Former NRL hardman Kirk Reynolason and his PhD wife Kate Morgan are taking on what theyre calling the ‘Bluey vs Shark Tank challenge, packing up their little Aussie family and road tripping across the US in an RV to sell their innovative productivity app, Eggy, to the lucrative American market.
The ex-Storm, Knights and Dragons star devised the app with Morgan from their Gold Coast home after Reynoldson himself received a $1000 fine for forgetting to pay his car registration.
What started as a humble life admin app for personal use, with calendars and ‘to do’ lists, has evolved into a sophisticated, phone based intranet for SMEs and large corporations, aimed at helping employees stay organised at work and home, and ultimately, maintain a healthy work life balance.
Eggy’s last valuation was $7 million.
Literally 72 hours before Reynoldson and Morgan left for the US, they partnered with culture tech platform Prosper EX with some 100,000 individual users in a deal worth potentially $2
million over the next 12 months.
Eggy’s main point of difference to other intranet providers is its mobile first, Eggy Spaces feature, which separates worktech tools into categories – or Spaces – for workforces that are rarely at a desk and often ‘on the road’, such as payroll, learning systems, compliance and culture.
It also increases engagement with employees by only sending them the information they need through targeted communications.
Users then have the option of adding personal Spaces next to their professional ones, like school, children’s sport and play dates, family functions and bills.
“We’ve just landed in the US and piled the three kids into the van, that’s why we’re calling it the ‘Bluey vs Shark Tank’ challenge,” Reynoldson laughs.
“In all seriousness though, there are some 32 million businesses in the US – the vast majority of which aren’t using any HR software yet; but that is increasing, and fast.
“We estimate there’s potentially 20 million businesses in the US that need phone based intranets, like Eggy, and at roughly $7500 per business per year, that’s a $150 billion market that we’d like to tap into.”
“The trick is surviving three months living out of an RV with the kids, in the meantime – but what an adventure.
“Eggy aims to unscramble everyone’s busy lives – there’s no point being organised at work, if you’re all over the place at home and vice versa.”
“Employers are working out that supporting individual staff as a whole person rather than just as an employee is the key to unlocking their true potential.
“Businesses that view their team members simply as a number aren’t unlocking their full potential and are being left behind.”
Prosper EX is on a steep trajectory itself with 350% year on year growth, working with a number of multinational companies including Applejack Hospitality, RD Jones Group and Bridgestone Tyres.
