INTERVIEW: JOE meets a new Irish entrepreneur and his very, very handy social app
JOE talks to a new kid on the Irish entrepreneurial scene.
As part of JOE's Start-Up series, we speak with Lughaidh O'Dwyer, founder of the Irish social app, 'Am I Free?'
We spoke to the Dublin native about all things 'Am I Free?'
So tell us Lughaidh, what is your app all about?
The 'Am I Free?' App allows you to enter a date, and search everything that is on that day, based on categories that appeal to yourself, which could include your Personal Calendar and Facebook events.
It instantly gives you the information to help you decide if you are free or not free.
What gave you the idea?
My Wedding day fell on the same day as a big sporting event and I thought if there was an app to prevent that from happening to other people and help them plan their lives then people would download it.
I have always wanted to create an app and there was a gap in the market for one like this so I decided to give it ago.
Has it been difficult to crack?
It's extremely competitive - way more so than I initially anticipated.
We try to stay on trend by keeping the app as up-to-date with every conceivable event, from the latest concerts to the GAA championship.
We did this by communicating with our target audience on social media.
How has business been?
Great, we've still yet to even scratch the surface but initial feedback has been extremely positive.
.@_OMERTA_ getting behind #AmIFreeApp https://t.co/u0m6igkLUu pic.twitter.com/p43Iq0qL05
— Am I Free? (@AmIFreeApp) October 17, 2015
Yes, we've noticed two key groups starting to emerge; male 18-30 (sports fans) and female 25-35 (social zeitgeists).
Looking ahead, what do you see happening with 'Am I Free?'
I want 'Am I Free?' to be seen as every person’s personal assistant.
Organising, planning, and alerting them to important events in their day-to-day lives.
// ]]>I would also love to collaborate with Ticket agents and connect the app with these sites directly.
With investment I would like to take 'Am I Free?' to other countries.
Is it easy for anyone with the means to start their own company in Ireland?
Definitely, with the way we are connected across the world, anything is possible! Nowadays with freelance websites, creating an App has become incredibly more affordable.
So who missed out on one direction tonight?! Not these girls ??#AmIFreeApp pic.twitter.com/RH0xp3vrGu — Am I Free? (@AmIFreeApp) October 17, 2015
So don’t be afraid and give it a go.
To download the app, click here for Apple and here for Android.
