As we spend more and more time on our phones, working busier and busier jobs, and leading more and more overwhelming lives, personal connection with others is harder and harder to come by. HeyMama wants to change that.
The premium social network is aimed squarely at working mothers, looking to give them a space to connect, communicate, and learn from each other. The company has today announced the close of a $2 million in seed funding, with investors that include Rebecca Minkoff, Kori Estrada, Kathryn Moos, Janna Meyrowitz Tuner, Divya Gugnani, Alison Wyatt, Sari Azout, Kymberly Marciano, and Karen Cahn, who were HeyMama members pre-investment. Keith Billing also invested in the round.
HeyMama has several moving pieces, but the biggest and most important is the platform itself. The premium network gives members the chance to post to forums, as well as join and communicate with groups like “Tech Moms”, “Single Moms,” and “Moms Who Are Fundraising.” Perhaps most importantly, all members get access to the full HeyMama membership database, giving them the ability to learn more about other members and even email them directly.
Interestingly, HeyMama is a bit of a hybrid in terms of the value proposition. Moms can come in and ask about baby food recommendations and hunt for an engineer to join their company all in the same session. Founders Katya Libin and Amri Kibbler say that many members are looking for recommendations, whether they’re for professional or personal purposes.
Another piece of the business is HeyMama events. The company holds events in 11 cities across the country and earns revenue via brand partnerships. For example, Lincoln Motor Company is a sponsor for the 2020 mentorship event series.
Libin said that the offline component is a huge reason why many moms join, as there is no substitution for face-to-face connection.
As an added bonus, HeyMama negotiates membership perks for users, giving them a discount on interesting products and services.
The company says that 85 percent of its members come via word-of-mouth referrals to the network. When new users do submit an application, those applications are vetted by humans. The founders said that the acceptance rate is about 85 percent, with HeyMama primarily focused on bringing on new members that can also offer help, not just ask for it.
HeyMama membership costs $35/month or $349/year.
The company did not disclose specific numbers around membership, but did say that it has ‘thousands’ of members on the platform.
HeyMama actually came onto the scene in 2014 in the form of a social media account and online magazine. After realizing that working moms weren’t being served in the best way possible, the company pivoted to a premium social network in 2017 and the rest is history.
“This community is for ambitious women who are coming together to support each other,” said Kibbler. “These women are so incredibly busy, and on HeyMama they can give and get vetted recommendations on everything and know that the responses are coming from women that are like them.”
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