GRETCHEN SALYER
JUNE CARE
BY Russell Nichols
The global pandemic took a big toll on parents . Quarantines put play dates on hold and limited child care options for many . June Care launched in August 2021 to create a support network for parents in need and hosts who could help .
Gretchen Salyer , CEO and founder of June Care , spent 15 years in the tech industry , then took time off shortly before COVID-19 to stay at home to care for her three daughters . She knew leaving her job was a privilege many friends , neighbors and family members couldn ’ t afford .
“ So many moms were feeling isolated and totally overwhelmed ” during the pandemic , she says . She began exchanging child care services with other families , which she says “ was normalizing despite so much turmoil happening around us .”
The June Care team is made up of Salyer plus four other moms . They set up a test website with a survey to assess demand . The response , she says , was huge .
By November 2021 , the startup had raised about $ 3.5 million . The team created an online platform that connects parents who need child care with host parents who can provide it , in the model of Uber and Lyft . After launching in the Bay Area , June Care ’ s growth team is now headquartered in Davis . Sacramento and Yolo counties are currently the company ’ s largest market , Salyer says . The platform has about 3,000 families as of April 2022 , split about evenly between hosts and users .
Care Pool . My backup name for the startup was ......................................................
full-time mom . If I could have any other job , I ’ d be a ..........................................................
The books that best represent my approach to business would be ................
“ The Lean Startup ” and “ The Culture Code .” ............................................................................................................
an aggregation of experiences , I believe life is ..................................................................................
relationships and choices . ..........................................................................................................
slow down If I could give my younger self advice , it would be .............................
and savor the moment . ......................................................................................................
HOW DO YOU MATCH HOSTS AND USERS ? “ We screen for parenting styles by asking a variety of parenting questions , such as different scenarios you may find yourself in : conflict over a toy or if someone misses their parents .”
WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART ? “ Keeping up with demand . We have to be careful because we want it to be a very personalized experience , but the thing that keeps us up at night is getting back to everyone and not letting any request fall through the cracks .”
For more on June Care , read Russell Nichols ’ Startup of the Month column at comstocksmag . com .
82 comstocksmag . com | June 2022