Is this too ambitious of an idea?

[todonelist]

Well, I have two ideas for, dare I say, "Uber" like app services.

On-demand services that cut out wait times and standard business hours and make things a lot more convenient for the consumer. Both ideas sprouted from thinking about my own needs that aren't currently offered in the marketplace.

I read somewhere it would take around $30k to make an "Uber" like app. Is that accurate?

If I wanted to go at these two ideas head on, what would I be getting myself into? What would be the best way to get the ball rolling?

Find $60k* and pay a developer to create the apps? Think it's possible to find a developer to partner and create the apps in exchange for part ownership? Anyone know how long it would take to get an "Uber like" app done and ready for market? Is this a dumb question?

 

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[jpn]

I think you’re asking the wrong question. Building a Uber-like app and back-end isn’t that hard for any reasonably competent developer. Scaling it massively is harder, but a luxury problem.

The thing is uber is a marketplace. There are service providers and users.

The issue with these services is the chicken and egg problem. You need both sides of the marketplace to make it useful. Not enough drivers and no one will use it. Not enough users and no one will be a driver.

So how are you going to solve that problem? Getting critical mass? Technology and “apps” are the easy bit here.

 

[todonelist]

I think you’re asking the wrong question. Building a Uber-like app and back-end isn’t that hard for any reasonably competent developer. Scaling it massively is harder, but a luxury problem.

The thing is uber is a marketplace. There are service providers and users.

The issue with these services is the chicken and egg problem. You need both sides of the marketplace to make it useful. Not enough drivers and no one will use it. Not enough users and no one will be a driver.

So how are you going to solve that problem? Getting critical mass? Technology and “apps” are the easy bit here.

Really? Ok. Well, that makes me feel a bit better. As a compelete non-techy, the thought of creating the app seems extremely hard and complicated. But again, that may just be because I'm not a developer and don't know how to code to save my life.

As far as the issue with service providers and users. I definitely put some thought into it and I just figured the standard FB/IG ads, Youtube Ads and any other ad channels that would make sense. I do wonder what would be the best way to start. I assume it would be by "hiring" the service providers first and then bringing in the users. I would imagine this would have to be very quick, right? I mean, it would be weird to be signing service providers up for 1+ months with zero users.

All in all, I think the services are SO useful and convenient that it would spread fairly easily through word of mouth after deploying an effective advertising strategy. I know for a fact that many people would love the convenience of both services but it is definitely intimidating thinking about HOW to recruit service providers and users quickly so neither of them get on the app and find that it's ghost town.

Maybe it would be best to start recruiting in one particular area/city to make it easier to grow?