Come late September, there’ll be new online competition for lifestyle guru Tony Robbins, the motivational video “The Secret,” and support groups and self-help seminars everywhere.
That’s when PeopleJam Inc., a Brentwood-based Web site, will start catering to Internet users looking for romantic, spiritual, career, lifestyle or health advice. The site will feature original advice and guidance content from 150 life coaches and self-help experts.
Some of the names on board are wealth advisor Robert Pagliarini, authors Kim Cohen and Libby Gill, dating guru David Coleman and former WNBA star Fran Harris.
Much of the programming and the experts come to the site through an exclusive partnership with Let’s Dance Media Inc., a management and production company that focuses on new media applications in the “personal development” space.
Founders Robert Tercek and Matt Edelman were previously execs at mobile content provider HandsOn. Their new venture has received financial backing from former AOL Time Warner executive Robert Pittman’s Pilot Fund and TiVo CEO Tom Rogers.
“Most of the users for whom PeopleJam has appeal have no use for MySpace because it largely trades in music, partying and hookups,” Tercek said.
The site’s focus is on 45 million to 60 million 25- to 50-year-old Americans. Personal development annually accounts for $11 million in consumer transactions, including books and other merchandise. Tercek said that is the age range when “life becomes more purposeful and interests become more refined. It’s a bracket that makes more serious decisions about their life.”
Edelman and Tercek said initial startup capital was in the millions and subsequent investments will be announced soon.
PeopleJam’s content will be free, and the site will generate revenue though advertising and sponsorships. The company also will receive a percentage of the revenue from merchandise sold on the site. The site will allow user-generated content and also provide original video programming.
PeopleJam’s online content will be separated into five general categories: health and fitness, called PeopleLive; the relationship category PeopleLove; the financial and career advice section called PeopleEarn; the spirituality and religion sector PeopleBelieve; and creativity and recreation, PeoplePlay.
Users will be able to share advice and experiences with others, and longtime participants can raise their profiles through reward-based eBay-style feedback rankings.
Users will be able to self-police the forums by flagging content as inappropriate or in more serious cases, PeopleJam can terminate the user agreement.
