ShiftSee's data model has one connection type: shifter ↔ business. Not shifter ↔ shifter. Not business ↔ business.
Why?
Because the unit of work on ShiftSee is a shift, and a shift always has two sides: someone who needs work done (a business) and someone who does it (a shifter). The connection captures the "we work together" relationship that makes a shift possible.
What this means in practice
- When you (in Business mode) click Connect on another business's profile, the request fires from your shifter side, not your business side. You can't connect business-to-business because that's not a thing in our model.
- When you (in Shifter mode) view another shifter's profile, there's no Connect button. Two shifters who want to talk should DM each other through the Crew tab on a business they both work at.
- Every user has both profiles auto-provisioned, so the model never traps you. You always have a shifter side ready to go when you need to make a connection.
Common scenarios
- "I run a bar and want to send my friend's restaurant some referral business." Connect to their business as your shifter, then DM them.
- "I work at three different cafés and want to coordinate shifts with another barista." Open the business profile of any of those cafés, find them under Crew, and message them.
- "Two business owners want to share staff." They each connect to the other's business as a shifter, and the shifter pool is shared via the connection graph.
The single relationship type keeps the platform simple and predictable. You never wonder what kind of connection you have with someone — there's only one kind.