MY STARTUP IDEA: Kidsstoppress founder on her eureka moment

In this column, we bring you the stories behind how startup founders got their business idea, and the things, events, and actions that eventually led them to their big eureka moment

The idea: Build a platform for millennial mothers to connect and have parenting queries answered

Eureka moment: In 2008, when Mansi Zaveri had her first child, she realised there was a need for a platform to help working moms connect. “We had to look at new-age moms, how millennials raise their kids, and answer their queries. Google has answers but I wanted a unified platform that was desi in nature,” said Zaveri. She quit her corporate job in 2011, hired one employee, and started working from home. In 2013, Kiddstoppress came into being.

Early days: Most people thought Zaveri’s work was “a hobby”. “People assume that women who have children want to take it easy. I was persistent. I had a vision, and with my retail and digital background, this was far from a hobby for me,” she said. She knew she was doing something right when someone came up to her in a park when she was playing with her children and said they looked forward to what she writes.

Biggest challenge: Since she was among the first in the space, Kiddsstoppress had to practically create the category. Digital and social were yet to be taken seriously by large brands and Zaveri had to play the role of educator.

Where it is now: Kiddstoppress works with 150 brands, including Marico, PSG, Abbott and Himalaya. It has 600 subscribers and has 2 million views on YouTube. It has podcasts for children, and awards for excellence in parenting.