Dtravel’s Post

🚀 Pointhound launched today! 🚀 Earn and redeem credit card points for free flights. "Free flights for free." 🛫 🌐 www.pointhound.com ❌ The Problem: 120m Americans have credit cards, but almost none know how to use them or which one(s) to get. Instead of prioritizing cash back cards (like most people assume is best), focusing on earning 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 when you spend will get you far greater ROI — more than 10-15x when you use your points to book flights. • Figuring out which point-earning credit card(s) to sign up for is complex. • Knowing which card you should use to maximize the points you 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 is even more complex. • And learning how to 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦 your hard-earned points for great value may be the most complex. ✅ The Solution: Pointhound — a completely free way to help you earn and redeem your points for free flights. It helps you: 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬, and 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬. 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 ⤵ 🔎 A 'Google Flights for points' search engine to help you find and book amazing flight deals with points across 150+ airlines 🛫🏝️ 💳 A credit card recommendation engine to get the right cards and maximize the points you earn on everyday purchases 💳 The startup equips "points beginners” (those who have a card or two) with a simple product to help them earn and redeem more points for free flights. Founded by Jay Reno, Jake Malone and Sam Clark + backed by Y Combinator (S23) 👓 ▶ https://lnkd.in/g4ijW49a

The question is not if MaaS will become significant, but rather how and when. Although the journey has been challenging so far, we are likely just somewhere on the Gartner rollercoaster curve. I love this podcast and highly recommend it! Hans Arby and Steven Sarasini are among the sharpest minds in the field of Mobility as a Service (MaaS), sharing both challenges and opportunities. They do not shy away from existing issues and approach them with an honest, realistic, and hands-on perspective. Hopefylly many episods to come. Here are my reflections on MaaS: MARGINS Transport in general has low margins, leaving limited room for additional players. To thrive, MaaS providers must either add additional business volume for all parties or greate increased value/willingness to pay that surpass the lost margin. CUSTOMER OWNERSHIP Determining responsibility for local issues can be challenging. Ex whether it's the booking site or the local hotel, both entities want to 'own' the customer when everything is smooth, but conflicts may arise when things go wrong. TECH FUNCTIONS The rapid development of new tech functions by each individual service provider can face obstacles breaking through an aggregator's layer to reach end-users. For example, people prefer using SJ's app over the Egencia travel platform for specific functions like booking seats or rebooking trips. GROUP APPS & CHANGE NOW Grouped mobility apps (as we do in our phones) incl a route planner, do they solve 90% of the problem? Do we already have good enough solutions, or are we continually waiting for the next tech innovation and hope that that will revolutionize everything? In parallel with tech dev, there should be more focus on encouraging customer behavioral shifts. However, new incentives/reasons to kickstart new behaviour are obviously needed. More creativity around psychology here! FROM FRONTEND TO BACKEND If challenges persist at the front end, why not explore solutions at the back end? For instance, creating mobility wallets with monthly allocations dedicated to sustainable mobility could be an alternative to traditional solutions, such as company cars. The money is spent on each platform in a decentralized mobility system wherever and whenever the user wants. What's your ideas about MaaS? #maas #mobility #sustainablemobility #cityplanning

The one and only *true social* media platform is still growing on all fronts in terms of amigos, events, countries, staff and investors. Keep up the good work 🚀🚀🚀 #amigos #social #fun #growth #investors

Our recent "11-Star Experience" meeting was truly eye-opening. In just an hour, we gained insights that are transforming our product development approach. Now, we evaluate every new feature through this lens: What makes it a 3-star experience? How can we elevate it to 5 stars? And why not aim for 6 or beyond? This unexpected shift in mindset is driving innovation and raising the bar for user experience across our product line. Who knew one meeting could spark such a powerful paradigm shift? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ATO closes in on sharing economy operators (Uber and Airbnb). If you operate in the sharing or gig economy and don’t disclose the income from those activities, the ATO will come down on you. Whilst the microscope has been on those who provide taxi travel, ride-sourcing and short-term accommodation (e.g., Uber or Airbnb) since 1 July 2023, the Sharing Economy Reporting Regime (the ‘SERR’) is set to be expanded to other industries later this year. Specifically, reportable transactions made through ALL other Electronic Distribution Platforms (‘EDPs’) will also be collected by the ATO from 1 July 2024. Broadly, an EDP is a digital platform that allows merchants to make supplies available to customers via a website, online marketplace or app store. The SERR gives the ATO clear visibility of people who are earning income using these platforms. The information obtained by the ATO will be matched against what is reported in tax returns or activity statements to identify anyone not complying with their obligations.

Why Every Startup Should Consider Brian Chesky’s 11-Star Experience Framework 🤔 This concept was designed by Brian, the founder of Airbnb, as a way to build a delightful product. It’s about creating an experience that goes beyond just a 5-star hotel-like service — something extraordinary and memorable. --- Let’s break it down: • 1 star: The customer arrives, but no one is there to meet them. They can’t get into the accommodation. • 5 stars: The place is clean, everything works, and there are thoughtful touches (a welcome note, basic amenities). The customer is happy and has a pleasant experience. • 6 stars: The host greets the customer, shows them around, and stocks the apartment with water and toiletries. It’s better than a hotel. • 11 stars: Elon Musk meets the customer at the airport and takes them to space before they head to their galactic Airbnb. --- Should anyone use this framework? Even a B2B software infrastructure company like ours, CodiumAI? Absolutely. If you have end users using your product, and I guess you do, then you should consider it. --- In our experience, maintaining a 4.5+ star rating in the marketplaces requires investment. One needs to plan for it, invest in it, etc... Since our soft launch (of our IDE-Agent Codiumate on VS Code an JetBrains marketplaces), it has become one of the most important key results. We are receiving a lot of useful feedback via online reviews, which leads to further interviews, offline and online problem-solving, feature enhancements, etc. --- By striving for an #11starexperience, we [aim to] push ourselves to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional value to our users. This commitment to excellence helps us stand out in the market and fosters strong, lasting relationships with our clients. A heartwarming example in the comment.

For all my NAMM, CES etc. trade show people. I see this as a real game changer. I don't normally share investments, or even post much, however, this one could be a huge benefit to any industry that does trade shows. I love the idea of no car rental, finding parking, etc. Just look on this app, find a free ride to a restaurant, bar or corporate sponsor you want to meet with. This type of early investing is NOT for the faint hearted and zero guarantees on returns. But the smallest buy in is only $500. And if you are not interested in investing, think about the possibilities for your company, or just use the app as it rolls out service across the country and get some free rides!

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 Platform companies are not just a trend, they are the future of business. Platform companies are those that create value by connecting producers and consumers, enabling transactions, interactions, and collaborations. Think of Airbnb, Uber, Amazon, Facebook, and many more. A platform company is a business model that leverages information technology to create value by connecting different groups of users, such as buyers and sellers, without owning the assets or services that are exchanged. For example, Airbnb is a platform company that connects travellers with hosts who offer accommodation, but it does not own any hotels or properties. Platform companies can benefit from network effects, where the value of the platform increases as more users join and interact on it. Platform companies can also scale rapidly and efficiently, as they do not have to invest in physical infrastructure or inventory. Platform companies have several advantages over traditional businesses. They can scale faster, leverage network effects, access more data, and innovate more quickly. Platform companies are also more resilient to disruptions and changing customer preferences. They can adapt and pivot to new opportunities and challenges. One of the key factors that determines the success of a platform company is the customer value it creates. A platform company connects different groups of users and enables them to exchange value with each other. The more value the platform creates for its customers, the more loyal and engaged they will be. Some examples of customer value are convenience, variety, quality, price, and social benefits. A platform company should aim to deliver these values to both sides of the platform: the producers and the consumers. By doing so, it can increase its network effects and grow its user base and revenue. If you want to succeed in the modern economy, you need to think like a platform company. You need to understand how to create and capture value from networks, how to leverage data and technology, and how to foster trust and collaboration among your stakeholders. #4apps #netsuiteap #platform  

Among the myriad factors that contribute to startup success, understanding the target market emerges as a fundamental cornerstone. In this article, we delve into the significance of comprehending the target market and its pivotal role in the trajectory of startups. #UnigramInsights #StartupSuccess #BusinessProductivity #MarketResearch #UnderstandingYourTargetMarket