The saying “time is money” is the ethos at TimeRepublik, which claims to be the world’s first purpose-driven social network helping people across the globe.
The Lugano, Switzerland-based company has been operating since 2012 and currently has over 100,000 members across over 110 countries who freely exchange their talents and skills in exchange for time credits known as TimeCoins.
In a world of market-based economies where there are winners and losers, the “haves” and the “have nots”, TimeRepublik is a community where the currency is based on the adage “goodwill breeds goodwill.”
Everyone has a skill or passion they are looking to nurture, but they either do not know where to start or are afraid of being rejected. Through the platform, you can improve your skills while helping out someone in need. A rare win-win.
Its mission is to foster an ecosystem whereby members provide services, i.e. proofread, build a website, or provide strategic advice with another member of the platform, in exchange for time credits.
These credits can be used with other members across the community almost like bartering, but there is no need for direct reciprocity with one another.
Once you have signed up for a TimeRepublik account, create a profile and identify the skills and talents you can use to benefit the global community. You are given 30 minutes of time credits when you sign up and then can gain time credit minutes through providing your service to any member.
To get help, fill out a request describing your need, post it and choose the person who fits the bill for the work done, agreeing a price in TimeCoins for their help.
You can gain commitment awards for the services you provide, becoming a Hero after you have struck 500 deals.
TimeRepublik CEO Gabriele Donati wrote a Medium article explaining how TimeRepublik’s; services exchange could be related to the “Green Pill” in the Martix. THis services exchange can open a new world where anything is possible through your social connections and trusted network.
Once someone provides a service for you, they become part of your trusted network and community, leading to recommendations and expansion of your network.
TimeRepublik’s goal is to empower you to give your services in trust – which is something that can be achieved tangibly on the platform. This trust, some may argue, is a quality that has been missing in our global society recently.
Donati says: “Whilst TimeRepublik will not enable you to dodge bullets and triumph in jujitsu over thousands of computer-generated foes, it does create a world of trusted networks that would have been hard to imagine otherwise.”
And in the world of COVID, with many across the world economically impacted by the pandemic, without money to pay the rent and put food on the table, a time-based service offering help given freely, could be just the boost they need to get them on their feet again.