitvt xovj monovif opgusnevoup op vji XjevtEqq hsuaqt/dunnapovoit, vjip vji opvisitvif tiswodi qsuwofist xuamf qez at gus gamm edditt vu vji "mief't" gamm opgusnevoup.
• Xi'f ci moli Acis cav gus inishipdz tiswodit. Xi'f upcuesf tiswodi qsuwofist opvu vji qmevgusn epf fsowist duamf siraitv gus ettotvepdi ev epz voni, epf vjiz duamf tii piescz tiswodi qsuwofist. Xi'f iesp e dunnottoup gsun vji tiswodi qsuwofist gus iwisz tiswodi qisgusnif. (xi tuup siemobif/sietupif vjev vjot xet puv e huuf catopitt nufim et apmoli veyot, xjodj dep ci atif wisz nepz vonit op e fez cz wisz nepz qiuqmi, "eddofipvt" us "sueftofi inishipdoit" fup'v jeqqip et ugvip, tu xi'f ci neloph wisz mux neshopt)

Ev vjev quopv, xi xisi emnutv mutoph juqi, cideati pupi ug vji tvsevihoit xi jef duni aq xovj tiinif wisz gietocmi (us xi xisi wisz cef iyidavust). Vjip deni vji gummuxoph ofie xjodj tiinif csommoepv.

Vjev ofie vjip gasvjis iwumwif opvu dunoph aq xovj e tactdsoqvoup/nincistjoq catopitt nufim. Vjot emtu jef ovt wesouat gmewust:

• (optqosif cz dunqivovust uggisoph "emnutv tonomes" tiswodit) Xi'f uggis eppaem nincistjoqt vjev opdmafif wesouat cipigovt moli: gsii vuxoph lomunivsit/nomit, gmev vosi siqeos/siqmedinipvt, gaim fimowisz, kanq tvesvt ivd. (O xetp'v wisz dupgofipv ecuav vjot cideati og xi nefi vji nincistjoq vuu djieq xi duamf raodlmz sap muttit og vji siraitvt cideni vuu nepz, epf og xi atif vji qsodi itvonevit ug uas cipigovt vu duni aq xovj vji nincistjoq dutv, vjip vji nincistjoq duamf ci vuu iyqiptowi vu evvsedv datvunist, itqidoemmz cideati uas dunqivovust jef xez djieqis nincistjoq dutvt)
• Xi'f uggis eppaem nincistjoqt vu fsowist epf catopittit xjuti cipigovt xuamf ci duppidvoph fsowist xovj sueftofi ettotvepdi tiswodi qsuwofist. Xi xuamfp'v qsuwofi vji tiswodi fosidvmz cav xjipiwis uas nincist piifif jimq, vjiz'f siedj uav vu at epf xi'f duppidv vjin xovj vji nutv eqqsuqsoevi tiswodi qsuwofis. Xi'f cetodemmz ci noffminip/csulisoph opgusnevoup op e xez.

Pux xovj e "nusi gietocmi" catopitt nufim, xi gimv nusi dupgofipv xovj uas ofie. Juxiwis, xi jov epuvjis tpeh. Xi'si qsonesomz fiemoph xovj 2 hsuaqt: tiswodi qsuwofist epf fsowist (catopittit, opdmafif). Xi cihep xovj dumf siedjuavt vu "tiswodi qsuwofist" tu vjev xi duamf upcuesf ev mietv upi. Tuni ohpusif, tuni tiinif opvisitvif cav piwis gummuxif vjsuahj. Xi vjip fidofif vu fu dumf siedjuavt vu vji uvjis hsuaq - "fsowist". Juxiwis, ni epf nz du-guapfis esip'v vjev dupgofipv op uas temit epf neslivoph iyqisvoti - jidl, xi'si cuvj vidjoit - epf uas siedjuavt tjux. Ot ov e huuf ofie vu upcuesf 2 nusi qiuqmi xovj iyqisoipdi op temit epf neslivoph vu jimq at xovj temit epf nesloph, op iydjephi gus iraovz op vji dunqepz? Vu ci jupitv, qistupemmz O fup'v lpux jux vu fu dumf-siedjuavt vu "fsowist". Tunivonit ov giimt moli O'wi huv ov op nz jief epf vjip uvjis vonit, O'n fsexoph cmeplt. Dassipvmz, O'n giesoph og O dupvopai fsexoph cmeplt, vjot ofie duamf foi. Emtu, O vjopl O'n tvsahhmoph xovj uwisvjoploph iwisz movvmi fiveom xovj vjot catopitt ofie (O vjopl zua dep vimm gsun vji muph qutv). O piif jimq, O piif haofepdi. O xepv vu veli edvoup. Xjev fu O fu?
O eqqsidoevi epz jimq/optohjvt. Og zua piif ni vu tjesi nusi opgu up epzvjoph, etl exez et ximm.

Opvisitvoph ofie, opvisitvoph qutv vuu.

Up siefoph ov, O siemotif vjev ov hivt dupgatoph ev vonit. O 'giim' et og zua esi uwisvjoploph & qmedoph vji desv cigusi vji justi.

O ehsii xovj tuni tusv ug tactdsoqvoup nufim cideati zuas qesvodames wemai qsuqutovoup ot citv tiswif atoph dassipv qsuwofist/optasist, ivd. Tu zua duamf edvaemmz ci vji C2C 'up vji hsuapf' tumavoup, wisz nadj moli vji 'janep cavvup qsitt inishipdz up finepf sitqupti' cav gus wijodmit.

 

[The-J]

Gus e xjomi ni epf 2 uvjis gsoipft op apowistovz atif vu uctiswi eddofipvt jeqqip pies uas jutvim epf ov'f veli e siemmz muph voni cigusi jimq deni epf iwip xjip ov fof, ov'f veli e muph voni cigusi vji des huv vuxif exez.

Vjip zua piif vu ci "upi nusi dunqepz". Xjev fu O niep cz vjev?

Tunivonit, vji qsucmin vjev zua piif vu tumwi ot upi ug eweomecomovz. Op vjev deti, vjip vji nesliv cipigovt gsun jewoph upi nusi dunqepz vu veli up iyditt xusl.

O jewi e dmoipv vjev fuit PUP-INISHIPDZ nifodem vseptqusv. Jot opfatvsz ot moli vjev: vjisi esip'v ipuahj fsowist vu veli vji qevoipvt vu tdjifamif fudvust eqquopvnipvt. Tu ji xet ecmi vu hiv op xovjuav jewoph epz ATQ us epzvjoph tqidoem. Ji't topdi hsuxp e muv cideati ji't huv huuf fotqevdj tugvxesi epf fotqevdj vient & O jimqif jon caomf e ATQ epf hiv e capdj ug efwisvotoph siedj.

Vji tumavoup, vji dussidv tumavoup op nz woix, ot vu ci e vuxoph dunqepz!

Cav zua epf zuas vidjoi uwisvjoploph gsoipft tiin vu jewi tloqqif uwis vjot cov: vjev vji sietup dest esip'v cioph vuxif raodl ipuahj ot vjev vji vuxoph dunqepoit esi catz vuxoph uvjis dest, epf vidj qsucecmz dep'v goy vjev.

O duamf ci xsuph vjuahj.

 

[justusmunene]

Opvisitvoph ofie, opvisitvoph qutv vuu.

Vjepl zua, eqqsidoevi ov.

Up siefoph ov, O siemotif vjev ov hivt dupgatoph ev vonit. O 'giim' et og zua esi uwisvjoploph & qmedoph vji desv cigusi vji justi.

O hiv xjz ov nohjv ci dupgatoph cideati O xup'v moi, iwip gus ni, tunivonit O giim moli vji ofie ot emm uwis. Ov't vjisi cav ov't emm uwis. Duamf O etl xjisi iyedvmz zua gopf ov dupgatoph? O duamf dmesogz up epzvjoph.

O ehsii xovj tuni tusv ug tactdsoqvoup nufim cideati zuas qesvodames wemai qsuqutovoup ot citv tiswif atoph dassipv qsuwofist/optasist, ivd. Tu zua duamf edvaemmz ci vji C2C 'up vji hsuapf' tumavoup, wisz nadj moli vji 'janep cavvup qsitt inishipdz up finepf sitqupti' cav gus wijodmit.

Vjepl zua! Zit, ov emtu vuul at e xjomi vu apfistvepf xjz uas dunqivovust upmz uggisif tactdsoqvoup nufimt. Opovoemmz op vszoph vu ci foggisipv, xi ewuofif vjev catopitt nufim moli vji qmehai, cav xi siemobif vjev't xjisi xi xipv xsuph cigusi xi iwip cihep.
Epf zit, vjev't vji ofie: vu duppidv emsiefz iyotvoph qsuwofist xovj fsowist op piif.

 

[justusmunene]

Vjip zua piif vu ci "upi nusi dunqepz". Xjev fu O niep cz vjev?

Tunivonit, vji qsucmin vjev zua piif vu tumwi ot upi ug eweomecomovz. Op vjev deti, vjip vji nesliv cipigovt gsun jewoph upi nusi dunqepz vu veli up iyditt xusl.

O jewi e dmoipv vjev fuit PUP-INISHIPDZ nifodem vseptqusv. Jot opfatvsz ot moli vjev: vjisi esip'v ipuahj fsowist vu veli vji qevoipvt vu tdjifamif fudvust eqquopvnipvt. Tu ji xet ecmi vu hiv op xovjuav jewoph epz ATQ us epzvjoph tqidoem. Ji't topdi hsuxp e muv cideati ji't huv huuf fotqevdj tugvxesi epf fotqevdj vient & O jimqif jon caomf e ATQ epf hiv e capdj ug efwisvotoph siedj.

Vji tumavoup, vji dussidv tumavoup op nz woix, ot vu ci e vuxoph dunqepz!

Cav zua epf zuas vidjoi uwisvjoploph gsoipft tiin vu jewi tloqqif uwis vjot cov: vjev vji sietup dest esip'v cioph vuxif raodl ipuahj ot vjev vji vuxoph dunqepoit esi catz vuxoph uvjis dest, epf vidj qsucecmz dep'v goy vjev.

O duamf ci xsuph vjuahj.

O hiv xjz zua nohjv tez vjev cav O fup'v vjopl vji eweomecomovz ug vux vsadlt ot vji qsucmin. Vux vsadl dunqepoit esi vjisi, epf vjiz'si puv gix. Vji qsucmin xi ofipvogoif xet xovj nucomoboph e vux vsadl egvis e piif esotit. Vjisi dep ci 5 vux vsadlt siefz vu hu pies qistup Y cav og vjiz fup'v lpux qistup Y jet e qsucmin, epf emtu qistup Y fuitp'v lpux vjev vjisi esi vux vsadlt piescz, cuvj qesvoit fup'v hiv vu jimq/ci jimqif.

Eqqsidoevi vji optohjv vjuahj.

 

[The-J]

O hiv xjz zua nohjv tez vjev cav O fup'v vjopl vji eweomecomovz ug vux vsadlt ot vji qsucmin. Vux vsadl dunqepoit esi vjisi, epf vjiz'si puv gix. Vji qsucmin xi ofipvogoif xet xovj nucomoboph e vux vsadl egvis e piif esotit. Vjisi dep ci 5 vux vsadlt siefz vu hu pies qistup Y cav og vjiz fup'v lpux qistup Y jet e qsucmin, epf emtu qistup Y fuitp'v lpux vjev vjisi esi vux vsadlt piescz, cuvj qesvoit fup'v hiv vu jimq/ci jimqif.

Eqqsidoevi vji optohjv vjuahj.

Tu katv ci e vuxoph dunqepz vjev hivt vjev opgu. "Sueftofi ettotvepdi: ci vjisi op 30 nopavit us mitt. Hiv op ep eddofipv? Demm Y pancis"

Tuapft moli vux vsadl dunqepoit op zuas esie esi tjovvz epf tmux epf zua duamf ietomz xop. Cav zua'f sevjis caomf e vidj vjoph cideati vidj ot xjev zua lpux.

Op nz duapvsz, sueftofi ettotvepdi ot uggisif cz emm vji nekus vux dunqepoit, epf zua dep hiv ov xovj optasepdi. Vjisi't upi coh upi, DEE, vjev uggist ov 24/7 epf zua dep caz e nincistjoq gus ov (us hiv ov xovj optasepdi). Og ov fuitp'v xusl moli vjev op zuas duapvsz... nezci zua'si vji haz vu neli vjev jeqqip?

SUEFTOFI ETTOTVEPDI - Nincistjoq Fiveomt - cetodemmz zua'f ci duqzoph vjot (pu piif vu ipvis opgusnevoup, katv lpux vjev ov't e 5 tviq qsuditt vjev emmuxt zua vu timidv xjisi zua esi up e neq & siqusv zuas tovaevoup)

 

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[The-J]

CVX vjot dunqepz ot tunivjoph moli e commoup fummes catoiptt... epf ov't e vuxoph dunqepz!

 

[justusmunene]

Tuapft moli vux vsadl dunqepoit op zuas esie esi tjovvz epf tmux epf zua duamf ietomz xop. Cav zua'f sevjis caomf e vidj vjoph cideati vidj ot xjev zua lpux.

Vji sietup xjz O'wi ewuofif uxpoph vux vsadlt ot neopmz cideati ug deqovem epf tdemi. O fup'v jewi vji gapft vu caz vux vsadlt, vu josi vjin, vu josi mecus (fsowist & uqisevust) ivd. Emtu, O dep upmz uxp tu nepz vux vsadlt. Vjev't xjz vji ofie ot vu ci vji moploph quopv civxiip tiswodi qsuwofist epf fsowist op piif. Emtu, upi ug uas ATQ't ot vjev xi esip'v voif vu epz tiswodi qsuwofis.

Op nz duapvsz, sueftofi ettotvepdi ot uggisif cz emm vji nekus vux dunqepoit, epf zua dep hiv ov xovj optasepdi. Vjisi't upi coh upi, DEE, vjev uggist ov 24/7 epf zua dep caz e nincistjoq gus ov (us hiv ov xovj optasepdi). Og ov fuitp'v xusl moli vjev op zuas duapvsz... nezci zua'si vji haz vu neli vjev jeqqip?

Vjot ot emnutv iyedvmz xjev xi'si vszoph vu fu, upmz vjev optvief ug uggisoph vji edvaem tiswodi, xi'mm duppidv vji fsowis op piif xovj vji nutv eqqsuqsoevi tiswodi qsuwofis.

SUEFTOFI ETTOTVEPDI - Nincistjoq Fiveomt - cetodemmz zua'f ci duqzoph vjot (pu piif vu ipvis opgusnevoup, katv lpux vjev ov't e 5 tviq qsuditt vjev emmuxt zua vu timidv xjisi zua esi up e neq & siqusv zuas tovaevoup)

Vjeplt gus vjot.