All posts tagged: Austin

TaskVan Sketch

Behind-the-Scenes With Blue Genie, Creators of the TaskVan

Published by Adam

A lot of people have been asking us what it was like to drive around in the TaskVan all week: It was awesome. There’s nothing like people running up to your vehicle for a hug, or taking some time to pet your fur, or taking photos en masse of your every move. People absolutely loved the TaskVan, and we felt that love in a big way. People didn’t love it just because it was weird, people loved it because it was beautiful and friendly, with a personality all its own. [pullshow] That’s exactly what the creative team responsible for making the TaskVan a reality had in mind. The artists at Austin’s very own Blue Genie Art Industries built the TaskVan from a simple idea and a van borrowed from a local rock band. Along the way, they battled rain, gravity, and a wicked case of maker remorse. We caught up with Kevin Collins, principal artist at Blue Genie, to find out more: When TaskRabbit approached you with the idea for the TaskVan, what was your …

TaskVan Leah Busque

A Week in the Life of the TaskVan

Published by Adam

Well that was fun! This week, Team TaskRabbit had a blast roaming the streets of Austin in a giant, mobile bunny. With its regal fur waving in the Texas wind, the TaskVan was the most majestic thing on the streets of SXSWi. We spent each day delighting conference attendees, smiling for photos, and doling out some pretty incredible goodies. Here’s a rundown of some of the week’s highlights: We loaded up on pies from Austin’s beloved Home Slice Pizza and handed out slices to everyone waiting for their badges in the enormous registration line. We handed out custom TaskVan T-shirts and awesome TaskRabbit shades to everyone who came near the van. We surprised people with gorgeous Sesame Gift sets throughout the week. The lucky recipients loved the beautiful packaging and thoughtfully curated gifts Didn’t get one? Find Sesame on the web, in the iTune store, or on Facebook. We picked up delicious treats from Amy’s Ice Creams and turned the TaskVan into a furry ice cream truck on the hottest day of the festival. We …

Austin City SXSW

Five Things TaskRabbit Loves About SXSW

Published by Adam

We’re pretty excited about heading down to Austin this week. Leah will be giving an exciting talk about the role of social reputation and trust mechanisms in our lives, and TaskRabbits will be on the ground helping companies, brands, and attendees. Since we still have to wait another day to pull on our cowboy boots, we put together this list of the five things we’re most excited about at this year’s festival: Panels, Talks, and Sessions This year’s lineup of speakers is overwhelmingly awesome. We wish we could clone ourselves and soak up all the knowledge that will be doled out around town during the week. The things we’re most looking forward to? Lyft / Zimride Co-Founder John Zimmer will chat about the role of UX in peer-to-peer marketplaces. RelayRides Founder Shelby Clark will speak alongside Airbnb’s Nate Blecharczyk and Etsy’s Juliet Gorman on the power of the sharing economy. Tumblr Founder David Karp will talk about building tools for the 85 million creators on the social content platform. Productivity guru Tim Ferriss will teach us …

TaskRabbit SXSW Austin

TaskRabbit Kicks Off Dedicated Business Product With Exclusive South By Southwest Web Portal

Published by Adam

Today, TaskRabbit is thrilled to launch a web portal that makes it possible for businesses of all sizes to fuel their SXSW experience with Austin-based TaskRabbits. The launch coincides with the new TaskRabbit For Business program, a business-facing product that’s more reliable than online classifieds, less costly than traditional temp agencies, and customizable to exactly what a business needs. [pullshow] SXSW 2012 saw dozens of the tech and entertainment world’s most innovative companies and brands, including Airbnb, Bravo, and HBOGirls, relying on TaskRabbit for marketing, event, and on-the-ground support in Austin. “It was awesome to see the organic yet massive growth from businesses last year when we’d just barely launched in Austin,” says TaskRabbit’s Head of Business Development, Victor Echevarria. [pullthis]“Now, with a dedicated TaskRabbit for Business offering and a first-of-its-kind SXSW tool, we’re excited for the opportunity to be the local, background-checked staffing force that powers SXSW Interactive in 2013.” [/pullthis] Building on the existing demand for reliable, trustworthy Austin-based assistance, TaskRabbit’s SXSW portal makes it easy for businesses from anywhere in the world …

Leah Busque, Featured Speaker at SXSW 2013

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We’re very excited to announce that Leah Busque will be joining Tim Ferriss, Jane Pratt, Peter Thiel, and other impressive thought leaders as a featured speaker for SXSW Interactive 2013. Leah’s talk — “Reputation as a Currency: Is the Resume Extinct?” — will center around the role that trust mechanisms such as ratings and reviews have played in the evolution of online transactions. She’ll discuss how social capital, which is fundamentally changing the way we think about markets, power, online connections, and personal identity, is replacing the credit score in our new digital society. Need a little trust talk to tide you over until SXSW? Read Leah’s Huffington Post column, “The Role (and Future) of Social Reputation.”

Task of the Week: Get Rid of These Leaves

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There’s no doubt we’re firmly nestled into the fall season here, guys. The autumnal equinox was way back on September 22nd, pumpkin lattes have been flowing out of Starbucks for weeks, and our favorite network television shows are back in full swing. All the pretty green leaves turned to ruby and gold and purple and bronze, and then all the pretty leaves fell down. Into your yard. And they turned into a sorta soggy, sorta crunchy brown mess. Austin TaskPoster Marie H. decided to hire a TaskRabbit to tackle the mountains of leaves in her front yard. Chad H. showed up, grabbed a rake, and filled several garbage bags full of autumn’s bounty. Couldn’t you use a little help with your fall yard work?

Task of the Week: Organize My Closet

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Guys, we really need to do something about these closets. They’re stuffed to overflowing, half the clothes are out of style, and there’s probably some pretty weird stuff stacked on those overhead shelves. Maybe it’s time we do what Austin TaskPoster Jon R. did last week — post a Task to whip these little rooms into shape. According to Jon, TaskRabbit Adam F., “came in, assessed, made a plan, and turned my mess into a well-organized and functional space that I could actually use.” Jealous? Maybe you’re hoping to create some extra space for your fall clothes, maybe you want to convert an extra closet into a little office or library, or maybe you just want to live without fear of a shoe avalanche every time you open the door. Whatever your reasons, TaskRabbits are ready to help. Folding, sorting, stacking — TaskRabbits can even drop off your donations. Ready to finally do this? Post your closet organization Task now.

Introducing TaskRabbit Tales

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We’re proud to present the very first installment of TaskRabbit Tales, a new series designed to showcase some of the best stories in the TaskRabbit universe. Our first episode is about how becoming a TaskRabbit helped one Austin, Texas woman get her life back. Jennifer G. has spent the last few years recovering from a devastating car accident. Her injuries took away everything she knew about her life  — her career, her memory, her ability to understand the world around her — and helping people through TaskRabbit gave it back to her. “This was the first firm footing that I had after the accident to know that I could get back out there and help people,” Jennifer told us. Watch the video for more of her story. If you’re a TaskPoster or TaskRabbit with an amazing story, you could be featured on the next TaskRabbit Tales. Give us a shout at tales@taskrabbit.com.

How Many Packages of Ramen Does it Take to Settle a Bet?

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We love hearing about creative uses of TaskRabbit, so when April Autrey of ChooseWhat reached out to tell us about what she called a “hilarious office prank,” we were intrigued. But when we found out this prank involved 365 packages of ramen noodles? Well then we were just plain delighted. Here’s Audrey’s report: Koby and Jason, who both work at ChooseWhat, made a bet over something that neither can remember anymore. The winner was to receive a year’s worth of dinners from the loser, Koby ended up losing. It was a bet made in full jest, but after a few weeks of licking his wounds, Koby decided to settle up in style. He came up with a super funny way to make good on what he owed Jason: he posted a Task to buy 365 packages of the cheapest ramen available. After awesome TaskRabbit Lindsey K. was selected, she procured the ramen at lightning speed. To make sure Jason didn’t suspect a thing, Koby offered to buy him lunch instead of springing for a year’s worth …

Task of the Week: Make Happy Hour a Door-to-Door Affair

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Why should a silly thing like geography keep coworkers from celebrating a great week? TaskPoster Jenn D. doesn’t think it should. Her company is based in San Francisco, but they have three employees working virtually from Austin. These Texas-based brethren don’t get to attend coworker happy hours, participate in office beer pong tournaments, or toast company accomplishments in the office with their coworkers. So Jenn created a Task detailing their favorite beers and Austin TaskRabbit Judy H. delivered happy hour right to their doors. We love this Task for so many reasons. First, as a mission-oriented startup we know how important it is that people working hard for the same purpose get the opportunity to celebrate, commiserate, and chill out together. We also love this Task because it reminds us that we can buy any awesome person in any TaskRabbit market a drink whenever it occurs to us. And of course, it’s pretty cool that TaskRabbit makes the concept of happy hour transcend space and time. Stephen Hawking would be proud of us.