Wyatt Smith, CEO and Founder of UpSmith: $3.3 Million Raised to Fill the Skilled Labor Gap

Wyatt Smith

CEO and Founder

Bio

Wyatt Smith is the Founder and CEO of UpSmith, a workforce productivity platform aimed at addressing the skilled labor shortage in the United States. He has a diverse background, including leading business development for Uber Elevate, working as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, and teaching as a corps member with Teach for America. Wyatt holds an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School

Wyatt Smith is the Founder and CEO of UpSmith, a workforce productivity platform aimed at…

Company:

UpSmith

Location:

Dallas, Texas, United States

Description:

UpSmith, founded in early 2022, is a technology platform designed to enhance workforce productivity, particularly in the skilled trades. The platform, known as Boost, integrates with employers’ ERP systems to analyze job data in real-time, gamifying technician experiences to maximize revenue and improve worker satisfaction. UpSmith has expanded rapidly, now operating in multiple states, and aims to address the critical skilled labor shortage by helping employers find, train, and retain skilled workers.

UpSmith, founded in early 2022, is a technology platform designed to enhance workforce productivity, particularly…

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Conversation
Highlights

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech’s most innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Wyatt Smith, CEO & Founder of UpSmith, a workforce productivity platform that has raised $3.3 Million in funding.

Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:

From Farm to Tech: Wyatt’s journey from a cattle ranch in Alabama to founding UpSmith, highlighting the value of hard work and entrepreneurship learned from his father.
Identifying the Problem: Understanding the skilled worker shortage and the need for a solution that addresses both supply and demand in various industries.
Early Insights and Pivot: How initial attempts to match gig workers with employers led to the realization that starting with the job was key to effective upskilling.
Innovative Business Model: UpSmith’s model of sourcing, screening, training, and deploying new technicians in less than 90 days, with a focus on aligning incentives through productivity-based pricing.
Scalable Solutions: The importance of focusing on scalable, repeatable solutions that can expand across multiple states and sectors.
Future Vision: Wyatt’s goal to expand UpSmith’s impact beyond the US and into other sectors like healthcare and logistics, creating meaningful work opportunities worldwide.

Actionable
Takeaways

Start with the Job, Not the Training:

Focus on securing job opportunities first and then align upskilling efforts to meet the specific needs of those roles. This approach reduces uncertainty and increases motivation for candidates.

Align Incentives with Productivity:

Develop a business model where your success is tied to the productivity and performance of the employees you place. This ensures mutual benefits and long-term client satisfaction.

Focus on Aggregators for Scale:

Partner with aggregators who manage multiple service providers or sectors. This approach allows you to scale more quickly and efficiently by leveraging existing networks.

Use National Standards for Certifications:

In industries with varying state regulations, focus on certifications that have national recognition. This simplifies compliance and ensures that workers can be deployed across different states without additional hurdles.

Iterate Quickly Based on Customer Feedback:

Engage deeply with your customers to understand their pain points and iterate your product based on their feedback. Early-stage success relies heavily on adaptability and responsiveness to customer needs.