Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Zoe Argiriou, Founder of CareBird, located in Short Hills, NJ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
CareBird is a caregiving platform that connects parents with trusting babysitters and pet sitters in the neighborhood. Parents can use search filters to narrow their search for the right babysitters that fit their needs and wants. My customers are parents who have kids that need supervision (infant to early middle school) and babysitters who are most likely hard-working college students or anyone who enjoys taking care of children/has a love for animals.
Tell us about yourself
I was adopted from China and was raised by a hard-working single mother who always looked out for me. She always demonstrated love and kindness and taught me to be a hard worker. I always loved caring for my younger cousins and decided to care for the kids in my neighborhood in high school. One referral led to another, and I started babysitting many families in Essex and Union Counties. Parents always told me it's so hard to find babysitters like me, but there has to be some out there. After my first year out of college, I heard a parent say there has to be a better way to find good babysitters, but how? Bingo, that's when the idea of CareBird first emerged! Something that I was passionate about and fell in love with; my ideas and visions were all coming together.
What got me first started working on the business was interviewing all my clients. Since I babysat for many families, I interviewed many parents in various counties, asking them what they find in a good babysitter, why it is so hard to find babysitters, and what experiences they've had with other sitters. I spoke with many college and university students in central and northern NJ about their babysitting experiences and why it is so hard to find parents who need these services. What motivates me each day is knowing that my service is needed and that I can make a positive difference in the community.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment was the first month I launched the platform in December; that's normally a busy time for people getting ready for the holidays and traveling. I had 200 people spread the word about CareBird, and 45 people signed up on the platform! I've been told by strangers that they believe in me, and they believe in my mission to build a stronger, safer community together.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things is knowing you have competition. But I interviewed many people to know what I can bring to the table that my competitors don't have. For example, a parent told me she was looking for care for her three children, and one has a disability. When the parent matched with a babysitter who was local, the babysitter was not good with kids with disabilities. So that was a waste of time, and the babysitter ended up leaving within 10 minutes after the first meeting. And the problem is a lack of communication. The solution is search filters that parents can use to find a babysitter on the platform who is good with three children and can support kids with disabilities.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be passionate about your product.
- Change the plan, not the goal.
- Listen to your customers and their experiences.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://carebird.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-angela-argiriou/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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