About why digital attempts for contacting blue collar workers have failed to date. About why Facebook’s brand is a roadblock for this journey. What do you mean Facebook wants to be the blue-collar LinkedIn? Bad idea.īut there’s so much more to this story than my instant reaction and thanks to a few friends on Twitter, I’ve taken the time to actually sit down to write about it. If Fuentes can fill WorkersNow with enough people who share his GSD philosophy, prospects look bright for the blue-collar workers it serves and its investors.“Huh?” I thought as I read the headline. To test that ability, he gives potential employees challenging assignments to see how dedicated they are and how well they work in a team environment. The company also places an emphasis on fitness and healthy living, with all employees getting paid gym memberships and unlimited healthy snacks. Getting a job at WorkersNow is not easy. Fuentes wants people who are dedicated to changing peoples’ lives and who Get Stuff Done (GSD). To gain traction, Fuentes will need to add to the company’s current 12 employees. He will measure the company’s progress based on the number of workers that sign up, the number of jobs they get, and the number of positions listed on the site. These investors include Tim Draper of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Lotus Development founder Mitch Kapor, Angel investor Dave McClure, and a scion of the Bechtel family whom Fuentes knew from business school.įuentes’s vision for WorkersNow is to empower blue-collar workers. He tried to bring in investors who share his vision for the company, provide blue-chip branding value, and/or offer their expertise generously to help the company grow. To finance WorkersNow, Fuentes has raised capital in two rounds. It also works with trade organizations such as the National Association for the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and the Association of General Contractors (AGC). WorkersNow collaborates with the trade schools that train workers and the construction firms that hire them. After initially focusing on conventional blue-collar staffing, WorkersNow decided to design 'great user experiences for workers and employers.' The company launched this new platform in May - it adds 'a highly relevant local job feed', lets workers certify their skills and market themselves more effectively.

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