Guild (https://guild.co) is a private professional messaging app that meets new standards, yet is as easy to use at WhatsApp. It is advertising free, and GDPR compliant.
Business Model Canvas (BMC)- A new venture concept
Guild introduction
1.
2. 2
I started Econsultancy, my first business, because I was passionate about
bringing digital marketing and ecommerce professionals together as a
community to share and learn from each other.
That business grew over ten years, with offices in New York, London,
Dubai, Singapore and Sydney, before we sold to Centaur Media in 2012.
I’m sure I do not have to tell you that the world has gone mobile and
messaging is exploding in usage.
But no-one I’m aware of has yet properly cracked providing a premium
quality messaging experience, which also embeds community and
networking dynamics, and is private, for professionals. So we’re doing it.
Welcome to Guild.
Ashley Friedlein, CEO
DEAR READER
3. 3
We know the world has gone mobile. We are all reliant on our mobile
phones, for personal and professional use.
We also know messaging is exploding in usage across the world.
But businesses, and professionals, are having to use messaging apps
designed for consumer use. They simply aren’t fit for professional purposes.
Guild is a GDPR-compliant messaging app for running private professional
groups and networks.
You could say Guild is to WhatsApp what LinkedIn is to Facebook.
IN BRIEF
4. 4
WhatsApp isn't designed for professional use. It isn’t GDPR-compliant. It isn’t private (Facebook
use your data for ad targeting already), there are no profiles, only a single stream of chat, no access
to past content when you join a group, no way to protect your data or reputation (e.g. you can’t
delete content, you can be added to a group without your permission) etc.
LinkedIn is too noisy. Too much self-promotion and sales approaches. And a poor mobile
messaging experience as it is not designed as a messaging app.
Slack is fine for small teams who need workflow collaboration comms but not good for networking
or comms across organisations. It gets expensive and chaotic with larger groups.
Email groups and lists are hard to manage. There are no profiles. And emails don’t get through.
Enterprise software collaboration tools are expensive and clunky to use, especially outside your
organisation.
WHAT ABOUT WHATSAPP ETC?
5. 5
• Complete privacy - no advertising ever, no tracking, nothing public,
access to groups is invitation-only by the host.
• Professional profiles - so you know who members are and how to nurture
valuable relationships.
• Professional standards - Guild Charter all members must agree to,
protect your reputation e.g. correct mistakes (delete messages).
• Custom branding - your group members see your organisation’s logo and
branding.
• Professional support & service - you do not get any service or support
from the likes of WhatsApp. You do with Guild.
GUILD IS DIFFERENT
6. 6
• Delete your profile/contributions - at any time any member
can completely delete his/her profile and contributions which
protects their reputation and is GDPR-compliant.
• Threaded chat - a single stream of chat, like WhatsApp, is not
good enough for professional conversations. Guild chats are
anchored around a subject line for each separate conversation.
• Web/email alternatives - Guild is a native mobile messaging
app but, unlike WhatsApp and others, has an excellent web
view and email notification/digest alternatives.
GUILD FEATURES
7. 7
TYPICAL USE CASES
• Trade bodies, associations, professional
membership and networking organisations
• Shareholders, investors (VCs, angels etc),
stakeholders
• Boards, councils, committees
• NEDs, mentors, coaches
• Management teams, working groups
• Alumni groups
• Event-related groups e.g. delegates,
judges, speakers, advisory panels
• Learning cohorts
• Corporate hospitality
• Advisors
• Editorial, expert groups
• Research, academic groups
• User / customer groups & panels
10. 10
TEAM: PROVEN ENTREPRENEURS + WORLD-
RENOWNED ACADEMIC
Ashley Friedlein
CEO & Founder, Guild
• CEO/Co-founder of Econsultancy
• Chairman/Investor of Ably
• Advisor to UK Government Digital Service
• President of Centaur Media Plc’s marketing
portfolio
Matthew O’Riordan
Technical Adviser, Guild
• CTO/Co-founder of Econsultancy
• CEO/Co-founder of Ably
• Engineer and founder of EasyBacklog
• CEO & Founder of Lemon Foundation
Professor Robin Dunbar
Adviser, Guild
• Professor of Evolutionary Psychology,
University of Oxford
• Emeritus Fellow, Magdalen College
• Author/Editor of over 20 books
• Famed for the ‘Dunbar Number’