March 12, 2020

Meet Bryan Hobbs

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Hobbs.

Bryan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am originally from Selma, Alabama which most attribute to being ground zero for voting rights in American history. I am the father of three amazing children. I have a wonderful wife, who is a thoughtful leader. My mother and father are both distinguished educators who have built their own successful businesses. I have one intelligent, resilient sibling. My parents instilled in me at an early age, nothing in this world is handed to you, you have to go get it! Nobody said it would be easy, but hard work always pays off. When I was younger, I vividly remember waking up at 5:30 am to work at a construction site with my dad. My parents own several rental properties. Each summer, I helped my parents perform regular maintenance and follow up handy work that ensured we were following health and safety codes.

Being exposed to grit helped me understand the importance of hard work, perseverance, focus, and dedication. I learned the key to patience. I watched my mother go back to school, work a full-time job, and take care of household duties and responsibilities. My mother proved to us that anything was possible if you put forth the effort.

This type of dedication made me strive to reach my goals. I eventually attended the University of my dreams and played collegiate football. At the end of my college career, I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in Computer Applications and Technology from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Since graduation, I have worked for fortune 500 companies in many capacities. I have learned so much throughout the journey of my career, and I have met my share of business executives. I am determined to create my own path, hence the brilliance of Pruuvn.

Pruuvn has derived from a lot of hard work by some truly intelligent people, illustrating that hard work does pay off. The idea of Pruuvn started back in 2017 while assisting my wife in filling out paperwork to submit verified credentials to her new employer. I realized this process was time-consuming and mistake-prone. I knew there had to be a better way in the 21st century. A mistake and/or someone forgetting to submit information could be the difference in gaining employment or being compensated fairly, and it seemed that administrations did it often. This, I thought, was a problem that technology should be able to solve. After gaining some insight from some prominent individuals such as Kwame Anku (CEO & Chairman of Black Star Fund), Laron Walker (Entrepreneur & CEO of MantisEDU, Inc), as well as assistance from Mark Peterson (Entrepreneur & founder of the Guerrillapreneur Podcast as acting COO), to name a few, we learned how Pruuvn could benefit companies on a larger scale. Pruuvn has been able to do some amazing things. Last year alone, we were able to complete J.P Morgans Ascend2020 Pre-Accelerator and move right into Comcast/NBC Universal’s TheFarm Accelerator powered by Boomtown. We are now looking to raise funding as we continue to expand while onboarding new customers every day.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. Building and running a startup is difficult, all in itself. Pile your regular day job on top of that, as well as family, and things do get tough. There are challenges and setbacks that involve technical issues, staffing issues, customer related issues, you name it, and we probably have dealt with it. I will say that the top two things currently plaguing the organization is having all the resources needed to continue to expand rapidly, which mainly entails funding and lack in-house development. However, we have managed to still be successful despite those challenges and will continue to move forward, resolving these issues in the process.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Pruuvn story.
At Pruuvn we “Empower Trusted Relationships through the Sharing of Verified Credentials.” Pruuvn’s Background Tracking System (BTS)™ is a staffing marketplace platform that matches task-based workers with trusted businesses based on pre-verified worker skills, work histories, and backgrounds. The BTS links stores worker credentials securely to a unique Pruuvn I.D. that workers share when seeking employment. Businesses integrated with the BTS can use staff recruitment and social engagement tools to build worker communities, reducing their staffing and onboarding costs.

What I am most proud of about this company is that we are a company that has set out to empower consumers by giving them control over their information so that they can work more freely and efficiently anywhere in the world.

Let’s face it; landing a job is a rewarding feeling. However, everyone has felt seemingly overwhelmed by completing the inevitable tedious process with Human resources. Why hasn’t this process become more efficient? With the use of technology, Pruuvn is the solution. Pruuvn can streamline the hiring process for companies and employees. Most job boards will not be able to compete when consumers discover how innovative Pruuvn is. It is your one-stop shop to connect employers with the employees who are the right fit for their company.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Over the next 5-10 years, the future of work will change dramatically. It is predicted that by 2027 over 50% (Morgan Stanley) of the workforce will consider themselves some form of Gig worker. That’s not just referring to individuals who work the Uber’s and Lyft’s of the world, that’s your traditional positions as well.

There are only a few heavy hitters in the job board market. We hear the concerns of customers, and we hope to devise a resource that encompasses it all. I want Pruuvn to be known for its ability to be a powerhouse that stores, collects, and manages information whether you are a new graduate, looking to change careers, constantly on the move, or prove who you are as an individual.

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