Q: Where do you go when you need local recommendations?
If you’re anything like me, you start by asking your friends, family, then your work colleagues, neighbors, and you might even post a status on Facebook, “Anyone know of a good hairstylist in San Francisco?” And, maybe, just maybe as a last resort, you go to Yelp. But the thing is, you go to your friends and family for recommendations because let’s be honest, no one goes to Yelp asking about something as personal as a hairstylist or even a doctor. You want real recommendations by people you know and trust.
So, how do we sift through all the noise? One word: GemShare. GemShare is a mobile-based app that allows you to network with your friends, friends of friends, and groups you create or join, by sharing and offering “Gems,” local recommendations. There are no anonymous reviews or bogus complaints, but only real questions and answers from people you know and trust. With GemShare, you have all the answers from your friends and family at your fingertips. You can search to get the answers you want and need in just a matter of minutes without worrying misplacing the information.
Claudine Ryan, Maryam Mohit and Jonathan Xu, co-founders of GemShare, created GemShare as an attempt to solve the problem of finding the best and trusted recommendations and access that information at anytime.
Here are some stellar highlights of GemShare:
• You not only receive useful Gem recommendations in your local area, but you can personalize your location based on community. For example: your child’s school. Here you could invite other moms from his/her class.
• If you find a Gem recommendation useful you can send the friend or group member a little thank you! Who doesn’t like a little extra appreciation?
• You can create groups and invite your friends to GemShare through Facebook making it simple to add everyone you’re connected to.
• You can choose to post a question to a specific group such as BettyConfidential or all your Gems. Plus, you have the option to answer questions directly to that person who asked it instead of overcrowding you Gem feed.
Now that you love this concept just as much as I do, I encourage you to join our BettyConfidential group all around the San Francisco Bay Area and start helping out fellow Betty’s with their questions or, better yet, get a recommendation you’ve been seeking!
**Please note we will be creating more groups all over the U.S but are starting with the San Francisco Bay Area.
How to get started?
Start by going to the App Store on your mobile device, search GemShare and download the amazing App (for free!). Next, search for a BettyConfidential Group in your area and join! Lastly, start sharing Gem recommendations and/or asking for Gems. It’s so fun like chit chatting with all your best girlfriends about everything you love about your area!
For any feedback please let us know at info@gemshare.com or click the feedback button in your GemShare app.
New GemShare UPDATES:
- Save to Shortlist: save the Gems you are actively considering
- New Email Digest: a new, condensed digest that includes all activity from your network in one handy email
- Group Enhancements: users can now click and see who is in a group, and you can also invite someone specifically to join groups that you are in (including yours!), you can now send a quick and easy warm welcome to new members who have joined your group