Bay Area mom creates app to help parents find childcare on demand

The COVID- pandemic forced hundreds of daycare providers across the Bay Area to shut down creating a childcare desert That shortage inspired entrepreneur Gretchen Salyer to launch June Care a platform that connects families with local moms and sitters What started in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area has now expanded nationwide Salyer a Los Altos resident discusses how she hopes to leverage instrument to help families deal with the challenges of finding reliable childcare Q What inspired you to create June Care A June Care was born out of the pandemic Before COVID- I had not long ago decided to step away from the tech industry and become a full-time mom Then two months later everything changed daycares shut down nannies were hesitant to enter homes and parents were left juggling full-time childcare with full-time work As a stay-at-home mom already caring for my kids I started offering to help friends and neighbors At the same time news coverage about the childcare emergency made it clear this was a massive ongoing issue more than half of American families struggle to find reliable childcare I started wondering How a great number of other stay-at-home parents already caring for their own kids might have the limit to welcome another child into their home This led to what is now June Care essentially an Uber for childcare that connects families who need childcare with stay-at-home parents willing to help Q How does pricing work on the platform A Our providers set their own rates though we offer guidance based on average rates in their area For countless providers June Care is a meaningful source of income so they set prices closer to territory rates Others do it exclusively to help charging flexible rates based on what a family can afford Typically June Care costs about half as much as a traditional nanny but is more expensive than daycare which operates with a higher child-to-provider ratio Since our providers are already home with their children this is a way for them to earn supplemental income whether that s covering household expenses paying for extracurriculars or just having extra flexibility Q How has June Care grown since launching A Our first year was tricky as we were still navigating COVID- restrictions In the Bay Area where we started lockdowns were ongoing and parents had varying comfort levels regarding safety That challenge pushed us to expand beyond the Bay Area earlier than expected launching in San Diego and Orange County where there was more flexibility for outdoor interactions Then in August we were featured on Good Morning America which catapulted us into national expansion We now have providers across the country growing daily and operate in every major metropolitan area It s constantly exciting to see where matches are happening Q How big is your band A There are just seven of us We re a small but dedicated crew and a multitude of of us are moms which keeps us closely connected to our mission This perspective has also helped us build best-in-class screening processes for our providers Q Speaking of safety how does June Care ensure a high standard of care A Safety is a top priority Every provider undergoes a background check preference screening and profile verification including photos of their family and play space We also have mechanisms in place for families and providers to review concerns While serious issues are rare we have a Head of Trust and Safety who manages any instances requiring intervention Our goal is to maintain a supportive trusted society of moms helping moms Q What s been the biggest challenge in launching and running June Care A There are multiple challenges in building a startup especially a consumer marketplace in childcare One of the trickiest aspects has been refining our hardware to accommodate real-life flexibility Unlike booking an Airbnb where dates and requirements are set childcare is more nuanced A parent may plan to book for one child but then need care for a second at the last minute A pickup might be delayed Payment rates may need adjustment We ve worked hard to build a scalable product that can flex with real-life parenting requirements Q What is your background and how did it influence your decision to start June Care A I started the company to solve a need My goal was to spend a year or two focusing on my children full-time before figuring out my next step But I was struck by my own experience of having no backing and by how countless others in my district faced the same challenge When you rely on professional childcare without involving other families it can feel isolating And when that option disappears the isolation only deepens So I wondered Could we bring people together to raise our children and truly live life as a society The pandemic made that disconnect even more apparent At the same time we needed real solutions both for childcare access and for parents doing the rewarding but formidable work of caring for kids Q How has June Care impacted providers and users A The stories from our providers are incredibly rewarding Several were facing tough choices returning to hourly jobs that barely covered the cost of childcare or extending their maternity leave with no income June Care has allowed a multitude of of them to stay home with their own kids while earning money In the early days a great number of of our providers had tried other platforms but located they were often dismissed once families learned they had their own children with them June Care flips that dynamic everyone knows from the start that providers are caring for their own kids alongside others Q What are you the bulk proud of in your journey with June Care A My gang There s a lot of ups and downs There s a lot of hours put in at all hours of the day and on the weekend But the dedication to our mission to supporting families and providers keeps us going I m incredibly grateful for them Q What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs A Just start Too countless people delay launching their idea waiting for the perfect timing the right group or the right product But there will inevitably be more to be and do The sooner you start the sooner you learn When we started everything was manual we connected people through WhatsApp groups and processed payments via Zelle It was far from polished but it allowed us to learn fast get real customer feedback and refine our approach The best way to build a great product is to get it into people s hands as soon as practicable and iterate from there Name Gretchen Salyer Position Founder and CEO of June Care Schooling Harvard University A B economics minor in German Residence Los Altos Calif Five things about Gretchen She won an eating competition shortly after college as a way to save money the prize was free food from the restaurant for a year She loves to bake and has spent the past year making her own breads If Gretchen had to eat only one thing for the rest of her life it would be fresh bread and butter These days she is a professional youth sports spectator While her kids have surpassed her skills she still offers tips She doesn t need much sleep and uses her extra hours to watch a lot of TV shows