Although ridesharing certainly makes it easier to get around, pretty much everyone agrees the experience could be improved for both drivers and passengers. Joshua Sear, founder of Empower, joins Startup Savants to discuss how his SaaS startup allows drivers to earn more while better serving their customers.
- Startup Savants is a business podcast that tells the stories behind up-and-coming startups.
- Joshua Sear joins Startup Savants to discuss his SaaS startup, Empower
- Empower seeks to improve the ridesharing experience for both drivers and passengers by allowing drivers much more flexibility than Uber and Lyft do.
Hearing From Uber and Lyft Drivers
During his interview with Startup Savants, Sear said he got the idea for Empower after hearing complaints from Uber and Lyft drivers about a lack of flexibility and the need to work long hours. Many of them said they felt unappreciated and had to work 12-hour days six or seven days a week just to make ends meet.
“I realized that they were getting absolutely hammered financially, particularly those that were trying to do it for a living,” he said. “They also felt completely voiceless. And that’s a terrible feeling.”
He noted that Uber and Lyft have essentially created a duopoly in the rideshare industry that controls transportation at least as much as the taxi industry they set out to disrupt. This often doesn’t work well for drivers. “It’s unsustainable – drivers have known that for a long time, and riders are also now realizing it,” he said during his interview. “I had this ‘aha’ moment and asked what it would look like if we made the driver our customer and had the rider be the driver’s customer.”
Empowering Drivers
With this idea in mind, Empower makes several changes to the traditional ridesharing business model. In particular, it allows drivers to set their own rates, receive 100% of the fare so they can compete with Uber and Lyft, and generally feel more valued.
These changes can also improve the ridesharing experience for passengers, Sear said during his interview. Passengers feel good because drivers are better compensated. Moreover, drivers can set lower rates because they don’t have to pay a middleman, and they’re incentivized to attract a loyal rider base by providing good service.
“I think the larger vision is just enabling drivers and gig workers generally to have the software and support services that they need to build, run, and grow their own businesses and pursue the American dream just like anybody else,” he said. “They’re not allowed right now in a lot of places, or they’re not able really to build and run their own businesses. They don’t set their own rates, [and] they don’t choose what rides they’re going to accept. We wanted to build a platform that put the choice back in their hands, and they’ve demonstrated that they’re more than capable of doing that when given the support and services that they need.”
Startup Savants Podcast
The Startup Savants podcast is a business podcast created by The Really Useful Information Company (TRUiC). Listeners can hear the stories behind startups, as told by their founders who are in the midst of growing their companies.
Ethan, an entrepreneur, and Annaka, a branding expert, host the Startup Savants podcast. They bring disparate skills and life experiences to their interviews, providing listeners with important business insights and a holistic perspective on the startup ecosystem.
Hear from a variety of real startup founders from around the globe and with varying backgrounds, making their startup idea a reality. Learn from experts sharing their industry knowledge on venture capital, securing funding, and more on the Startup Savants podcast.
Final Thoughts
Sear joins Annaka and Ethan to share his story of founding Empower, a SaaS startup that has disrupted the ridesharing industry by making significant improvements for drivers, like allowing them to set their rates and keep 100% of their fares, changes that make ridesharing better for customers as well by incentivizing good service.
You can find the Startup Savants podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
