GreenPal

GreenPal was founded in April 2012 by Bryan M. Clayton, Gene Caballero, Zach Hendrix, and Ross Brooks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/The-Uber-of-yard-work-draws-San-Antonians-to-12294893.php|title=The Uber of yard work draws San Antonians to GreenPal|last=Ehlinger|first=Samantha|date=2017-10-18|website=ExpressNews.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2014/03/29/nashvilles-greenpal-uber-lawn-care/7039517/|title=GreenPal simplifies lawn care with app|website=The Tennessean|language=en|access-date=2020-02-10}} Clayton, Caballero, and Hendrix had previously worked together in the landscaping industry, and they noticed that the demand for same-day lawncare was growing.{{Cite news|last=Franklin|first=Danielle Mae|url=https://claytontimes.com/greenpal-app-launches-in-clayton/|title=GreenPal app launches in Clayton|date=August 29, 2018|work=The Missouri Times}}

Clayton cited Uber and Airbnb as his inspirations for the company. In order to encourage brand loyalty, GreenPal began offering complimentary treats and customized notes for homeowners with pets.{{Cite book|last=Cutting|first=Donna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=md9EDwAAQBAJ&q=GreenPal+app&pg=PT64|title=501 Ways to Roll Out the Red Carpet for Your Customers: Easy-to-Implement Ideas to Inspire Loyalty, Get New Customers, and Make a Lasting Impression|date=2015-12-21|publisher=Red Wheel/Weiser|isbn=978-1-63265-975-0|language=en}}

In 2016, three of the founders needed to obtain a $250,000 loan and personally guarantee it to buy out a fourth founder who was going through a divorce.{{cite news |last=Rosenberg |first=Joyce M. |date=2019-10-23 |title=In owners' divorces, businesses can become part of the fight |url=https://apnews.com/ea29fcc3890743b9b9863a0a8423bb19 |work=Associated Press |access-date=2020-06-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608064229/https://apnews.com/ea29fcc3890743b9b9863a0a8423bb19 |archive-date=2020-06-08 }} Using the company's earnings, they settled the loan in about 18 months. From 2016 to 2017, GreenPal expanded its operations, and launched in several new cities such as Atlanta,{{Cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/business/would-you-call-uber-come-cut-your-lawn/jkA6tB2kdSoxw8ayizzdcP/|title=Would you call Uber to come cut your lawn?|last=Jill Vejnoska|first=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|language=en|access-date=2020-02-10}} Houston,{{Cite web|url=https://www.yourconroenews.com/neighborhood/spring/business/article/Lawn-service-platform-app-expands-to-Spring-13633531.php|title=Lawn service platform app expands to Spring|last1=Cruz|first1=Mayra|last2=writer|first2=Staff|date=2019-02-21|website=The Courier|access-date=2020-02-10}} and Marietta.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mdjonline.com/news/business/greenpal-launches-uber-for-lawn-mowing-in-marietta/article_b41cbcd4-22b1-11e6-8c07-5bcf9daf4b3e.html|title=GreenPal launches Uber for lawn mowing in Marietta|author=Staff reports|website=MDJOnline.com|date=25 May 2016 |language=en|access-date=2020-02-10}} According to Naples Daily News, the company generated nearly $5{{nbsp}}million in revenue in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.naplesnews.com/story/money/business/local/2018/01/10/greenpal-lawn-mowing-app-reaches-naples-fort-myers/1020171001/|title=Lawn service too expensive? This app could help|last=Logan|first=Casey|website=Naples Daily News|language=en|access-date=2020-02-10}}

In 2019, GreenPal extended its operations to cities such as Minneapolis–Saint Paul,{{Cite news|last=Ewoldt|first=John|url=http://www.startribune.com/time-crunched-as-the-grass-grows-another-landscaping-app-arrives-in-the-twin-cities/510181072/?refresh=true|title=Time crunched as the grass grows? Another landscaping app arrives in the Twin Cities|date=May 21, 2019|work=Star Tribune}} Detroit,{{Cite web|url=https://www.wxyz.com/news/greenpal-app-launches-in-detroit-to-help-with-lawn-care|title=GreenPal app launches in Detroit|date=2018-07-25|website=WXYZ|language=en|access-date=2020-02-10}} San Diego, and Spokane, Washington.{{Cite news|last=Edelen|first=Amy|url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/jan/22/greenpal-launches-on-demand-snow-removal-service-i/|title=GreenPal launches on-demand snow removal service in Spokane|date=January 28, 2020|work=The Spokesman-Review}}

In January 2020, the app was used by a reported 150,000 vendors and 1{{nbsp}}million homeowners.{{Cite web|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/life/2020/01/16/greenpal-lets-homeowners-use-app-put-bid-out-snow-removal/4454626002/|title=Welcome Mat: An Uber for snow removal? Nashville apps offers on demand shoveling|last=Feighan|first=Maureen|website=Detroit News|language=en|access-date=2020-02-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wxyz.com/about-us/as-seen-on/snow-removal-service-at-the-touch-of-your-fingers|title=Snow removal service at the touch of your fingers|date=2020-01-16|website=WXYZ|language=en|access-date=2020-02-09}} That same month, the company expanded its snow removal service to Greater Boston.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/01/07/uber-for-lawn-care-launches-on-demand-snow-removal-in-metro-boston/|title='Uber for lawn care' launches on-demand snow removal in Metro Boston|date=2020-01-08|website=Boston Herald|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-09}} GreenPal has been cited as an example of economic "vaporization", wherein physical products can be replaced by information technologies. The introduction of apps like GreenPal has reduced the need for homeowners to purchase landscaping equipment, much as Uber diminished the need for individuals to own cars.{{Cite book|last=Rosenstein|first=Bruce|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ls0yDAAAQBAJ&q=greenpal+2016&pg=PA50|title=Leader to Leader (LTL), Volume 80, Spring 2016|date=2016-03-28|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-119-23688-7|pages=50|language=en}}

GreenPal's app functions as a matchmaking service to connect professional landscapers with local homeowners.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/technology/sd-fi-greenpal-lawncare-20180117-story.html|title=Lawn wars: GreenPal takes on local incumbent in on-demand lawn care|date=2018-01-17|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-10}} Users download the app and list their address, the types of landscaping work they would like and the date that they would like the work completed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2018/07/31/greenpal-app-detroit-lawn-mowing/871990002/|title=Get your lawn mowed with this new app that launched in Detroit|last=Paige|first=DeAsia|website=Detroit Free Press|language=en|access-date=2020-02-09}} Nearby landscapers, known as "vendors" on the platform, are then able to bid on the job, based on the customers' description and Google Earth images of their yards.{{Cite web|url=https://foxbaltimore.com/morning/brand-new-greenpal-landscaping-app-launches-in-baltimore|title=Brand new 'Greenpal' landscaping app launches in Baltimore|last=Crawley|first=Leah|date=2019-04-24|website=WBFF|access-date=2020-02-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/jul/10/uber-for-lawn-care-app-expands-to-spokane/|title='Uber for lawn care' app expands to Spokane {{!}} The Spokesman-Review|website=www.spokesman.com|access-date=2020-02-09}} GreenPal screens vendors to ensure that they have commercial landscaping equipment and references, and requires them to register with a valid social security number and bank account.{{Cite web|url=https://timesofsandiego.com/business/2019/05/06/uber-style-app-for-lawn-care-officially-launches-in-san-diego/|title=Uber-style App for Lawn Care Officially Launches in San Diego|last=Mapp|first=Lauren J.|date=2019-05-07|website=Times of San Diego|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-09}} Vendors are then rated based on user reviews.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lawnandlandscape.com/article/the-mowing-middle-men/|title=The mowing middle men|website=Lawn & Landscape|language=en|access-date=2020-02-10}}

In addition to work such as lawnmowing and gardening, GreenPal's vendors also offer seasonal services such as snow removal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/business/tech-news/2020/01/02/lawn-care-on-demand-order-snow-removal-GreenPal-Lawn-Love/stories/201912310118|title=Snow removal now as easy as ordering takeout on your phone|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|language=en|access-date=2020-02-09}}

The company initially paid $90,000 to develop an app and website for the service. However, this app turned out to be unusable, and had been designed for use on traditional computers rather than mobile devices.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/more-small-businesses-put-focus-on-a-mobile-first-strategy/|title=More small businesses put focus on a mobile-first strategy|website=www.cbsnews.com|date=17 August 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-10}} Hendrix, the CTO, began studying software design and developed a new app for the company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/entrepreneurship/article/20979270/greenpal-gains-traction-with-lawn-care-app|title=GreenPal gains traction with lawn care app|website=Nashville Post|date=16 October 2017 |language=en|access-date=2020-02-09}}{{Cite web |title=Green Pal, new app launched in Cleveland |url=https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2022/06/21/gas-price-increase-causing-landscapers-to-find-innovative-ways-to-stay-afloat-- |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=spectrumnews1.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-07-13 |title=The nation's leader in on-demand lawn mowing has just launched its service in Des Plaines. |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20220713/the-nations-leader-in-on-demand-lawn-mowing-has-just-launched-its-service-in-des-plaines |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=Daily Herald |language=en-US}}

• E-lancing
• Gig worker

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.yourgreenpal.com/}}

Category:Location-based software

Category:Freelance marketplace websites

Category:Online marketplaces of the United States