TurnSignl, an On-demand App for Attorney Guidance, Models Socially Equitable Solution
TurnSignl has harnessed technology for good in providing on-demand legal guidance for roadside incidents, involving all stakeholder types in the process for transparency and input.
“It’s almost a critical mass of knowledge of the issue, so we asked ‘how are we being a part of the solution?” They knew that building a social enterprise could do that.
TurnSignl founders Jazz Hampton, Andre Creighton, and Mychal Frelix, didn’t set out to start a business then decide what would be a good business structure, product, or service. “We found a problem that needed a
resolution,” says Jazz. “And it’s a social problem that presented an opportunity to fill a gap.”
The specific problem we set out to address at the onset to ensure all drivers return home safely after encounters. To solve it, TurnSignl created an on-demand, real-time service that provides 24/7 legal guidance from an attorney to drivers while their camera records the interaction.
TurnSignl founders had attended marches and vigils for Philando Castile (2016), George Floyd, and others before them in their community. “As three Black professionals born and raised in the Twin Cities, we recognized that George Floyd solidified Minnesota as the social epicenter of the social justice movement,” Jazz notes.
“It’s almost a critical mass of knowledge of the issue, so we asked ‘how are we being a part of the solution?” They knew that building a social enterprise could do that. Jazz, Andre and Mychal left their corporate jobs and set out on their TurnSignl venture in the Fall of 2020, officially launching the app in May of 2021. In September 2021, they expanded to Georgia. They have a deep why for the work. “Andre and Mychal grew up in the Frogtown Area of St. Paul and played sports with Castile family members over many years,” says
Jazz. “That type of connection is what you find at the heart of social good businesses and that is definitely true for us.”
TurnSingl started in B2C mode working in the Twin Cities with community organizations to onboard individuals to the app at $6.99/mo or $60 annually. They’ve also removed that financial barrier and provide it for free ongoing to those who meet a financial threshold. The other large opportunity they’ve identified is the B2B model. “It’s really hard to increase diversity, retain employees, and do community outreach,” says Jazz. “Offering TurnSignl to employees addresses all of these challenges. It helps employees feel safe driving to work or to their kid’s basketball tournament.”
The business has grown locally in both B2B and B2C and has aspirations of going nationwide in 2022. In addition to people using the app, the attorneys who have signed up to provide legal guidance is also growing. As TurnSignl expands, attorneys living in states they’re expanding into will be onboarding. Because the app allows geolocation, any TurnSignl user’s exact location will connect them with an attorney that practices law in that jurisdiction.
The impact of this seemingly simple service is exponential. “We’re protecting driver’s civil rights, de-escalating roadside interactions, and ensuring that both drivers and law enforcement return home safe at the end of the day,” Jazz shares. “We’re also providing immediate real-time access to an attorney and by capturing the exact situation, we’re giving the attorney credible evidence should any case escalate. And that translates to better outcomes.”
The app provides data on factors from call time, length of call and resolution.
Users can mark the interaction as solved, ask to talk to an attorney further on the matter, or indicate if they’d like to talk to the particular attorney they engaged with on the app. As they dig deeper into the value of the service and how it provides safety and empowerment, TurnSignl’s ideal consumer at the onset has expanded to include more scenarios and people they’re solving for, such as people who’ve just been in an accident. More partnerships and collaborations with law enforcement and companies have surfaced, demonstrating how the app is a win-win for everyone. “We’re an app to bridge the gap, versus an escalation app,” Jazz says.
Everything about TurnSignl’s approach signals a socially equitable solution. The name itself comes from the site of the de-escalation work — the car — and evokes their work as a signal for change by providing direction and clarity. A TurnSignl bumper sticker comes along with the app. Jazz says, “As TurnSignl becomes more mainstream, we want the ubiquity with the TurnSignl sticker to create a familiarity and comfort level and set the tone for a positive engagement.”
WRITTEN BY Jennifer Gilhoi, Owner Sparktrack Consulting, for #WhySocial Campaign during Social Impact Week MN. Join the movement for businesses as a tool for social change!
