Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Hollingsworth.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
A mini crib showed up at my house, and that’s when Poppylist was born.
I can remember the day. My husband and I were walking in our neighborhood, and I was complaining about the time and energy I’d spent creating our baby registry, only to end up with a mini crib.
We’d just finished framing two prints that went above the crib, and I sent my older sister a photo from Amelia’s nursery. Her response was, “Why is your crib so small?” I called her right away and asked her what she meant. She told me to send her the measurements, so I did. Her response: “You bought a mini-crib.”
Did you know nursery furniture is non-refundable, especially after it’s been assembled? This is due to strict safety regulations in the U.S.
As we continued our walk, I thought there had to be an easier way. There are many resources like Babylist, Mother.ly, Babycenter, etc. the options are truly endless. But what I couldn’t find was simplicity and specificity. What exactly did I need, and where exactly was I going to buy it? I couldn’t seem to cut through the noise and efficiently find resources that helped me better understand nice-to-haves vs. must-haves. That’s when I knew I’d build it myself—a minimalist approach to baby registries.
Our mission statement is clear and has remained the same two years later: We help simplify baby registries.
However, my journey into entrepreneurship was accelerated once I returned to my corporate job after maternity leave.
I’ve been a high performer my entire life, including playing DI soccer all four years of my collegiate career. When I returned to work, I was expected to have the same output as before, and I couldn’t even meet my expectations. Within months, my milk production started to deplete, I was experiencing severe perioral dermatitis due to stress, and I began experiencing suicidal ideation. I wasn’t aware at the time, but looking back, I was in the thick of postpartum anxiety and depression. I sought a therapist within five months after returning to work, and with the support of my husband, I quit my job one month after that. So, my corporate career only lasted six months after returning from leave. I’d felt like a failure then. But looking back, I would have walked away sooner had I been able to realize just how unhealthy I indeed was.
After leaving my career, the goal was to take time off for my mental and physical health, but it’s not in my nature to be “still.” Two weeks later, I was enrolled in classes at the Entreprenirual Center of Austin, learning to launch a startup.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This journey has been entirely self-taught, which comes with a myriad of challenges and struggles.
I went from having a ten-year career spanning in event management to launching a software-enabled startup. Mind you, with little to no idea about how to get started. One year into my entrepreneurial journey, with a one-year-old, we were met with the first round of COVID-19. We pulled her out of day-care for four months, which meant that, for the most part, work on Poppylist paused. Fast forward a year later, and we’re still being met with unpredictable childcare. Beyond every other challenge building Poppylist has posed, this is by far the biggest one.
Outside of pandemic woes, the struggles continue.
I applied for several accelerator programs, grants, speaking sessions, etc., only to be met with no after no. It took me a long time to realize that ‘no’ doesn’t mean forever. It just means ‘no,’ right now. As a founder, you’re met with much more defeat early on than success, and it requires a level of belief and grit that I didn’t even know I had in me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Poppylist?
Poppylist is a baby registry designed for parents who don’t want more stuff but the right stuff. We’re proud to say that we’ve simplified the baby registry experience for everyone, expecting parents and gift-givers alike.
There are a few things that separate Poppylist from other baby registries out there, and the top two are:
1. For the first time, parents decide what gifts they want to be delivered and when. Don’t want to store a high chair for 4-6 months? We leave this decision up to you. Poppylist is the only registry platform that gives complete control to moms and dads.
2. When a gift-giver is shopping off a Poppylist baby registry, they are never re-directed to shop. By creating a one-stop shopping and check-out experience for friends and families, our expecting parents receive more of what they need and want.
As for our brand, I am most proud that we serve all parents. When you think of dads, they’re completely under-served in the parenting industry. Poppylist uses gender-neutral language and includes such pronouns to make all parents feel seen. By prioritizing inclusivity, we think it’s one of the easiest ways to radically increase support for moms. We care about equal parenting. The constant barrage of ‘mom, mama, mommy’ language and only seeing her on ads is a complete exploitation of the mom stereotype, and Poppylist is changing that.
Above all, I want your readers to know that parents power Poppylist. When you build your baby registry with us, you’ll have access to a product catalog of over 300+ items, and every single one of them has been sourced from a mom or dad. Brands cannot pay us to list their products. We will never take compensation to recommend a new parent something that our community hasn’t verified or approved. We’re straightforward, trusted, and lead with integrity. And if you take anything away, please know that Poppylist’s goal is to serve you and your growing family first.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way to support us is by sharing Poppylist with someone you know who’s expecting. We’d be honored to help them on their journey into parenthood.
Contact Info:
- Email: sarah@poppylist.com
- Website: https://www.poppylist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppylist/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-qDywqq7p5QDQoX9ie8zZw/videos
Image Credits
Personal Photo: Courtney Greer Photography Additional Photos: Amanda Klaus Photography
