SELF MADE
Michelle Kennedy on cracking the start-up game
After spotting a gap in the tech market for mothers, MICHELLE KENNEDY, 35, created Peanut. Here’s how she cracked it…
➤ Create something with mass appeal
I began my career as a lawyer at [dating app] Badoo and eventually became the deputy CEO. I then helped to launch Bumble, but at the time, I wasn’t dating – I was a new mum. None of my friends had children yet and during the 2pm nap time, I felt lonely and wanted to connect with like-minded women. It got me thinking, “Why not apply dating algorithms to motherhood?” and the idea for my app, Peanut, was born. My first step was research – if you haven’t investigated what people want and why, it’s easy to create a product that only you are interested in, which won’t be successful. You have to build something with mass appeal – we now have a 500,000-strong community.
➤ Ask to be introduced
During the research process, I spoke to every woman I could, be it via social media or going over to strangers in the park, to find out what they thought would make a great product. I’d always ask for a referral, too, so I wouldn’t end the conversation without asking to be introduced to a friend. Contacting old acquaintances and former colleagues about their experiences was also really helpful. Treat everyone well at each stage of your career – you never know when a person might come in handy later on. ➤ Learn from everyone you can When I worked in law, my job was to identify risk and work out how to avoid it. As an entrepreneur and a founder, my job is to see risks, understand them and go ahead anyway. I learned so much from my boss at Badoo in that respect – his way of thinking was unlike anyone I’d ever met before and it pushed me to think differently, too. He would say,“‘No’ is not an acceptable answer,” so when a way round wasn’t possible, I learnt to find a way over instead. We all take things from others – my dad used to get up at 4.30am every day for work, which taught me hard graft – and I believe you are what you see, so it’s hugely beneficial to meet as many types of people as possible. ➤ Don’t let your CV hold you back Nobody should feel restricted by the jobs they’ve done previously. If you decide you want to pursue something entirely different to your current career, choose to see it as an advantage. Law taught me discipline, the importance of detail and putting in hours, which all influence how I work now. Don’t let your CV hold you back from your future.