Famm, the invention platform for queer-owned manufacturers, was created by BIPOC queer married couple Cat Perez and Marianna Di Regolo to assist customers discover LGBTQ-owned companies. Now it’s launching a brand new social networking app for LGBTQ+ professionals and enterprise house owners to attach and collaborate.
Famm Join, now obtainable on iOS and Android units, consists of widespread options like a feed for sharing and discovering posts, direct messaging, and a bit for managing and cultivating connections. What units it aside, nonetheless, is its emphasis on making a secure and inclusive house for LGBTQ+ professionals to have interaction authentically.
The launch of a brand new social networking utility particularly designed for LGBTQ+ professionals is each well timed and important. LGBTQ+ people continuously face discrimination, microaggressions, or biases in skilled environments, and it could be tough to seek out help on mainstream networks that don’t handle their particular challenges. Plus, they might not really feel comfy disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identification on platforms like LinkedIn for concern that it might hurt their profession prospects.
Famm Join goals to supply a greater different to mainstream platforms, providing an area for customers to simply discover others who perceive their experiences and challenges whereas additionally permitting them to have fun their identification moderately than hiding it.
“It’s very clear that there’s not a lot illustration with regards to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, founders, and enterprise house owners,” Perez informed TechCrunch. “We’ve got to look to one another to help one another with regards to constructing our companies, rising them, and determining the best way to spend our queer {dollars} with queer companies. We’ve got to point out up for one another, particularly now.”
Whereas the core performance of the app is pretty simple, one function that stands out is its “Open to” tags. These tags may be added to a person’s profile to point their functions for utilizing the app, reminiscent of being open to espresso chats, mentoring alternatives, volunteering, and extra. This ensures that when customers attain out to others, they accomplish that with intention moderately than merely spamming them.
With roughly 1.4 million LGBTQ-owned companies working within the U.S., Famm additionally plans to incorporate listings for companies to promote their services. Perez factors out that it’s tough for enterprise house owners to promote on bigger platforms, as they supply a service or a product that makes use of sure terminology that would get flagged or banned. Enterprise listings are presently free, however the platform will quickly introduce premium enterprise profiles for $20 per 30 days or $200 per 12 months.
Another options that Famm is constructing embody a bit devoted to in-person networking occasions in addition to job listings and sponsored posts.
The app is free to obtain. It operates on an invite-only foundation and permits for limitless referrals.