My primary goal at the moment is to acquire more users and gain traction. I'm laser-focused on creating a community of future users, jobseekers and businesses, and developing the second release of the Individualist, working to enhance the platform based on user feedback and market trends. My ultimate goal is to redefine job marketplaces and the workforce, creating a platform that surpasses conventional standards and genuinely meets the needs of job seekers and businesses. Moreover, the way work is experienced is also undergoing significant changes. It raises the question of whether current jobseekers are receptive and interested in these transformations. This shift towards a more flexible and transient employment model could potentially have an impact on the hiring difficulties that businesses have been grappling with.

As we navigate through the year 2023, it would be interesting to discern whether businesses are still experiencing hiring difficulties. Additionally, it is crucial to pinpoint the type of work and expertise areas that would best benefit from being showcased on the Individualist product. This could potentially enhance the connectivity between jobseekers and employers, thereby improving the overall hiring process.

There is also the question of workforce balance. Are businesses grappling with staffing shortages, or are they dealing with an overabundance of staff? Understanding this could help in formulating solutions that address the specific needs of these businesses. Furthermore, I am interested in delving deeper into the problems that businesses face during the hiring process.

Jobseekers also have their share of challenges. The difficulties experienced during the hiring process for traditional roles, as well as gig-economy roles, need to be evaluated. It would also be interesting to compare the current situation with the difficulties faced during the pandemic, to see if there has been any improvement or deterioration in the ease of finding work and hiring.

Ultimately, the most important aspect is to gauge the level of interest in my idea. As such, I aim to gather feedback and insights to ensure that it aligns with the needs and preferences of both businesses and jobseekers. This will be instrumental in shaping the future direction of my endeavors.

For my capstone project at the University of Mississippi, I developed an MVP for Individualist using Swift for the front end and MongoDB for the back end and tested the app in Testflight. The product presented during the final presentation and submitted at the end of the semester needed to meet the requirements of my minimal viable product. At least the goals of my project still need to be realized. As the semester progressed, I began to consider that my MVP was too robust. After discussing the matter with my sponsor, I decided to ensure users could view jobs, post jobs, and apply to jobs. The current build of the application only allows users to view and post job openings. The best part of this project was the amount of knowledge that acquired. Even though I spent a significant amount of time working with two databases, I am now more confident working with them.

In addition to product development and beta testing, I've taken the opportunity to pitch Individualist at the prestigious Gillespie Entrepreneurship Competition at the University of Mississippi. This allowed us to gain further exposure, validate our ideas in front of a discerning audience, and engage with potential investors and users. I did not place in the competition, but the judges shared feedback that I should validate the product with far more users before making more progress.