Today we’d like to introduce you to Khaled Alkulaib.
Hi Khaled, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I was suffering from loneliness and was looking for ways to overcome it. I have researched many resources and joined various groups on many social media platforms to connect with people who share with me this problem. I found out that once you are able to connect with like-minded people a huge part of the problem is solved, especially if you can do activities together. Gathering with people is certainly important in my case, the problem was how do I find like-minded people in an easy and convenient way. I also wanted to be able to do something I like, such as watching movies together or BBQing together. Gatherings in a way could be a financial burden, as when you host one you should prepare snacks, drinks, and other things that make the experience pleasant. Sometimes it is not appropriate to invite people over and ask them in advance to pitch in. At the same time, you don’t want to be a host every time, you want to change places and visit people who share your interests and the type of activities you like.
Since I work with technology a lot and have a passion for shared economies in specific, I came up with the idea of Gathers. I wrote this sentence to start with:
We recognize how difficult it is to find friends that share our interests within our neighborhoods or while visiting new places. We also realized how difficult it is to host events without funds or with the uncertainty of never knowing who would attend or not. And so, we constantly felt that there should be a lot more flawless organization or a platform that made all of this possible.
Then I started formulating the idea and developing a platform to serve the mission… Here are 2 YouTube videos that I would like you to see
1- https://youtu.be/lBGoPfpoJkM
2- https://youtu.be/YxJ-2x4ON9g
The project’s launch was halted by COVID due to the fact that people are not encouraged to gather in groups. As you might already know many of us were also financially crippled after the pandemic due to loss of income or a job. I preserved the existence of the platform and still keep its social media channels active.
Currently, the opportunity grew and might be even bigger and more lucrative than I thought. The theaters and cinemas are suffering from a lack of interest, gathers could be your neighborhood cinema with much fewer people to watch and a more pleasant experience. Every host will have a different setup with different snacks to offer during a hosted event.
In addition, streamers are now dominating the movies industry, and they don’t have theaters, gathers in the future could be their cinemas. They could also earn more money by offering a special subscription to gathers hosts, where they charge more for the subscription as the host is earning money due to watching the movie or an episode of a series.
Shared economies have been successful and changed the way we live, just imagine our lives before Uber or Airbnb. Gathers is focused on the entertainment side of the market, and how we can create opportunities for our hosts and customers that is safe, fun, lucrative, and most importantly solve the loneliness problem that a large number of people suffer from. In addition to solving the problem of loneliness, we are building new relationships in the communities where we operate.
At this stage, I am looking for someone who can join me in this idea and we start getting our first hosts and grow from there. The platform is built and live at www.gathersnet.com
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was not easy as mentioned in the previous question, COVID had many negative implications on the idea. I am lucky to be able to maintain the existence of the platform. Actually, the delay was on our side as new opportunities have risen and could positively impact our growth.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am very proud that I come from a very diverse background. I am originally from Kuwait and I live between San Diego and Kuwait for work. My diversity helped me tackle issues from different angles, it added to my ability to be creative and see the world and humanity as one nation rather than the separation and dividedness that many create.
I am a seasoned and innovative executive with 20+ years of business development & management and entrepreneurship experience. Recognized for demonstrating a natural aptitude for capitalizing on key opportunities to drive change and positive impact, as well as for growing industry-leading businesses from the ground up and providing consulting services to technology startups, I have a verifiable history of contributing directly to company growth and expansion throughout my career. As such, I have consistently exceeded performance goals and I am adept at building and maintaining strategic, long-term relationships. Professional focal points include business architecture, angel investing, change management, team leadership, startup acceleration, opportunity development, procurement, product development, and community engagement. Delivering superior administration on the latter areas of expertise requires utilization of effective communication skills, negotiation skills, as well as business acumen, strategic planning, project management, and resource management to support efficiency and maximum returns.
Currently, I am the Founder of K Ventures. Under my leadership, I deliver high-quality support to innovative projects and startups in diverse markets, including the United States and Saudi Arabia. I also create impactful go-to-market strategies and provide product and service development support. In addition, I am currently leading a team of volunteers in executing the KuwaitOasis pledge to bring life back to the deserts of Kuwait.
What makes you happy?
Human connection is the thing that makes me the happiest. I love to connect with people, talk with them, share a meal, or do an activity together. I love listening to people’s stories and thoughts. All of this adds to my knowledge and broadens the horizons of my thoughts. There is nothing more valuable to me than a friend or an acquaintance. People are the driving force behind virtually everything; creativity, economies, knowledge, and many other things that are important to us, and I love to connect with as many people as I can.
Pricing:
- In our platform the hosts set the price
- We advise that it should not exceed $15/guest
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gathersnet.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gathersnet/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GathersNet
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/gathersnets
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFzb88NOvhQhzEz1Qoges1q0izJP0VgDP
Image Credits
unsplash.com
