off-the-shelf tools

Avni Patel Thompson shares how she built Poppy, a childcare service connecting families with vetted caregivers, after experiencing gaps in her own childcare support. She describes testing the idea with a four-week, low-cost pilot using off-the-shelf tools, then finding a technical co-founder and using growth to secure funding. For the next stage, she focuses on building a team around commitment and mission, creating sustainable pricing, and communicating transparently with early users. She also discusses founder commitment, mentorship, investor updates, and self-care as part of building a company for the long term.