Female Founder Friday | Anna Levin
It’s Female Founder Friday and I’m excited to share the startup story of Anna Levin, the woman entrepreneur behind Munchkin Mailbox. Munchkin Mailbox is the first online daycare application platform. Parents can search, apply and pay fees for multiple applications in one sitting. It is a massive time and stress saver for parents who currently have to fill out paper applications, write checks and then send by mail, often having to call or email to the daycares for confirmation. Daycare operators can use the platform to manage their applications and receive payments via direct deposit, saving administrative time and costs. Another way to help with payments is using merchant services that fit in with the processing, helping those who need a secure connection between the receivers and payees.
So, if you’re curious how an incredibly successful UX designer made the leap into building a daycare solution or are looking for the courage to start your first business don’t miss Anna’s answers and advice for female founders below!
What inspired you to create your company?
It was my own journey of applying to daycare centers that inspired Munchkin Mailbox. I was spending hours and hours filling out forms, writing checks and making phone calls. One day I realized that if you could apply to college online, why couldn’t you apply to daycares online?
What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
My biggest obstacle was myself. I’ve worked in tech for the past 8 years for some really big companies, and I’ve created elegant web solutions for complicated business problems. I knew that I could craft something great that childcare providers and parents would want to use. But, I have never started a business before. It took a couple of months researching, reading and listening to podcasts before I had the nerve to move forward with my idea.
What are you afraid of?
For Munchkin Mailbox to have the greatest value to parents, we need to have thousands of daycare providers to choose from. My current challenge is finding the right way to get as many centers involved as possible.
What’s next?
Marketing to daycare providers and then to parents!
What is a life or business hack that you recommend to help other female founders?
I prioritize exercise to keep myself sane and healthy. Making sure of my health connections and conditions keeps me going. I sleep better and I’m a nicer person if I can get 30 minutes in. Other female entrepreneurs should consider improving their health too. I think sleep is the key. Making sure you have a good sleep can really prepare you for the day. Perhaps some people could benefit from swapping their mattress for the Best Latex Mattress in Australia, for example. That would allow people to have a better night of sleep, hopefully, setting them up for a successful day.
If you had a theme song what would it be?
“Vogue,” by Madonna. Madonna was the first female empowered artist I was introduced to as a child and is still a source of inspiration for me. She calls her own shots, is an amazing business woman, and has a killer work ethic.
Please share your best piece of advice for aspiring female founders.
Talk to everyone you know to get advice and feedback on your business. And don’t be afraid to ask for help.