‘Agenda’ is a free daily email connecting consumers with the best places in their chosen city. Agenda delivers recommendations and once weekly deals for Restaurants, Nightlife & Things to Do.
IPitch: What problem is your business or idea trying to solve?
Agenda: Today, lifestyle media is restricted to web magazines, print or niche blogs. In the lifestyle context, these mediums are less trafficked and the customer less engaged.
It is connectedness that is required. Advertisers want an ongoing conversation and real ‘paid-up’ customers not just a one-time single touch point. And, customers want to see ongoing value from their engagement.
For Brand Advertisers: Agenda offers ongoing and daily access to an affluent, influential audience using magazine quality editorial and design.
For local business: Agenda offers risk free advertising with broadcasts to an eager lifestyle oriented audience. With no up-front costs businesses leverage our customer base to sell-thru’ their offering.
We actualise lifestyle experiences for our customers!
IPitch: How long have you been in business for?
Agenda: 6 months. Agenda launched on March 9th.
IPitch: Who are the founders and what are their backgrounds?
Blake Hutchison (Founder & CEO)
Blake was most recently the Head of Business Development at NileGuide.com. NileGuide raised 9 million in capital from Austin Ventures and ex Lehman Brothers, now Tenaya Capital. Based in San Francisco Blake’s roll was to execute on the company’s revenue and content strategy. Prior to NileGuide Blake was Head of Business Development at Lonely Planet.
IPitch: How much traction do you have in the market?
Agenda: Agenda has built a strong a loyal following with nearly 6000 subscribers (1000 new per month). Additionally, Agenda is already generating revenue from a handful of targeted advertisers.
Our deals offering will launch in about 8 weeks. Agenda is now signing up local businesses willing and able to offer compelling discounts.
IPitch: What’s the end goal / exit strategy for your business?
Agenda: Agenda’s value is in the subscriber – Agenda forecasts 450k subscribers and revenues of 2.7m by end of FY 2012/13. The revenue make-up will be equal parts local business deals or offers and brand media.
Agenda will be looking to exit by end of FY 2012/13. The ideal exit will be with a new market entrant; potentially a prominent local listings / offers business or with an established in market media entity looking for a daily and digital touch point with consumers.
IPitch: Are you looking to raise money? What does an ideal investor look like to you?
Agenda: We’re looking to raise an initial cap. round of 250k. This will offer 18 months runway and be directed to:
- In-market sales (local business deals and offers)
- A full-time Head of Content
- Expansion into two additional markets
We’re looking for investors who:
- Understand the value of content and the online retail sector
- Know (or at least have networks within) the advertising or ecommerce sector
- Are either proven leaders or entrepreneurs in their chosen field
IPitch: Have the founders had any Startups in the past?
Agenda: No, although previous experience at a start-up (NileGuide) and with mentorship from established entrepreneurs Founder and CEO Blake Hutchison is in a position to build and lead an effective business.
IPitch: Have you come across any resources that you think are just awesome, and you’d like to share with other Australian Startups. If so, what are they?
Agenda: Freelancer.com and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk
Is there an opportunity you’re looking for to bring your Startup to the next level?
Agenda: We are currently pursuing both high impact content and media partnerships. This may come in the form of a single or multiple partners. Agenda’s interest is in leveraging our content for access to an existing customer base.
In a short period of time Agenda has established itself in industry as offering some of the best, most informative and timely lifestyle content available. It is this asset that we believe offers significant value to lifestyle and travel media looking for an affordable or less resource intensive content asset.
Check out Agenda’s IPitch profile and follow them here
