Isaiah Rodgers, fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit since childhood, co-founded Clutch alongside his brother, Zamir Rodgers. They are working to create a roadside assistance platform powered by gig drivers who use apps like Uber and DoorDash to offer rapid aid. Through a “Pay When You Need It, Not If You Need It” approach, Clutch aims to deliver prompt and dependable service, eradicating delays commonly associated with traditional providers. Since its soft launch in November 2022, Clutch has made remarkable strides, securing a first-place finish in one of Carnegie Mellon University’s Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship’s prestigious annual competitions. Servicing almost all calls in the Pittsburgh area with a 21-minute average arrival time, Rodgers envisions Clutch as the city’s premier roadside assistance provider, catering to the community’s urgent needs.
Since an early age, I have always been described as an entrepreneur by my family. In fifth grade, I was selling candy to my classmates — undercutting the vending machine prices of course. In ninth grade, I started my own line of T-shirts. I remember getting on the New Jersey Transit bus with a duffel bag bigger than me filled with all of my T-shirts. I was going to trendy consignment shops all across my city of Newark — pronounced Nork, New Jersey — convincing store owners to put my shirts on their shelves with the offer of splitting profits.
A few weeks later, I vividly remember seeing a stranger wearing one of my shirts. It was one of the most rewarding feelings I have ever felt. At the time, I wouldn’t have described myself as an entrepreneur. I was just a kid following a passion for both creating and selling.
Since then, those passions have only grown. In 2021, my brother Zamir Rodgers and I were delivering orders for DoorDash. While making deliveries, we noticed numerous vehicles stranded on the roadside with flat tires or dead batteries.
Recognizing these as quick fixes we could handle, we purchased tools like car jacks, lockout kits and jumping cables from a local hardware store. Whenever we encountered someone in need, we offered our services — and noticed two crucial things.
First, almost everyone was waiting for their roadside assistance provider, enduring delays of 45 minutes to three hours. Second, they were willing to pay us to get back on the road immediately, despite already subscribing to roadside assistance coverage. They desired prompt solutions, and we were there to assist.
Motivated by our experiences, I persuaded my brother to join me in Pittsburgh with the idea of scaling what we were already doing. Our idea is to create a platform powered by contracted gig drivers — those who drive for apps like Uber, DoorDash and Grubhub.
Since these drivers are already on the road, we can ensure they get to people in need in a much faster time. These drivers will receive training to perform quick vehicle repairs effectively. Additionally, we aim to offer a “Pay When You Need It, Not If You Need It” model, eliminating another monthly bill in the era of countless subscription fees.
In November 2022, we soft-launched Clutch. We distributed over 5,000 business cards by placing them on car windshields and in local stores throughout the Pittsburgh area. We also sent out ad mail to local homes. We put posters up across high-traffic areas. Since then, my brother and I have serviced nearly 100% of our calls, achieving an average arrival time of 21 minutes between just the two of us. We were also honored to secure first place in the Swartz Center’s McGinnis Venture Competition at Carnegie Mellon University.
Our current vision for this company is to become Pittsburgh’s go-to roadside assistance provider, delivering prompt and safe service to the community.
ABOUT ISAIAH RODGERS AND CLUTCH:
Title: Co-Founder and CEO, Clutch
Year company established: 2022
Age: 22
Employees: Two
