Sittereco Kicks Off Closed Beta Testing!

Sittereco Believers and Supporters,

We couldn’t be more excited to share a major milestone: We kicked off closed beta testing this week!

What does that mean, you ask? Here’s a breakdown of our journey…

Phase 1 — Consumer/User Research and Concept Creation

Last winter, you all opened up as parents and babysitters. In the early part of 2016, we ideated on concept. And through nine months of iterations, pilot tests, and social media experiments with many of you, we have arrived at the first version of our beta! Woo hoo!

Phase 2 — Closed Beta Test

Today, we are here. In other words, we have built a product that enables you to connect, recommend, and contact one another for support, empowerment, and sitting engagements! Like any MVP (minimum viable product), there is plenty of opportunity for improvements, but rather than us decide where to prioritize those efforts, we are putting it in your hands to tell us what improvements are most important.

As a closed tester, you can 1) become an influencer on product strategy, 2) build your parent/sitter network from now, and 3) become a Sittereco advocate across your most trusted parent and sitter friends! The value in Sittereco is in our collective efforts. So join us in building our network of support and empowerment!

If you’d like to be invited by Sittereco as a closed tester, contact hello@sittereco.com with 1) how/through whom you came across this closed test, and 2) whether you are an iPhone or Android user. We will set you up with instructions, a feedback survey link, and a plan for you to start to get your parent/sitter friends to receive a personal invitation from Sittereco to join the closed test and connect with you.

Through this phase, we will take your feedback, implement the “absolutely necessary” changes, and then, publicly release the beta.

Phase 3 — Public Beta Release

After implementing the necessary changes from closed testing feedback, we will release the beta publicly in the coming months — as in, users will be able to download it from the App Store and Google Play!

So many of you have enthusiastically signed up for the beta to date — thank you SO much for your support and excitement! Unless you request to be a closed beta tester, you will join us in this phase.

The key difference between Public and Closed Test mode is that users will be able to invite others without Sittereco’s personal invitation. In other words, you will directly be able to INVITE parent and sitter friends you trust and value most, as you continue to contact, recommend, and connect with one another.

Phase 4 and Beyond

While we have a strategic plan beyond public beta release, like any startup journey, we anticipate there will be pivots along the way. So instead, the only plan we commit to definitively from now through Phase 4 and beyond is to enjoy the ride.

Personal Reflection

When I set off on this venture, I knew I wanted to create something that would serve parents and women. That’s pretty much all I knew. But through this journey to date, you all have highlighted to me the power of support and empowerment within my community. How fitting that Sittereco’s brand vision is to create exactly that for all of us.

Thank you so very much for joining us on this journey.

We’ll close with some press this week on Sittereco.

http://tech.mn/news/2016/09/28/beta-byte-sittereco/

LET’S SUPPORT AND EMPOWER ONE ANOTHER!

Originally published at www.sittereco.com.