5 For Friends | Tech Inspired by Tragedy

When Scott Speed lost his third child, he received numerous text messages and notes across social media offering condolences from friends who he had not communicated with in years. “We shouldn’t have to wait for a time like this to talk,” they repeatedly told Speed. And so he set on a mission to change that with 5 For Friends – an easy to use app that sends verbal messages just five minutes at a time.

5 For Friends recently hit the Apple store with its first iOS app. Android users needn’t worry as a Google Play download will soon be available. Speed gave Hypepotamus the skinny on how 5 For Friends works and how you can use it to stay in touch.

What’s your app?
5 For Friends is how busy people connect. It is a mobile app that makes it easy and convenient to verbally keep in touch with family and friends…five minutes at a time. Users simply invite people who they genuinely want to talk to from time to time to install the app. Then, whenever they have time in their hectic schedules and feel like talking, users simply open the app and tap the “I Got 5” icon. Then a push notification is sent to all of their connections on the app. At that time, they simply wait for someone to give them a ring from anywhere in the world for a free five-minute call. Users will hear a beep when there are thirty seconds remaining on the call and at the five-minute mark the call will end and they will hear a polite closing message.

Why is 5 for Friends needed and how will it grow in the marketplace?
We think this product is needed because research shows that people are healthier, happier, and more resilient when they maintain authentic verbal communication with family and friends. Many of the technological advancements of our time have made communicating via some form of text or image really easy, however, there is simply no replacement for a more personal form of communication. We’ve also found that with so many demands on people’s time they find it hard to actually talk to family and friends regularly. And many times when people do actually find the time and energy to talk, their friends aren’t available so they end up playing phone tag and talking via voicemail.

We’ve solved those problems allowing users to talk to more people, more often, and in less time. When users tap the “I Got 5” icon it’s like a Bat Signal going out letting their network know “I’m available, let’s talk, and let’s keep it brief!” And by compressing timeframes to five minutes per call a user can potentially talk to six people in a thirty-minute window. That adds tremendous value both personally and professionally. You’d be surprised at how much you can discuss in just five minutes! 

How are you funded?
We are currently bootstrapping and looking to develop relationships with investors who see value in our concept. We are also looking for a CTO who can round out our team and help us take this concept to the next level.

Where do you see the idea going?
We see 5 For Friends being the go to social productivity tool for efficiently keeping in touch with people in your network. That includes family, friends, colleagues, and business contacts. We see it being used for talking smack with friends during the big game or venture capitalists using it to efficiently take several business pitches by smartphone in a compressed amount of time.  

Interested in 5 For Friends? Download the app here, and learn more about it on Facebook and Twitter

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