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Startup Profile :: FamilyHQ

17 December 2011

Kyle McGinty interviews Jase Farmer, CEO of new Start-up FamilyHQ

1. So Jase tell us about how the FamilyHQ concept came about?

Family HQ started out as a personal project as a way to privately communicate and share our life with our large extended family. As other friends and family heard what we were building they asked if they could have their own version as well. As we kept receiving requests we thought that it might be smarter to build one platform that allowed users to create their own private groups within it. It has kept growing from there.

2. What are the main current features of your social platform?

The current features of the site include; sharing photo and video albums, create unlimited groups, private messaging, private group chat rooms, shared calendar, sharing family recipes but we also have a specific focus on the privacy settings. For example, with each media album or calendar entry that you create there are simple buttons to select which groups you would like to be able to view that entry or you could simply make it private.

3. Why will potential members choose FamilyHQ over say Facebook to engage with each other?

We don’t see ourselves as a direct competitor of Facebook, we think that it will work as a complimentary network. But we believe that we have compelling reasons for each different demographic that we expect will engage. Firstly the site is very user friendly, it’s easy to get around and that will always be the case. There is an obvious desire or need for less social network-savvy people to want to connect and share in a private place, and have the confidence to do so. Some people aren’t comfortable sharing everything about their lives, their kids adventures and so on in a public manner, Family HQ offers the place to do this. The grandparents have mostly missed the Facebook thing but would like to get involved in their kids and grandkids lives. The Gen X and Gen Y just want to get their parents and family off their facebook page therefore will happily promote Family HQ to their family network.

4. Where is your start-up business up to at the moment and whats next?

Family HQ is in the middle of preparing the media launch for the business, which is very exciting, so expect some news to come out at the back end of this year. We are also preparing for our first round of investment, which has been received well so far, and from a development perspective, the guys in the workshop have a large roadmap to work off so they’re flat out as well. The Mobile App is featured high on the “to complete list”.

5. Are there any future features planned for FamilyHQ?

They are many features on the roadmap that we are either working on or will be starting work on in the near future. From a group perspective there will be a Family Tree feature implemented as well as an in-browser group video chat feature, which we are very excited about. As a user, you will soon be able to book all travel requirements within the site, have some expanded online shopping options and we will soon be launching our very own Weekly shopping deals as well involving national brands. So very exciting times ahead.

6. You mentioned your looking for investment for the next stages of growth, should any investment inquiry come directly to you?

Yes, we’d be happy to have a chat to parties interested in Family HQ whether it is investors or people interested in any partner-style activity.
Our revenue model is exciting because it offers some tried and true methods, combined with different offerings, so it will be an interesting prospect for the right place to partner with Family HQ.

You can contact Jase via LinkedIn or by emailing at info@familyhq.com or visit familyhq.com

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