San Francisco-based social community and online service Bossygrl has officially launched as a new platform designed to enable young female entrepreneurs to create and grow real e-commerce businesses from their phones.
Using the Bossygrl iOS app, aspiring entrepreneurs can open an online store, name their business, design a logo and create products with no upfront costs for supplies or inventory. Bossygrl generates and hosts the web store, and manages manufacturing, shipping, payments and customer service. Users can seek guidance from in-app videos, “BossyTips” and the wider Bossygrl community. Users also receive access to exclusive content, including Facebook Live mentorship events with professionals from a number of industries.
The Bossygrl app is available for download through the App Store for US$0.99/month. While not exclusive to women, it does focus specifically on helping Gen Z girls develop business skills and experience in preparation for their entry into the workforce. Bossygrl Inc (conceived by Blurb founder Eileen Gittins and tech industry veterans Doug Provisor and Marcus Zetterquist) donates 5% of net profits to organizations that support girls and women, and encourages its users to do the same.
The app’s launch comes as spending power—and mobile usage—among Gen Z kids continues to rise. A US study conducted by the Center for Generational Kinetics found that 77% of Gen Z-eres currently earn their own spending money through freelance work, a part-time job or an earned allowance. And, earlier this year, a study from The US National Retail Foundation and IBM found that 74% of tweens and teens prefer to spend their free time online. Among the 15,600 kids surveyed across six continents, 75% say they most frequently use their smartphones and 22% reported making money online.