HelpRush: Kashmiri youngster builds a unique platform for skilled work solutions

Ziraat Times Team Report

Srinagar: Do you feel frustrated with finding timely, reliable skilled workers for your construction or maintenace works in Kashmir?

Are you struggling to find plumbers, painters,  carpenters, masons and other such skilled workers?

Most of us often do, but hold on, there is an online site wherefrom you can find and engage workers and their services on need basis any time.

It is also a platform where  skilled workers can connect with their potential employers and get work and earn. It is a platform called HelpRush.

How HelpRush was born

In Kashmir’s business  environment where the startup ecosystem is still in its infancy, Fayaz M., a veterinarian-turned-entrepreneur, has started a  tech-based business with his innovative venture, HelpRush.

This on-demand service platform connects customers with skilled, verified tradespeople, offering a online platform in a sector often plagued by unreliability.

“HelpRush is not just a business; it’s a mission,” says Fayaz. “It’s about creating livelihoods, empowering tradespeople, and revolutionizing how people connect with services in this state.”

A frustrating beginning

The idea for HelpRush was born out of an interesting personal experience. In 2017, while constructing his family home, Fayaz struggled to find reliable plumbers, electricians, and carpenters. “Every step was a nightmare,” he recalls. “The people I engaged were unskilled, often not honest, and usually left me with more problems than solutions.”

The experience left him wondering why there wasn’t a reliable platform to connect customers with verified professionals. “That thought stayed with me. It was the seed for what would eventually become HelpRush,” Fayaz explains.

The roadblocks to success

Turning that seed into reality was no easy task. Fayaz began sketching out ideas for a user-friendly platform in 2018 but quickly encountered hurdles. Developers and designers failed him, funds ran dry, and the region’s prolonged internet shutdown in 2019 brought the project to a standstill.

“It felt like the end,” Fayaz admits. “But deep down, I knew this problem was too important to ignore.”

In 2021, he decided to take control of the process. Despite having no tech background, Fayaz taught himself the basics of app design and development, learning tools like Figma and reading extensively about user experience and startups.

Turning the corner

By mid-2022, Fayaz and his team launched a beta version of HelpRush. The response was overwhelming. “Within six days, over 2,200 service providers applied to join,” he shares. “We onboarded 500 verified professionals and began testing the platform in 13 service categories across key regions like Srinagar, Anantnag, and Varmul.”

The platform was an instant hit. Customers appreciated the convenience, and tradespeople found a platform that valued their skills.

“For the first time, these workers had a space to showcase their talent, earn fair wages, and gain the respect they deserve,” Fayaz says.

HelpRush: A passion, not just a marketplace

Today, HelpRush is more than just a startup; it is a movement to reshape how services are delivered in Kashmir. The platform uses AI-driven algorithms to match customers with trusted professionals in real time, offering transparent pricing, seamless booking, and reliable reviews, Fayaz asserts.

“This isn’t about overnight success or billion-dollar valuations,” Fayaz emphasizes. “It is about building something meaningful—something that empowers tradespeople and transforms lives”, he says.

The vision ahead

Fayaz envisions HelpRush as a model for innovation and resilience, proving that world-class ideas can emerge from even the most overlooked regions. “For Kashmir, HelpRush is a bag of immense possibilities” he says. “We’re not just setting up a business; we’re setting a new standard for what startups can achieve.”