Guru.com Reports Double-Digit Growth for the Fourth Quarter of 2004

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (January 26, 2005) – Guru.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for freelance talent, announced a double-digit increase in the amount of total revenues earned by Guru.com professionals in the fourth quarter of 2004, ended 12/31/2004. Guru.com saw this metric increase by 44% versus the same quarter in 2003. In addition, the company realized a 70% increase in this metric for fiscal year 2004 versus fiscal year 2003.

“Our strategy of staying focused on service improvements delivered handsome dividends in 2004. Our customers responded with a lot of enthusiasm,” said Inder Guglani, Guru.com’s CEO and co-founder. “For 2005, our plan is to stay the course. We have an exciting pipeline of improvements that will materially enhance the experience of sourcing contract talent through an online channel. We look forward to another exciting year.”

During the 2004 year, the largest online marketplace for freelance talent changed its name from Emoonlighter to Guru.com, completing the merger of Emoonlighter assets with those acquired from the Silicon-Valley based Guru.com in July 2003. Accompanying the name change was the launch of a new website for the online marketplace. The new Guru.com website includes a number of innovative features that benefit employers and freelancers, contributing to Guru.com’s growth during 2004:
· Advanced search functions. New features allow employers to easily find professionals with specific industry experience and work samples. Employers looking for web designers can search among hundreds of sample websites created by Guru.com professionals.
· A Project Deliverables tool and a Project Work Room to facilitate online project management for all phases of a project. The Project Deliverables tool allows employers and professionals to share milestones and develop plans for awarded projects on the Guru.com site. Drafts and completed versions of project work can be uploaded to the Project Work Room, which creates an organized and consolidated area for sharing and keeping a record of project work.
· New payment options, including direct wire transfers to international professionals. This option facilitates global outsourcing by allowing international professionals to receive their payments directly in one of over 25 international currencies.

In 2005, Guru.com plans to maintain its growth through the continued development of new programs for its members. Some previews for the 2005 year include the following:
· The introduction of a loyalty program for employers, which rewards Guru.com employers with up to 2% back on purchases.
· An Escrow and Dispute Resolution program designed to minimize buyer-seller disputes and increase payment security.


About Guru.com
Guru.com (www.guru.com) is the world's largest online marketplace for freelance talent. Created in August of 2000, Guru.com’s web-based marketplace directly connects businesses with freelancers locally, nationally, or globally who specialize in over 160 professional categories including the following: website design, programming, graphic design, business consulting, and administrative support. Employers seeking professional expertise post their projects or contract work on Guru.com for free. Professionals seeking work either register as a free (Basic) member or a subscribing (Guru) member.