Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Smith.
Jennifer, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The conversation surrounding dating has many topics; where to go to find a date, how to figure out if it’s real or if you’re “friend-zoned”, what’s considered an expensive date, etc.. The ironic part is that no one is talking about the actual conversation when you are ON a date. As you might have experienced, the concept of conversation is a lost art, especially in the dating world. Technology, social media, and the simple fear of face to face communication have caused a void in what it means to “get to know someone”.
“For Starters…” is a conversation starter app specifically designed to put some depth back into getting to know each other. It serves as a question bank of fun, funny, hypothetical, and real-life questions that are formed to allow you to see someone’s character, not rehearsed “date answer”. Users can use this as a tool to select a few go-to questions for later, or open and play as a game with your date. Whichever method you choose, users are prepared.
I am Jennifer Smith, aka NetworkJenn, a young professional living in the Atlanta, GA metro area, but has lived in other cities with a booming singles scene. With really good and really bad dating experiences under my belt, I decided to stop complaining and start an empire that can make dating simple. In providing $50 or less date ideas and date venue reviews for Atlanta, Houston, and Charlotte, alongside the “For Starters…” app, users have full access to something she likes to call “the dating cheat sheet”.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
True to every new endeavor and/or business idea, this wasn’t a completely smooth road. Between raising the funds to launch the app, thinking of each and every question to fit my ideal demographic, and simply understanding the technical aspect of building an app, I was stressed! To make sure I didn’t fall under the pressure, I continued to work my 9-5 and took on a part-time job to raise the funds. On the tech side, I also made sure to ask any and every question I had for my app developer at Fresh Tech Solutionz.
The mental and emotional challenges were also very apparent because I was just diagnosed with a T-Cell Lymphoma Cancer earlier this year. As many entrepreneurs know, there were also moments that I doubted yourself, questioned timing, worried about money, was afraid to ask for help, and a long list of others but I used it all as motivation.
This endeavor took tenacity to say the least. However, I stayed true to the vision.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with “For Starters…” App – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I truly live up to the name NetworkJenn by connecting people through events, community service opportunities, and now through conversation. “For Starters…” is a little piece of the greater impact I am making in the world. I also launched The Jarvis-Smith Foundation in honor of my parents. I am a second-generation HBCU graduate (FAMU stand up!) and, like my parents, my flame for protecting and serving HBCUs will burn eternally. To ensure that, I created JSF to give back to the HBCUs and the communities that surround them. To this date, I have given roughly $1500 in scholarships and over 300 suites and 400 articles of business wear to the Atlanta Mission here in Atlanta, GA.
“For Starters…” is different because it is the complete package. The IG page helps with inexpensive date ideas, the app helps with conversations on the date, and the dinner series (launches VERY soon) helps connect people who are over the whole “swipe right” on a dating app.
It isn’t one dimensional.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am looking forward to building out the calendar on the app, which will allow businesses to feature singles’ night at their venue, and will serve as resource for date night vendors (helicopter rides, make up artists, florists, you name it!). Also, as previously mentioned, I will be taking the action to in-person with the dinner series for singles. “Rendezvous” will be an intimate dinner night for a select group of singles who want to meet new people and experience a unique spin to “speed dating”.
Pricing:
- FREE
Contact Info:
- Email: NetworkJenn@gmail.com
- Instagram: @forstarters_
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