STARTUPS.CO.UK - Nov 23 - Coming second to Joseph Valente back in 2015 with her gamified dating app DatePlay, Koutsomitis is quizzed by Startups about her business progress. Currently operating out of Wayra, Telefónica UK's tech accelerator, the DatePlay app uses quizzes and multiple choice questions, coupled with a more traditional matching algorithm, to help find users potential prospects. The app is looking to add a freemium model in the next couple of months. The app is currently employing three members of staff, one in development and two in marketing. Running her start-up alongside her husband, Joris Magenti, Koutsomitis has found that going into business with her significant other has made the process a lot more cohesive. DatePlay closed a £219,570 crowdfunding round on Seedrs from 390 investors in return for a share of 5.58% equity. "We plan to do private fundraising next time. The crowdfunding experience was good but it was a very arduous process", said Vana.
Her best business tips:
- Drown out the noise - Take people's advice with a grain of salt. A lot of entrepreneurs get overwhelmed by negativity and they get down very quickly.
- Have a vision - I'm a big fan of writing things down. Yes, your plans will change, but at least you'll have something to go back to if you get too distracted.
- Choose your team members wisely - One of the biggest challenges is a cultural fit. I'd highly encourage you to work with people and hire people that you actually get along with.
- Join a community - In my case, Joris and I joined Wayra. They have given us advice and they have nurtured us.
by Shane Donnelly
See full article at Startups.co.uk
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