Our News Editor Madi Amico sat down with Andrew Matthews, the co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of Hoppz LLC, a new start up app he designed with some friends
- What is Hoppz?
Hoppz is a dual-sided marketplace that connects bar-goers to bar-owners. Our platform provides real-time information to customers on establishments to revitalize the nightlife industry and simplify the consumer experience. Leveraging our dual-sided marketplace, establishments will be able to post events and specials to connect with customers, who will gain visibility to the social atmosphere of various settings. No longer wasting your time aimlessly browsing the web to find the optimal social setting.
- Tell us about how Hoppz came to be. Who started it and what was the idea behind it?
Hoppz LLC is a startup company and mobile application launched by two college friends who got tired of answering the question, “what shall we do tonight and where should we go?” The concept came to fruition in the back seat of an Uber, July 2019. My colleague and friend Miles McQuillen, a Providence College graduate, had been voicing his frustrations over the night he had just endured. I helped him flesh out these ideas, and the concept was born. We realized customers have minimal visibility into local bar scenes while nightlife establishments lack a dedicated marketing platform to connect with their audience. Problems highlighted include establishment pains, consumer complexities, and cases of asymmetrical information on either side of Hoppz’ potential marketplace.
- What is your position and what do you do in that role?
I am a co-founder and the Chief Operations Officer here at Hoppz. However, like with most start-ups all team members involved kind of dabble with everything. It really depends on our week-to-week goals, and long-term goals. My duties range from raising capital to developing the UI views that need to be developed and so on. Recently, I have put in some focus on our marketing efforts.
- Why should I download Hoppz?
Well first, you should download Hoppz so you can support a fellow Laurentian, but Hoppz will allow consumers nationwide to know who is at the bar before they are, while also protecting the privacy of the Hopper. The Hoppz concept will revolutionize how, as consumers, we find the best deals and promotions within the bar and club space. And if you are a bar owner, I promise we are not trying to change the ways in which you run your business. We are just aiming to speed up, even your slowest hours of the week while allowing you to directly communicate with your customers. This will maximize foot traffic in your bar, while allowing you to efficiently manage shifts.
- Would Hoppz ever be used in a town like Canton? Where is it currently being used? (Idk if is the right way to ask this question but you get what I’m saying)
Hoppz has used Providence, Rhode Island as our test market region, onboarding a total of 4 bars with several others pending. Our team is paying unique attention to these establishment’s current methods of operation to understand their marketing channels, revenue model, and recurring pain points.
Hoppz incorporates an incentive-based referral program, through our leaderboard point system, to lure users onto the platform. Hoppz has also been rapidly growing its social media presence on Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok, as these apps have the strongest affiliation with our target audience. To further expand its profile on these highly trafficked platforms, Hoppz has launched an ambassador program, selecting twenty-five individuals in the Providence region to actively promote Hoppz on social media platforms and through word-of-mouth to spread brand awareness. Once Hoppz has established a robust user-base in the Providence community, the team will replicate our go-to-market strategy at other targeted college-cities.
So, to answer your question, bars like the Hoot Owl and Stadium Sports bar will have the Hoppz geo-fence around their location very soon. However, we must release a few app updates before we can onboard these hot spots here in Canton. Though, the geo-fence will still allow you to see who is at the bar, including a demographic ratio.
- What is the future looking like for Hoppz?
The immediate future will be dedicated towards continuing to perfect the product, and listening to our Hoppers. We will then release a series of features, after out location technology has been perfected, that are based on the Hopper-engagement data. Further down the road, we will be releasing an Hoppz web-app, that will truly allow bar owners to migrate from static promotion methods like Instagram, to automated and capacity-based systems for promotion.
- Anything else you want to add?
Since launch, Hoppz has gained ~1300 Hoppers. And it is time for you, SLU, to get in on the action. DOWNLOAD HOPPZ