When was your first job? For a large majority of our teens today, they’re not working. (A decline of 30% over the last 40 years due to extracurriculars, sports, music, tutoring, homework, and the list goes on.)

Teenagers have a lot to offer. They’re motivated by opportunity and reward, same as adults. But, it used to be easier for young people to find honest work around the neighborhood.

Enter Skratch, a mobile demand-based platform founded by the father of two teenage daughters. The platform connects Dallas teens with “gigs” in the neighborhood, ranging from dog walker and sports mentor to holiday gift wrapper, garage organizer and mother’s helper.

Today's guest Scott Bennett helped build Skratch to make it easier to post, find, and complete temporary local gigs. It’s an opportunity engine that connects (and benefits) the people on both sides of the equation. And besides earning some money, they can get in the habit of making good habits. Because it’s about today, sure, but their futures too.

Serviced by an app for iPhone, teens sign up, select a gig, and accept it, when their schedule allows. Teens get paid through the app and establish a running work history. Meanwhile, neighbors are starting to connect once again and checking off their to-do lists with the help of the teen next door.