Photo by Melissa Ann Pinney
summary
An opera singer, Genevieve Thiers is also the founder of Sittercity.com, a babysitting website. Currently 29 years old, Genevieve started with just $120 but now makes $3-$5 million per year.
sittercity.com’s success story
- As a senior majoring in English and Music at Boston College, Genevieve Thiers baby sat for more than 30 families. One day she saw a pregnant woman posting fliers on campus for baby sitters, and offered to help. She realized that a website could help to bring sitters and parents together.
- In May of 2000, she borrowed $120 from her father and purchased Sittercity.com. She then printed 20,000 fliers and posted them to campuses around the Boston area. Her future husband, Dan Ratner, was an early investor who helped her fold brochures and now serves as Vice President.
- By August of 2001 they had 600 baby sitters; Sittercity.com was officially launched on September 1st. The first user registered that same afternoon; within six months, they had spread to Cleveland and New York City with primarily word-of-mouth advertising.
- One year later, Sittercity.com moved to Chicago and by summer 2004 had expanded into a downtown office and hired her first two full-time employees. Genevieve also earned a Master’s degree in Opera and founded OperaModa, an opera company.
- Sittercity.com currently has 22 employees and revenues between $3-$5 million per year. The site has over half a million users as well as 150,000 baby sitters, nannies and pet sitters.