As we dive into October, it’s a great time to reflect on the achievements our team has made over the past few months.
There’s a unique moment in every startup’s journey where you move from an idea to an actual product. For Sorbet, that moment arrived in Q3 — and seeing the early version of our platform in the hands of users has been nothing short of incredible.
We are now laser-focused on refining the experience to empower freelancers and clients globally with a seamless, modern payment solution.
Sorbet’s Beta is Live! 🎉
A few weeks ago, we officially launched our beta, and it’s been exciting to see the creative profiles you are all building. Sorbet’s beta currently allows users to:
Seamlessly sign in with an email — no wallet required.
Create a MySorbet link-in-bio profile.
Add widgets to customize your profile.
Share your profile on social media to get hired.
Chat with potential clients and set contract terms.
Manage all project requests in one place.
The Payment Module is coming in Q4 — more details below.
From A-Link-In-Bio to Global Payment Experience
Migration from NEAR to Base
A key part of Sorbet’s secret sauce lies in using USDC for moving money, bypassing traditional financial systems while offering freelancers and clients flexibility with payment methods. You don’t need to worry about blockchain complexities — we handle it all, so you can focus on your craft.
Initially, we built on the NEAR blockchain, but in Q3, we made the strategic decision to migrate to Base.
Here’s why:
Onboarding Challenges: NEAR’s onboarding experience led to a high bounce rate, hindering user sign-ups.
Stablecoin Limitations: Lack of strong USDC integration on NEAR limited global payment options.
Why Base?
Base is prioritizing onboarding creators into web3 and has the second-largest USDC volume. This migration showcased our team’s adaptability in a fast-evolving web3 landscape, and we’re excited to continue building on this solid foundation!
Sorbet Is Built on the Base Blockchain
Key Milestones:
Community 💜
Our waiting list doubled in size! 🔥
We sponsored tickets to Africa’s biggest design conference in Nigeria.
We hosted 3 engaging Twitter Spaces, including: The Story Behind Sorbet, Opportunities in Web3 for Designers, and a session on the Importance of Community Building in Web3.
Our Twitter following grew by 21%, surpassing 1,500 followers — huge thanks to everyone who’s joining us on this journey!
Viaka published an article on Rami’s Journey from Freelancer to Founder.
Sorbet was featured in the Saudi Arabia Web3 Report by Adaverse.
Sorbet’s Q3 Community Effort
Growth 🚀
In July, we onboarded Dillon as our Lead Engineer, and his impact has been immediate — it feels like he’s been part of the team for much longer!
Our website got a full revamp, thanks to the stellar work of Kennedy from our design team!
Our engineering team has been hard at work improving the beta experience based on your feedback!
We were selected as a finalist from over 800+ submissions to pitch in the VDS Startup Competition in October.
Community Highlight
We’ve continued to engage with countless creatives to ensure we’re building a tool that truly empowers them financially.
The honest feedback and words of encouragement have been invaluable, and it’s inspiring to see the potential for Sorbet to make a meaningful difference for millions of freelancers around the world!
Messages From Creatives via LinkedIn
What’s Coming Next: The Payment Module
We’ve continued onboarding new users, gathered valuable insights, and made significant strides toward launching our Payment Module, which will roll out in three phases:
Phase 1: USDC to USDC (October 2024)
This month, we’ll enable secure USDC transactions, focusing on web3 users who value additional security over standard wallet-to-wallet transfers.
Phase 2: Fiat to USDC (Q4 2024)
Next, we’ll make it easy for clients to pay using traditional currencies (like USD or EUR), reducing any barriers for them. Freelancers will still receive payments in USDC, which they can store in a digital wallet.
Phase 3: Fiat to Fiat (Q1 2025)
By early next year, we’re aiming to allow both clients and freelancers to use traditional currencies, making payments as simple as ever — without needing to understand anything about digital wallets or cryptocurrencies.
Join Sorbet — Take Your Freelance Talent Global
Looking Ahead
Q3 has been a defining chapter for Sorbet, but the best is yet to come!
With our Payment Module just around the corner and a growing community rallying behind us, we’re set to make major strides in Q4!
Stay tuned, and thank you for being part of the journey!
