Wow, it’s been an incredible journey for BabyQuip over the past six months! We’ve experienced tremendous growth and achieved remarkable things that truly showcase our commitment to making life easier for families like yours.
Expanding Network and Market Presence
Our network of Quality Providers (QPs) has expanded rapidly. We’ve welcomed 521 new QPs during Q1 and Q2 2023, bringing our total number of active QPs to over 1,700. I’m always impressed by their hard work and how they support one another. This means more families can rely on BabyQuip for convenient, safe, and clean baby gear rentals, no matter where their adventures take them.
And speaking of adventures, we’ve been expanding our market presence to exciting new locations. We now operate in the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, and select European countries. Wherever your family goes, we’re here to provide you with peace of mind and the convenience you deserve.
Thriving Social Media Growth and Public Relations
Our social media growth has been incredible, too, especially on Instagram. We’ve seen our social followers increase by a whopping 400%, reaching a milestone of 250k followers. The support and engagement from our amazing online community is humbling.
Strategic Partnerships and New Programs
One of the things we’re really proud of is the strategic partnerships we’ve formed. We’ve joined forces with well-established brands and organizations like Sittercity, Destination by Hyatt, One Fine Stay, Bright Horizons, Babies R Us, and many independent hotel properties, property managers, and global travel agencies. These collaborations bring you and our customers even more value and allow us to expand our reach in various industries.
We’ve also developed our Official BabyQuip Brand Partnership Program, which allows top brands in the baby and kids industry to connect with our global community of parents and Quality Providers. It’s a win-win situation that further strengthens our position as a trusted and reliable platform for baby gear rentals.
Commitment to Community and Technological Advancements
For our community, we launched the BabyQuip Bootcamp, an educational program aimed at providing our new Quality Providers with comprehensive training and refreshing the knowledge of our tenured QPs. It’s important to us that our QPs are equipped with the necessary skills and expertise to deliver exceptional service.
We’ve also made improvements to our website, making it easier for you to find what you need. Our enhanced search and filter functionality gives you a “product-first” shopping experience. We’ve even added new categories like ‘luxury’ and created a landing page tailored specifically for grandparents because we understand that every family has unique needs. And during the last two quarters, over 60,000 of you have downloaded our new iOS and Android apps, making it easier to BabyQuip on the go!
Commitment to Talent and Team Diversity
BabyQuip has welcomed four new team members in the past six months. Odero Ajamu, Tech Analyst, brings expertise in technology trends and data analysis to strengthen the company’s technological infrastructure. Bree Reardon, Marketing Manager for Email & SMS, optimizes communication channels with strategic marketing skills. Imani Finney, UX Designer, enhances the user experience of BabyQuip’s digital platforms, and Jose Escobar serves as a Customer Service Agent, providing excellent customer support.
Our team of 18 reflects a commitment to diversity, with three men, three African-Americans, two Latinos, and many working mothers, promoting a diverse and balanced work environment.
Impressive Financial Performance
All of this adds up to impressive financial performance. In the first half of this year, our Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) reached an impressive $7.5 million, representing a 39% increase compared to the same period last year. It’s amazing to see how much families have trusted us with their baby gear rental needs. This is especially impressive after we doubled last year as families returned to travel.
Looking Ahead
We’re focused on expanding our advertising channels and building brand awareness. We want to reach even more families like yours and provide them with the best possible experience. We’re also thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of our Quip Trip Protection program. It’s a customer-focused travel assurance program that allows for cancellations up to the day before the reservation, giving you peace of mind and enhancing your overall experience with us.
The past six months have been filled with significant achievements for BabyQuip, and we’re incredibly grateful for your support. We feel your love as we’ve earned a World Class 95 Net Promoter Score (a measure of brand loyalty). I also want to thank the hard-working and incredible members of the BabyQuip corporate team! We are dedicated to making families’ lives easier through our convenient, safe, and clean baby gear rentals.
Fundraising
With this momentum, I’m proud to announce our new fundraising campaign on StartEngine! Please learn more about it here! The funding will add to the $8.5 million in capital that BabyQuip has already raised in previous rounds from key venture capital investors, angels, and prior crowdfunding raises on SeedInvest. In addition, BabyQuip is taking additional capital from accredited investors.
As we look ahead to new opportunities and programs, our commitment to delivering exceptional service and enhancing your experience remains unwavering. Thank you for being a part of our journey!
Fran Maier is CEO and Founder of BabyQuip, the leading baby gear rental service for traveling families and now offering local cleaning services too. She is a serial entrepreneur and brand builder with over 25 years experience in B2C and B2B internet businesses. She is best known for her 10+ years leading TRUSTe (now TrustArc), the leading privacy trustmark and compliance provider, and as Co-Founder and first General Manager of Match.com.
Fran speaks widely on several topics relating to women in business, including opportunities for women in the collaborative economy, addressing the lucrative family travel segment, women in entrepreneurship and on boards. She serves as an advisor to many start-ups including Portfolia, Women’s Start-up Lab, Sign-up.com, Kango, and Dabbl.
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