Growing up in Fairfield, childhood friends and longtime baseball teammates Jacob von der Linden, Alex Steele, and Zach McKay never imagined working together off the field—until COVID sent them home early from college and sparked an idea. Amid widespread lockdowns and limited job opportunities, they decided to start a general services business, which resulted in the founding of ONIT.
Q: How would you describe ONIT to someone who has never heard of it?
Alex: ONIT is an online service platform that connects homeowners to local students so they can complete odd jobs around the house. Odd jobs include anything from dump runs and yardwork to assembling playsets for children and assisting at birthday parties. It's an easy way for students to earn money on their own time and for homeowners to find reliable help around the house. It brings the community together and helps everyone.
Q: What inspired you to go into business together? Did you see a gap in the market or a personal need that wasn't being met?
Zach: The three of us were home from college, but due to the pandemic, we were out of part-time work and needed to save money for school. While hanging out one summer night at Alex's house, the three of us started brainstorming ways to make money during the summer. We went back and forth on different business ideas. In the wake of Covid, homeowners began to put work into their homes, landscaping, throwing furniture out and making it a more comfortable space. With this in mind, we decided to start a general services business. We were three strong, motivated college students with tools and a truck, and we thought we could help out with these daily tasks.
Alex: Our experiences served as an introduction to entrepreneurship, and we had the itch to continue. After another successful year, we worked for over 120 different clients and realized there was potential within this niche market. We began creating a platform to connect other like-minded students with local homeowners to get these odd jobs done.
Jacob: One of the great perks about ONIT is that it's guaranteed to be a local student in the community. It's not someone from out of state, and that offers two big benefits for the homeowner: you're getting your time back while supporting a fellow community member, and there's a sense of safety and trust knowing it's someone local.
Q: Who is your typical client and what services do you offer?
Alex: Our typical client is homeowners who have little time due to family, work, or community obligations. Our goal is to make their lives easier by connecting them to motivated students who can help them get work done around the house. Jobs include yardwork, dump runs, moving furniture, snow removal, item assembly, and anything else where someone could use an extra set of hands. Students are motivated to work hard and help with just about anything homeowners may need assistance with.
Q: What is ONIT's overall mission and what sets it apart from other handyman or task services?
Zach: ONIT isn't just a transactional process to get jobs done; it offers homeowners an affordable, timely solution to get jobs done around the house, giving them more free time to enjoy their personal lives while supporting hard-working local students. On the other hand, we provide students with an opportunity to make money while working with their friends and managing their own schedule, all while getting an entrepreneurial experience. One key differentiator in our business compared to other large services is we have a niche focus on non-professional work. Most notably, ONIT is completely free for workers, and homeowners get to choose the price of their job. There is no quoting process. A homeowner can simply go to our job request page and name their price.
Q: How do you see your work as a way of giving back or helping neighbors who might not know where to turn for help?
Alex: Our work is focused on building community. We love being able to support students by providing them with work opportunities and making homeowners' lives easier. Our process is a more personal approach and relationships are built between neighbors.
Q: What do you find the most rewarding being business owners together?
Alex: The most rewarding part of owning our business together is seeing our ideas come to fruition. We are ecstatic that students are enjoying the service and experiencing the rewards of their own hard work. We look forward to continuing to work together and building some fun memories through our experiences.
Jacob: This town certainly has been a big part of our lives. I've always loved the support within the town and the community. It's incredible to experience the camaraderie from playing baseball and then returning and starting a local business with friends. It's great to hear about how we are helping the community. Being boots on the ground and talking to the community is super fun. It's also been really cool to see how far you can take a small investment and a vision.
Zach: Owning a business is rewarding, and we always love to hear homeowners and students tell us about our positive impact on the community. On the flip side, the most fulfilling part of owning a business together is seeing how it has evolved over the years. It is very exciting to start a business with your best friends.
To request a job or to join the worker network, visit onitllc.net
It is very exciting to start a business with your best friends.