To celebrate International Women's Day 2023, we thought now is a fantastic time to catch up with the heart and soul behind Kept, our Founders Katie Hunter and Nic Winslade to discuss what International Women's Day means to them and what life is like being women in the tech world.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
KH. I think its a great day to champion all the amazing skills and strength women contribute to our daily lives.
NW. I think it’s an opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come to have the freedom to do anything, and have the conversations about the freedom to not do everything.
Where did the vision for Kept start?
KH. In April 2020, Nic and I had a chat (after her frustration over a grubby shower) about how hard it is to find an awesome cleaner when you need one. We talked about the dream of "Airbnb," but for cleaners. After lots of chatting, I think we both realised pretty quickly that this actually could have legs. We talked and talked for months about things like why this doesn’t exist already. Is it too hard? Are we crazy?
And after a lot of market research and anxiety over the risks involved, we decided to take the plunge and give it a crack!
NW. The vision for Kept came in lockdown when the importance of a clean and healthy home suddenly became really paramount. It was this forced break we didn't know we needed from the normal day-to-day hustle that made us realise how we should reshuffle our lives to work better for us. The idea for Kept was to help create a flexible jobs platform that helped sole traders find new clients, keep their profits, and earn when they had the time.
It also solved a problem by providing a really simple way to find and book cleaning professionals for your home when you needed them.
The Kept app has been live for over 7 months now. What are some of the highlights so far?
KH. Meeting the most incredible humans! For me, I’ve always loved meeting new people, so this journey has been so fun.
Cleaners and customers alike have been so awesome to get to know. Learning from both sides of their struggles with the industry and actively trying to solve problems as we go is so rewarding and fun. I can’t wait for the next phase of development to solve so much more!
We have also had the privilege of meeting some of the most incredible Kiwis who have gone before us and are leading the way in business in New Zealand. Learning how supportive these people are of startups like us has been so amazing. The wealth of knowledge that people are willing to share is a beautiful thing. I love this about our country!
NW. We've had some amazing highlights over the past 7 months! One of the most exciting moments was when we reached our first 1,000 bookings. It was a huge milestone for us and a testament to the hard work we've put into building the app. We've also received some great feedback from our customers, which has helped us improve and refine our services.
What are the unique strengths you each bring to the business? And how have you managed to strike a balance between business partners and friends?
KH. Throughout my career, I have always worked alongside some of my best friends, so I knew Nic and I would be awesome partners. For me, keeping work and play separate is super important. Being able to separate work conversations from best friend conversations is something I’ve learned over the years, and I think Nic and I do this well.
We are so very different, and this definitely works in our favour as it allows us to bring totally different perspectives to solving problems.
NW. Katie and I have complementary skill sets, on top of over 10 years of friendship too, which has been instrumental in the success of Kept. She has a strong background in operations and customer service and is focused on building strong relationships with our cleaners, while I have the insights and marketing expertise that have allowed us to create our platform that makes people’s lives easier.
As for balancing the business relationship with our friendship, we have the gift of the gab and are so open with each other, I don't think I could do this with anyone else.
What challenges have you faced in the workplace, especially your experience in male-dominated environments?
KH. To be honest, this is probably the first male-dominated industry I’ve worked in, as I come from a background in education.
So far, I have to say my experience has been pretty amazing, but I know this isn’t how it is for everyone. Being a woman in tech, if anything, has encouraged me to connect more with other women in the industry. To champion them in the same way that other women have championed us on our journey so far.
NW. I think the biggest thing is the perception that because I have a family to take care of, I don't have the commitment or time to build a successful tech business.
But yet again, females are grossly underestimated in what we can achieve. Our efficiencies, our motivation, and the positive impact of having a balanced life are so undervalued. The importance of building relationships and networking is all stuff that tech values, and I think it is incredibly natural for us women to do.
I've also realised that technology is an industry where many skills can be transferred into. We can drop the imposter syndrome because most other corporate experience has a role in tech somewhere, and the language is always growing, so everyone is learning on the job.
What do you believe we should do more of to encourage more women to pursue careers in technology?
NW. I think, like most industries, women need flexibility and the ability to manage their many priorities. We have had so much success in attracting really talented wahine because of our focus on flexibility. But I also believe that females are very big users of technology, and so we need more females designing our tech solutions. Our success so far has truly come down to our ability to bring female insights to the core of our product and business, and in a way, that has also become our competitive advantage.
What are some of the best workplace initiatives you have seen/heard to promote and nurture women in the workplace??
NW. What really stands out for me are the businesses that actively want female decision-makers, not for the quotas but for the unique insights and abilities, women bring to the table. If this crazy Covid period has taught us anything, it's that full-time on-location positions don’t have to necessarily be the norm anymore. Kept has been almost entirely built remotely.
KH. We've got a core team of 3 based in the Bay of Plenty, but we also have a wider team based in Auckland, Waikato, and the South Island. Empowering people and trusting them to get their work done while at the same time allowing them to live a more balanced life is a real North Star for us.
The cleaning industry in New Zealand is a very large and diverse sector made up of small independent cleaners and large franchises. What are your goals with Kept in shaking up the industry?
KH. It is so diverse, and I love this about it!
Kept’s vision is to create a place where all of this diversity can come together and be supported to work smarter, not harder. To see all cleaners spend less time doing antiquated admin tasks and more of what they’re good at: cleaning!
We are so passionate about raising the standards in the industry. We want to be a place where cleaners can freely market themselves, be paid what they choose to be paid, and work when they want to work. Essentially, it provides a place for flexible employment for anyone who is already in the industry or considering a career in cleaning.
Our mission is to take the cleaning industry online and make it seamless for customers to connect with and book a cleaner easily, all in one go.
What’s next for Kept? Plans, goals for 2023?
KH. We are about to have our first capital raise, which is crazy and exciting! I can’t quite believe we have managed to have the success we have had in such a short amount of time. To be at the point of being able to raise money is so amazing, and I’m really proud of us!
Once we have the funds we need, we have some epic plans to grow our cleaner side of the business to support the industry further, which I’m really excited about.
Our main goal for this year is to scale the business so we can continue to grow and develop and become a household name in New Zealand before looking into entering the overseas market.
NW. We want to create a full suite of tools that help cleaners excel in their businesses, as well as build out our resources to support the onboarding of new cleaners all across the country. We have a huge waiting list of customers who need us in their area, so we want to expand as quickly as possible.
What is your favourite cleaning hack you use around the home?
KH. Ooooo, I have learned so many! My most practical thing is probably having a cleaning caddy with basics in it both upstairs and down. I keep one in the upstairs bathroom now, and it definitely makes it easier to just quickly clean when I’m in there and see grime as opposed to waiting and doing a big weekly (or monthly!) clean when things are out of control.
I also love using baby wipes for just about everything…walls, marks on furniture, dusting.
NW. Getting a cleaner on Kept! Haha, honestly, finding someone who can do the job better than I can. The obvious benefit of starting a cleaning app is you get to meet some really fantastic cleaners who know all the tricks to make ya home feel fresh and clean.
