Well, it’s not Yo, but there’s an app that lets you tell people you’re leaving a parking space in SF – and folks pay for this information. Monkey Parking.
Now SF may be trying it’s own version, and I can see where something like this is basically weirdly monetizing public spaces. What struck me is:
1) I can sort of see several reason SF does this, if alone because it doesn’t give the city a cut of maintaining the parking spaces.
2) This is one of several parking space companies.
3) Wait, seriously, we’re down to building apps to help us find parking spaces and are competing about it?
I’m starting to really wonder how many startups are running out of ideas. I have two people I used to work with who went to startups the last year, and both are not flash, app-based startups but seriously solid plans. Its like they never get as much buzz, but they’re probably a lot more solid and reliable.
A good career reminder. Check to see if that flashy app startup has A) Tons of competitors, B) Monetizes a public resource, and C) Has any kind of business plan.
Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach. He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.