STARTUP STORY
THE FUTURE OF FLEXIBLE CHILDCARE
The inspiration behind Nod stems from Haylee’s personal journey into motherhood. "When I became a first-time mum, I quickly realised there was a huge gap in the market for immediate, flexible childcare support," she explains. "Sometimes you just need a helping hand for a few hours, whether it's because your child is sick, there's a school holiday, or you desperately need to focus on work."
The solution? What Haylee calls "SOS childcare" - a service providing qualified nannies and babysitters within an hour of booking, typically for short durations of two to four hours. "Parenting is unpredictable, we need childcare solutions that can keep up with our modern lifestyles."
Building Trust and Community
Beyond its practical benefits, Nod aims to foster deeper community connections. "We're not just a childcare service, we're rebuilding the village that used to exist naturally in communities. Think of how Airbnb transformed hospitality - we want to do the same for childcare, creating trusted connections between families and caregivers."
With over 16 years in advertising and marketing, Haylee brings a deep understanding of consumer needs to Nod. "My background has taught me the importance of truly understanding your audience," she explains. "Every decision we make at Nod is guided by what parents actually need, not just what we think they need."
Embracing the Unknown
Building Nod has pushed Haylee out of her comfort zone, particularly in the technical aspects of product development. "Understanding what makes a seamless user experience from a technical perspective has been challenging," she admits. "My background is in advertising and marketing, so this has been a whole new world."
However, her previous experience has proved invaluable. "In advertising, nothing ever goes to plan. You have to pick yourself up and find another solution to get something into the market," she reflects. "That resilience and problem-solving mindset has been crucial in my startup journey."
"Keren helped me realise I was trying to do too much at once, she encouraged me to narrow my focus, which allowed us to bring a testable prototype to market within a month."
Keren Phillips - Startup Aotearoa Coach
Finding Support and Building Connections
Startup coaching has played a crucial role in Nod's development. Through Startup Aotearoa, Haylee connected with her coach, Karen Phillips. "Karen helped me realise I was trying to do too much at once, she encouraged me to narrow my focus, which allowed us to bring a testable prototype to market within a month."
This coaching relationship has led to valuable connections with other entrepreneurs. "I've met other incredible founders, who are working on complementary services for families. It's opened up exciting possibilities for collaboration."
Scaling Smart: The Next Chapter for Nod
While balancing Nod with a full-time career, Haylee remains committed to its growth. "It's challenging, but when you believe in something, you find a way to make it work," she says. "Every piece of user feedback helps us refine and improve our service. We're just getting started."
As Nod moves beyond its initial prototype phase, Haylee has clear plans for scaling the platform. "We're actively exploring funding opportunities and considering bringing on a technical co-founder," Haylee shares. "Having someone with deep tech expertise would allow us to build a robust app that can handle our users' needs seamlessly and help us expand."
However, Haylee emphasises a thoughtful approach to growth. "It's really important that we don't lose sight of building trust and connection as we scale". This commitment to quality is evident in her current practices: "I personally vet every nanny on the platform. It's time-consuming, but it's central to establishing trust with our clients."
Community First: The Foundation for Growth
Nod's vision extends beyond immediate childcare needs. Haylee sees potential for the platform to evolve into a comprehensive family support service. "The goal is to create a flexible, community-driven service that truly adapts to what modern families need."
The network effect is crucial to Nod's growth strategy. "This is something that people would refer to their friends as a lifesaver," Haylee notes. "When parents find a service they trust, they naturally want to share it with their community. That's the kind of organic growth we're aiming for."
Looking ahead, Haylee's roadmap for Nod is clear: find the right partners, enhance technological capabilities, and scale thoughtfully while maintaining the platform's core values. "We're not just building a service," she concludes. "We're building a community of trust."
"Every piece of user feedback helps us refine and improve our service. We're just getting started."
The Bigger Picture
In an era where the traditional village of community support has largely disappeared, Nod represents more than just another childcare service—it's a reimagining of how modern families can thrive. By focusing on trust and personal connections while leveraging technology, Haylee Killip's venture bridges the gap between the personal touch of traditional community support and the convenience of modern on-demand services.
As the gig economy reshapes how we work and live, Nod's vision of flexible, trustworthy childcare could be the missing piece that allows parents to fully participate in this new landscape. While scaling trust remains a challenge, by prioritising community over rapid expansion, Nod may well be creating a blueprint for how to build not just a successful business, but a social infrastructure that modern families desperately need.
Do you have a promising startup idea that could benefit from expert guidance? Follow in Haylee's footsteps and book a Startup Aotearoa coaching session today.
Learn more about NOD at gettnod.io or connect with Haylee via LinkedIn