ShowcaseU
Website: ShowcaseU
Interview With: Chad Durbin, Major League Pitcher for Philadelphia Phillies
Is their there more then one founder? If so, who are they?
Jake Chapman
What is your background and qualifications?
13 years of professional baseball and an entreprenurial spirit.
What does your website do?
In a nutshell, ShowcaseU.com provides student athletes and their families a powerful, do-it-yourself solution for college recruiting. In the age of the internet, there is no longer a need, if there ever was, to pay thousands of dollars for recruiting services when you can confidently do-it-yourself at ShowcaseU.com. We encourage families to build their own relationships. We proudly equip them with the tools and the information to accomplish this.
Do you think being a Professional Athlete gives you an edge on launching this site?
I’d like to think it does. It may open more doors for Showcase U, but the reality is that it’s all about drawing from our team’s personal recruiting experiences and delivering solutions that are valuable to people. We want families and coaches to look to Showcase U as a trusted, reliable source, so whether it’s because I’m a professional athlete, or because we have earned their trust by doing things the right way…I am happy either way. It is easy to be informed and passionate about something if you already have been through the experience. We’ve been there, we know.
How do you generate revenue? If through ads, what ad network do you use?
- Minimal fee for subscriptions – we want to make this great resource affordable for everyone. We may add additional tiered subscription levels in the future.
- Recruiting video combines – (if you want to run, throw and hit…we’ll validate your skills and capture it on video)
- Since we are at the end of our Beta stage, we will be adopting an advertising/sponsorship model that we ultimately expect to be our main source of revenue over time. The ad networks available all have unique features and there is a merging of some as well going on right now in the marketplace. We’re assessing the market and will make some selections as we go forward. It’s possible that a blended approach may suit our needs.
How have your marketed your site?
We are developing strategic partnerships with facilities, private instructors, travel teams and businesses in the private sector that currently service this 14-18 yr-old demographic. While still in our BETA phase, we have opted to be diligent with our grass roots campaign and invest time in quality conversations and relationship building with people who get asked every day where to go for recruiting solutions. But it’s more than just conversation – it’s the crucial value exchange. ShowcaseU.com is an amateur sports relationship hub. Sharing access to a common group with a common purpose is a win-win for everyone. Showcase U is proud to say these conversations have gone very well and we continue to gather some wonderful allies all over the country. We also have built the website with optimal SEO (search engine optimization) in mind so that people will be more likely to find ShowcaseU.com as they are searching for information and resources to help in their recruiting efforts. The site has bloggers that are experts in areas like nutrition, academics, strength training, recruiting, and I write a blog as well. ShowcaseU.com also has forums for people to get answers, share their own experiences, learn about events in their area, share tips on training, etc. All of this content makes the website more search engine friendly.
Funding: Self funded, Angel Investment, or Venture Capital?
Self funded
Are you currently looking for funding?
Perhaps as we launch our Phase 2 objectives, we’ll seriously consider it. Right now, no.
What type(s) of technology do you use?
The website is built on a .net platform, with a foundation that allows for modules to be added as we grow and identify functionality that will be of value to the student athletes and their families. Our customers will tell us what they want and need, so we have a site that is prepared to adapt and be built upon to give the greatest value. We take advantage of the power of the internet in our internal company communications, using Skype to communicate by voice and Instant Messaging, and Google Apps to share and collaborate on written documents in real time. Since I’m on the road so much during the baseball season these are terrific tools for us. And of course, using my Blackberry smartphone to access email and send quick text messages while away from a computer is extremely valuable.
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