Interview by Nanny X 2012
How Sittercity started:
I wanted to pull the lid on an organization that now seems to dominate the childcare market. What is sittercity.com and how did it start? I contacted Mary Schwartz, Director, Public Relations to get the scoop.
Genevieve Thiers
How Sittercity started:
How did Sittercity.com go from the nugget of an idea to what is now the nation's largest and most trusted online source for child care, pet care, senior care, home care and tutoring? It all began more than a decade ago, when Genevieve Thiers, who was working her way through Boston College babysitting for more than 30 families in the area, came up with a concept that would eventually become a multi-million dollar industry.
In 2001, Thiers saw a very pregnant woman slowly climbing the steps to Boston College's upper campus to post flyers for a babysitting job. Horrified, Thiers asked the mother-to-be for the flyers, sent her home and posted them herself. While papering the university, Thiers had an epiphany: What if there were one central place that would ensure that no parent would ever have to say "I can't find a sitter" again. And with this idea, Sittercity.com was born.
Thiers took her online caregiving concept to investors, but was turned down. Undeterred, she borrowed $120 from her father, bought the Sittercity.com domain and hired two friends to create the Web site. To encourage sitters to sign up on the site, Thiers printed 20,000 flyers and covered the city of Boston on foot to recruit local caregivers. The effort paid off and she was able to secure 600 sitters for the launch of Sittercity.com in the Boston market.
The site officially launched on September 1, 2001 and within six months, Sittercity.com had spread beyond Boston to Cleveland and New York City. The Sittercity membership base grew exponentially through word of mouth, continuing to spread across the nation. City after city was added to the network, eliminating America's parents' most common reason for missing social events and the coveted date night with a significant other.
How big is the company now:
Today Sittercity has more than 2 million caregivers nationwide and more than 1,500 sitters join Sittercity every day. In fact, Sittercity connects a family with a local caregiver that meets their unique needs.
Any plans to go global?
Right now Sittercity is only available in America, but recent funding presents a great opportunity to expand into international markets where need for flexible childcare is greatest and where there is a strong cultural fit.
Mary Schwartz
Director, Public Relations
Sittercity Incorporated
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