Audrey Scott and Daniel Noll decided to take a mid-career break to explore the world and learn more about themselves. They had worked a combined twenty years and had lived in and adventured through more than 35 countries, but it was time to go farther.
And it was time to go public. They wanted to share their experiences online and at the same time help fund further travels.
“It was our intent from the beginning to build and maintain a website that was more than just a travel blog describing our journey and what we were doing from day-to-day. We hoped to educate readers about the places we've been and to do so in such a way as to help transform "the other” - some place halfway around the globe - into something more human, populated by real people...just like us,” explained Noll.
"We needed a capable pair of hands"
Daniel and Audrey looked to Guru.com to find a freelance programmer to work with them on improving uncorneredmarket.com - a website devoted to the idea of attaching human faces to faraway places through photojournalism and other compelling content. They had already designed the site and initial content but needed help with some technical issues. Noll admitted, “I had reached the limitations of my technical ability and we needed a capable pair of hands to help us with the ‘last mile’ of the development.”
Friends had recommended Guru.com as a reliable source to find Freelancers. “I was hoping to find a developer to work with on an hourly basis because I wasn't certain how much time it would take to meet our needs. Additionally, I wanted to develop a relationship with a programmer for assistance with future site refreshes and other development work,” said Noll.
Though Noll had managed programmers for website and software development projects before, this was his first foray into engaging a remote Freelancer online. “It was very easy to set up an account, search for freelancers, and post a project,” Noll recalls – noting that he and his wife were then operating out of backpacks and little else. They quickly identified viable programmers, then awarded the project to Sharan Brar.
Sharan’s immediate tasks included improvements to the site’s photo display and some routine link maintenance.
By the end of May, uncorneredmarket.com had launched and the couple was traveling through the country of Georgia, publishing photos and stories to the site in real time. Reports from China, Burma, India, Nepal and Africa were soon to follow.
“The ‘diplomatic’ mission of uncorneredmarket.com is about the face of America that we hope to share with others and the rest of the world,” said Noll. “We believe that we are able to achieve this first through our interactions and conversations, then follow it up with our stories and photo essays.”
"I would recommend Guru.com to anyone"
The interactions between Noll and Sharan were excellent examples. Said Noll, “Communication was of high quality and expedient in answering pertinent project questions. Guru.com’s features allowed us to communicate all of the official business that was relevant to the contract.”
 The immediate impact was relief and sanity. “By finding a highly communicative pair of hands that was willing to work with me, I was able to get something done that would have otherwise taken me additional time and stress. I was able to focus my efforts elsewhere,” said Noll.
By using Guru.com, the couple also saved time. Uncorneredmarket.com launched earlier than planned and also allowed its founders to get back out on the road more quickly.
Noll’s satisfaction was evident: “I was happy with the freelancer, the results, and the role that the Guru.com system played in providing guidelines and invisibly facilitating the process . I would recommend Guru.com to anyone, but particularly to people who are new to buying outsourced services online and looking to get their feet wet. I have suggested to others that if they are apprehensive about engaging with Freelancers, carve out a small project and start that way – this allows you to develop a relationship with a programmer.”
Noll’s relationship with his freelancer has grown into full-blown friendship – uncorneredmarket.com planned a special stop in Chandigarh, India to see and write about the hometown of their Guru Freelancer, Sharan. |