Quickly-growing HipHire to launch app for part-timers
January 31, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
A startup facilitating part-time job placement is finding traction.

Brian Kearns
Launched in 2015, HipHire digitally matches people looking for and offering part-time gigs. HipHire founder Brian Kearns wanted there to be a solution that was “a step up from CraigsList” that the public could rely on to find quality jobs.
Kearns said that over 1,000 job matches have been made and that the firm’s user rate has grown 176 percent in the last six months.
“We’ve learned an awful lot through the web application,” Kearns said. “We know that we’re ready to put this solution in the hands of more customers.”
To that end, Kearns said that the company is planning to launch an Android app that will help the company access more people.
Kearns said that he was inspired to launch the platform after the Great Recession. After the economic downturn, Kearns said the majority of new jobs that created were part-time. Kearns wanted to take advantage of this opportunity, while keeping the job seeker in mind first.
“We have a proven business model that was built here by Kansas Citians,” Kearns said. “Now, we need to raise money and throw gasoline on this fire.”
The app will initially only be available for Android users within Kansas City. Kearns plans to use this launch as a beta to help HipHire be more precise moving forward with its iOS launch later in 2017.

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Plexpod Westport Commons exhumes obscured mural of Kansas City
For an update on this piece, click here. Amid the dust and drilling at the yet-to-be-open Plexpod Westport Commons is a little-known artistic gem for Kansas City. At the heart of a project that marries history and innovation, the colossal coworking facility that was formerly Westport Junior High features a vibrant — albeit deteriorating —…
GUILDit feeds starving artists with tools to monetize their crafts
If good entrepreneurs are money-motivated, great ones know that it’s going to take more than that to be successful. In contrast, artists oftentimes develop a “love-hate relationship” with money. As anyone who has seen a “starving artists” moving van can attest, an artist’s passion doesn’t always lead to food on the table. For artists whose…
Kansas City streetcar app update arrives with roaring ridership
Has the popularity of the Kansas City Royals found its match with the Kansas City streetcar? No — probably not. But if you live in or around the City of Fountains, you probably know that its new downtown streetcar is quite popular. Since opening day, the streetcar has carried a total more than 645,000 passengers…
Fund me, KC: Pawns and Pints launching board game bar in Crossroads
Startland News is continuing its segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Pawns and Pints co-founder Edward Schmalz — to share their stories to gain a little help from their supporters. Back Pawns and Pints’ Kickstarter here. Who are you? My name is Edward…
