What is your business called and what does it do?

Unlike traditional registries, Giftstart’s combined baby registry and marketplace platform adapts to the evolving needs of today’s parents. Our focus goes beyond physical products, encompassing support services, subscriptions, and cash funds. This flexibility and customization enable the platform to provide an experience that grows with the family beyond just the prenatal and childbirth stages.

What made you want to do this work?

The inspiration behind GiftStart originates from my own frustrating experience with the baby registry industry in Canada.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I couldn’t find a single registry platform that satisfied all my needs. Consequently, I had to create multiple registries – one for large baby gear, another for smaller personal items, and yet another for subscriptions. Additionally, not all registries deliver to Canada. Upon my daughter’s arrival, I realized that what I needed most was comprehensive support, rather than just additional swaddle blankets, onesies, or other baby items.

As a working mother, I continue to require support from babysitters, night nannies, pelvic floor assistance, as well as various postpartum support services for my recovery and to be the best version of myself. This realization led me to understand the significance of creating a platform that addresses the evolving needs of today’s parents.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

Stepping into parenthood can be an overwhelming journey in today's fragmented landscape, further complicated by the limited options available to Canadian families. The key pain points are:

1. Limited availability of baby registries in Canada

2. Fragmentation within the industry

3. Limited offerings focused solely on products

4. Lack of support services for parents and newborns

5. Restricted accessibility

6. Challenges in coordinating with friends and family

Today’s parents continue to face the impacts of inflation and the constant rise in child-rearing expenses.

This is why GiftStart was intentionally designed to go beyond tangible goods and include essential support services, along with a cash fund option, to help alleviate the financial stress for today’s parents and provide comprehensive support.

We aim to increase accessibility for support services that contribute to stress alleviation during postpartum recovery and beyond. This includes services such as night nanny support, lactation consultation, sleep training specialists, meal delivery, and household cleaning, recognizing the integral connection between mental and physical health recovery.

By introducing these support services and incorporating a cash fund option, we strive to provide holistic assistance that not only eases the rising costs of child-rearing but also fosters a supportive environment for families throughout their parenthood journey.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

While expecting parents is our main target, GiftStart’s highly customizable and personalized platform is designed to support Canadian families across all stages.

Whether you’re:

● a first-time parent in need of baby gear, support services, and savings for a nursery

● expanding your family and require financial assistance, night nannies, babysitters, and monetary support for activities like hockey lessons, dance classes,

● parents with existing children who need an extra set of helping hands for a few hours, whether it’s meal delivery, clean laundry, or saving for future college expenses,

Giftstart is here to support you.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We take a commission for all goods and services sold through our platform.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

Giftstart’s online platform can be accessed and used by Canadian parents all throughout the country.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

Why choose Giftstart over other baby registries? The answer lies in our commitment to offering more than just a registry platform. GiftStart goes beyond tangible items, providing comprehensive support services as well as a cash fund option to assist parents with their individual family needs.

Our highly customizable and personalized platform is designed to meet the evolving needs of Canadian families at every stage, ensuring a holistic and tailored experience that sets us apart from traditional baby registries.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The most rewarding aspect of my role at Giftstart is the profound sense of contribution and positive impact on expecting parents, children, and families. Witnessing the support and assistance we provide during such a pivotal and intimate phase is genuinely fulfilling.

Conversely, the most challenging part comes in the form of fundraising for a startup. It involves navigating the complexities of securing funding in a competitive landscape, especially as a female founder in the tech space.

However, overcoming these challenges is a vital part of our commitment to delivering valuable services to the expecting parents and families we serve.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

What’s the secret to the Giftstart female founder’s success? Like parenthood, she understands that in the world of startups, a dash of humour and a sprinkle of creativity go a long way!

Where can we follow you?

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

I hold HiveSitters—a company excelling in providing childcare services– in such high regard. In my opinion, nothing is more important than health and safety when it comes to childcare, and I’m in awe of HiveSitters’ high standards.

They offer a professional and reliable childcare solution that surpasses the traditional kid-next-door option, thanks to their thorough screening, certification, and experienced sitters. Their dedication to certification is evident, as their sitters must maintain an up-to-date CPR certificate and renew their training regularly, showcasing a commitment to safety and ongoing education in childcare.

The post Homegrown Business: Scarlett Li-Goshawk of Giftstart appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

There’s a new theatre performance currently at the Young People’s Theatre. One Thing Leads To Another is created for babies. What? I know. I thought the same! Babies won’t understand, right?

But here’s the thing…babies are incredible. From the moment they are born we can’t help but be blown away but what these amazing little humans are capable of. From birth they are constantly absorbing the world around them with all their senses and we don’t need science to tell us that.

I was interested in seeing what this was all about and how babies would respond to theatre. I’m sure you could picture a room full of parents and babies and a performance happening. I expected restless babies and impatient parents. I expected crying and screaming. But instead I was surprised….and so were parents.

The babies ranged between the ages of 4 months to 12 months with a few toddlers in the audience. While sitting comfortably in the studio space on a floor full of colourful pillows and blankets the babies and their adults were invited to watch three performers on stage. At the beginning of the program, the adults were told that this is a very casual environment. If anyone needed to get up, feed, change your baby there’s even a private room behind the theatre space.

I had taken a seat in the back of the room (sans baby) to observe and it was pretty amazing to see how engaged the babies were to the performance. The theatre space was free from outside noises. The performers would flow through motions and sounds using props like red ribbons, large silk fabrics, bouncy balls, water jugs and everyday items. the babies were captivated during this performance. Absolutely mesmerized and it was beautiful to see.

There were no words spoken only sounds. At one point, shakers were handed out and the performer would walk up to each baby and shook the shaker. That’s all it took for the babies to mimic the action. When the performers got into a rhythm beating on household items the babies started to dance. No one told them to dance. It was pretty cool to see.

I spoke to one of the performers Maja Ardal just after this performance and she was quite thrilled with how the show is connecting with the babies. “It’s fun to see how the babies respond,” says Ardal. “With the toddlers some of them can respond with language but the parents of the little babies have been thrilled and amazed with their focus.”

What I had also noticed during this show was the natural instinct for the toddlers who can walk and the babies who could crawl wanted to reach out for items yet the parents had the urge to hold them back and a few times the performers whispered that it was okay when it was safe to do so.

“Yes, we tell parents that whatever your baby is doing is what they should be doing whether it’s crying, yelling or turning their back to the audience, we are okay with it. What ends up happening, and makes us happy, is that parents end up telling us that they were surprised that their babies weren’t that fussy after all!”

I didn’t see any fussiness with the babies! “Oh of course sometimes at the beginning of the show, the babies can be a little fussy but then when we start they seem to get quiet. And we’ve decided on certain scenarios to bring their attention…like peek-a-boo that is historically one of the most important games ever played with babies. You can actually look at it as a little play in itself. ‘Here I am! Now I’m gone…am I coming back?’ Yes! It’s like a little story is being told. But the way we sing and the way we flow from one thing to another we, the performers, check in with each other and stay flexible with the audience. We have a sense of the mood and energy level between each other to know what will work with the babies.”

One Thing Leads To Another is a collective collaboration by Maja Ardal, Audrey Dwyer, Mary Frances Moore and Julia Tribe. The show was developed from the original concept, research and theme by Maja Ardal. Directed by Mary Francis Moore.

The performance is now at Young People’s Theatre until February 21, 2016. Approximately 30 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of playtime.

http://www.youngpeoplestheatre.ca

The post One Thing Leads To Another… Theatre For Babies at YPT appeared first on Toronto Guardian.