Page 34 - Susan Taylor

Do you KNoodleIt?

Photo by Lisa K. Miller
with both feet and take control of her life. It wasn’t long be-
fore she realized that one very important element was miss-
ing. “I had created an IT based business with absolutely no
IT experience.” She was sharing her idea with a close friend
when she reminded Shannon that her significant other was
an expert in this field. Shannon shared her idea with him
and he immediately decided to join forces with her. After
much market research, Shannon launched KNoodleIt.com
in September of 2012.
KNoodleIt is a website that helps members easily find the
right person for the right job, narrowing their service provid-
ers to those who meet quality measures, provide excel-
lent service, and offer members discounts. As Shannon
explained, “Trying to find a qualified service professional
on the Internet is like trying to drink from a fire hose. There
are just too many options out there.” Before KNoodleIt there
was no easy way to accomplish this task. “A lot of people
have been relying on reviews found online, but what we
have found is that sometimes the service provider with over
30 years of experience and hundreds of satisfied custom-
ers, may have a clientele that does not go on the Internet
to rate businesses, so reviews may not accurately reflect
the quality of work the business performs. However, many
satisfied consumers will not take the time to post positive
reviews, thus businesses who provide high quality ser-
vices and products, with years of experience and many
satisfied customers, may not have reviews that accurately
34 reflect their success. If that same business receives one
bad review, it could ends up with a low rating, showing the
inequality in reviews. On the other hand, while the a brand
new business, without a positive track record, can simply
talk friends and relatives into providing positive reviews,
even though they may not have even used their services,
and have only been in business a short time.”
There are several reasons why KNoodleIt is a better alter-
native to web-directories or review-based sites. The first is
They say necessity is the mother of invention. Well it took a busy the creator. Not only is she an intelligent and beautiful business-
mother, and sales executive, to create a tool to help make life woman, but she deeply cares about protecting individuals from
easier for other mothers. unscrupulous service providers. What makes KNoodleIt stand out
Shannon Matwiyoff was working for a major fortune 100 company from other online resources, is that they are passionate about deliv-
and had been for close to twenty years. She and her husband, a ering an exceptional member experience. They do not simply refer
Navy physician, were raising two small children, while she worked members to a list of providers who’ve paid to be part of this service.
60-80 hours a week. They carefully choose providers who meet or exceed industry
It was actually, her mother-in-law whom she credits with the original standards of excellence. “We do not allow providers to pay to join
spark of an idea which would, a few years later, become KNoodleIt. our network. We personally visit each vendor and make certain
“We had given my mother-in-law a digital picture frame and after that their licensure, certifications, training, accreditation, warranties,
frequent visits to her home I noticed that it was nowhere to be awards, organization ratings and more are in place.” Since provid-
found. When I questioned her about it, she simply admitted that she ers can’t pay to be listed, there is no bias as to which providers
couldn’t figure out how to use it. I quickly explained it to her and are allowed within the KNoodleIt network; they must be invited
it dawned on me that there was no place you could go to find out and screened. With over 40 service categories in four main areas:
the answers to even simple technical questions” Shannon thought Home, Event/Special Occasion, Leisure and Business/Technology,
about this for a bit. “I started noodling it over in my head trying to you can be certain to find the experts you need, when you need
come up with a way to provide these types of services to consum- them. All of this is for a yearly membership fee of just $50.00.
ers.” This was where the name for her new business venture was Not only is this a bargain for the service provided, but if for some
born. “I talked it over with my husband who suggested I sit down reason you do not save at least the cost of membership in dis-
and write up a business plan.” With an MBA from Pepperdine, counts, they will refund your money. KNoodleIt currently operates
Shannon knew that this was the next logical step in making her in Southern California and the Southeast, with plans to expand
idea into a reality. “I don’t think my husband realized how serious to other large cities in the coming years. If you are interested in ob-
I was, until I gave notice from my job to my employer, and moved taining top quality, screened service providers saving you time and
ahead and proceeded with my KNoodleIt business plan.” With money, visit: www.KNoodleIt.com and join today. It will be the best
a small nest egg and the desire to spend more time with her two $50 you ever spent.
small children, Cassidy and Nicholas, Shannon decided to jump in