Two Manchester entrepreneurs are about to launch Circle of Trust, which they described as the world’s first female-led word-of-mouth app.
Tracy Johnson and co-founder Susanna Lawson hope the app will “redefine” the way people connect, share and build relationships.
It works by instantly connecting consumers with trusted personal recommendations from their own network – be it accountants, hairdressers or mechanics.
The duo point to research that:
92% people trust referrals from friends and family over any other form of advertising (Nielson)
86% of B2B buyers say word-of-mouth is the most** influential factor in making purchase decisions (Blanc & Otus)
75% of people don’t trust paid adverts (Hubspot)
“The idea for the Circle of Trust actually started on a piece of paper over five years ago. I was on the hunt for a reliable childminder and it hit me – there was no easy way to find someone trusted and recommended by the people I know. I was thinking about all the friends, contacts and networks I had made through the years and how we are all connected,” explained Tracy Johnson.
“I realised that each one of us has our own recommendations that we want to share, and in turn, we trust the recommendations of our friends and families the most. Everyone has, and can be a part of a Circle of Trust.
“I wanted to find a partner who shared the same values as me and someone who would help me bring this concept to life. As soon as I met Susanna, I knew she was the one to help me bring the Circle of Trust to life.”
Johnson added that everyone involved in the business was a trusted connection or had been developed through other trusted connections.
“We chose the hexagon, alongside the circle, as the emblem of the Circle of Trust as it visually represents the six founding members, who are all connected in some way,” she added.
The pair believe that Circle of Trust will “revolutionise recommendations” and as a result impact on SEO, claiming that small and medium sized businesses could rely less on keywords and more on the quality of their work.
“As soon as I met Tracy, I instantly recognised the problem that the Circle of Trust would solve and I wanted to be involved. Her passion and positivity is infectious,” added Susanna Lawson, who has previously founded and exited education tech company, OneFile.
“The Circle of Trust will not only help and be invaluable to people but to businesses too. It’s especially hard for smaller businesses to get noticed and so this gives them a genuine platform to showcase their work. We are on a mission to make life easier and to help businesses shine. “
The Circle of Trust has gained a spot in the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator program, a six-month initiative designed for start-ups and entrepreneurs.
