Each Friday the RookieOven Startup Spotlight highlights a member of the Scottish tech startup community. The aim is to, as the name suggests, put the spotlight on Scotland’s best startups from across the country. It’s an opportunity to share information about an exciting tech startup from Scotland you may not have heard of. Giving a brief overview of the company, what they do, where they are and who they are. This week the spotlight falls on Jack.
We all know Ashley Baxter though you may not realize it. This talented lady is not only the creator of Jack but also responsible for the gorgeous photos you see across our site. Since RookieOven knows Ashley so well, I let her take the reigns with a Q&A as she shares some of her journey in launching:
Q: Who are you?
I'm Ashley, an unusual hybrid of photographer and insurer. When I'm not working on my business, I'm playing video games or walking my dog, Indie. Right now, though, I'm channeling everything into launching my business, Jack.
Q: What is your company?
Jack is insurance for freelancers. We focus on catering to a very specific audience—developers, designers, illustrators and consultants.
The policy we offer is specifically tailored to them, but it's the buying experience that makes Jack different to other insurers. Everything we do has design and technology at the core.
If you visit our site right now you'll be greeted with a landing page. We've not launched yet, but aren't far off. We're currently talking to Underwriters to create the policy we've designed for freelancers.
Q: How did you start?
I've been working in insurance since the age of 18, after inheriting my Dad's property insurance business.
Not having much of an interest in property or insurance, I developed a passion for design and technology. I wondered how I could incorporate design and technology into my job as an insurer, and that's how Jack was born.
Going from idea to launch has been a lengthy process, and I'm still not there yet. The barrier to entry into the insurance industry is high, requiring upfront capital and an audit by the FCA, the industry regulator. Fortunately, I was given the green light by the FCA to start trading this year.
Q: What's your motivation?
Simplifying the process of buying insurance is what interests me the most. Insurers are reluctant to spend money on their tech infrastructure, so it means those who are willing to invest in tech will have an advantage.
Not only that, but it's obviously much better for the consumer when they can quote and buy a policy in a matter of minutes, and are aware of what cover they're buying. That may sound silly, but insurers don't do a good job of communicating what the consumer is actually buying, so many people purchase insurance without really knowing what they're covered for.
Shopping for insurance is not fun, but my motivation is to make it as painless as possible.
Q: How is it funded?
I've been photographing weddings for the past few years. I'm using that money to get my insurance business off the ground. I'm not interested in taking investment and giving a percentage of my business away. I'd like to grow slowly and organically, using the money I make to invest back into the business.
Q: Do you use a specific business model?
It's a standard business model for insurance brokers. We earn a commission based on each policy we sell. When Jack launches, I'll be transparent in what fee I take from each sale.
Q: Are there any other key team members other than yourself?
Right now I'm outsourcing work to freelancers. I'm working with an amazing designer, Scott Riley, on bringing the quote system to life. I'd love to bring design and development in-house, but as a small, bootstrapped business that has yet to launch, it's currently just myself wearing many hats.
Q: How do you reach your audience?
Podcasts have been our biggest converter. I think it's because people form a connection when listening to someone tell their story. Also, content costs nothing to create. As a small, bootstrapped business, I'll be relying on creating content—whether it be in the form of podcasts, blog posts or photos—to get our message out.
Going forward, I want to focus more on partnerships—teaming up with co-working spaces and online communities.
Q: What's it like being a startup in Glasgow?
It's a lot cheaper to run a startup from Glasgow! We also have an incredible pool of talent, and I can't wait to tap into that talent as Jack develops.
It doesn't matter at what stage Jack is at, whether it's post-launch or 5 years down the line, I'm proud to be basing my business in Scotland.
Keep an eye out for Jack's launch by following:
