Beer, the sensually carbonated substance that has a way of convincing you to transform from your sane self to your alter ego shwasty persona within mere hours. It's the drink that represents friendship and celebration, present at fraternity parties, but also black tie event, one of the most adaptable types of alcohol. Now imagine gifting that delectable hoppy substance for others to enjoy, handing off the experience to a friend, co-worker, or even that random girl you got a phone number from the night before. BeerGivr does just that. With a quick and easy text message, you can dole out electronic gift certificates for the bar beverages of the receiver's choice.
I first heard of BeerGivr on June 1 when they were announced as the first place winners in the "Bootstrapper" category of Maryland's first business competition on Pinterest. Their concept caught my attention right away, I mean, who isn't intrigued by something directly related to enjoying a beer or two or three? As I got in contact with the founder of BeerGivr, Sean Kennedy, I knew I was completely correct in my assumption that BeerGivr will break through the ceiling in terms of how successful it will be. Not only does the founder look exactly like Harry Potter (who doesn't want to be sold something by Daniel Radcliffe's twin), but his product also differs from any other on the market. He has created the futuristic social gift that can automatically be used with mobile technology.
Sean Kennedy had just landed a job after graduating from UMBC that required him to travel around the country. He would meet numerous business personalities, but then would never have the opportunity to meet them again. As he contemplated how best to stay in contact with those he networked with, it came to him, "you always want to say cheers in some way, so why not make that actually happen," Kennedy told me. It's simple, just say "have a beer on me." There is always the go to national chain restaurant gift card that can be mailed off as a follow-up thank you gesture, but that's impersonal, boring even. While the idea was still fresh in his mind, Kennedy created a prototype and developed what he now likes to refer to as BeerGivr.
More than a poke on Facebook, but not as exuberant as a spankin' new set of golf clubs, BeerGivr allows users to connect on a whole new level. "When you are out with friends celebrating a birthday, someone always buys a round of shots. Maybe you had to stay late at work, but you wish you were there. You want your friends to know you're thinking about them so you say, have a drink on me." That simplistic and highly relatable example from Kennedy was precisely what sold me on his product. Boom. Right there. That's it. That's BeerGivr.
In order to use BeerGivr, all a user must do is head to the website, enter their name, friend's telephone number, amount of money they want to send their friend (depending on whether they want to purchase a full round of Blue Moon or three shots of whiskey), and a personal message of their choice. The friend on the receiving end is sent a text message with a gift code to their phone that they can then show the bartender and have the stipulated amount of money taken off of their bill. If the receiver is not at a participating bar, then the dollar amount can be transferred to their PayPal account to use elsewhere. Seems too easy to be true, right? That's what I thought too, but it works.
Currently BeerGivr is in their early adopter phase, "each day seeing new people jumping on," Kennedy conveyed to me. BeerGivr's demographic is those between the ages of 25 and 35, "the working class who are in possession of smartphones and are comfortable with new technologies," Kennedy said. I was under the assumption that the majority of BeerGivr users would be college students, but it turns out that the older demographic is starting to really cling on to Kennedy's idea.
Kennedy is a one man machine as the only full-time employee of BeerGivr, but he does have the help of two close friends. As daunting as leading a startup alone may seem, Kennedy has done a spectacular job pursuing his dream. His advice to others thinking of cultivating their own businesses? "Keep in contact with those you meet. Early growth develops from word of mouth and those that you remain connected to are the ones that will help you get to where you want to be. Cultivating those relationships are vital, making sure they are getting updates, are still involved, and retain interest in your growth. We aren't just a beer community, we are also a startup community."
Participating bars are only located in Maryland, but stay tuned for BeerGivr to begin to expand elsewhere. You can check out the bars and restaurants currently accepting BeerGivr here.
[Video via YouTube]
