Doublemint Sitting, a Tampa-based babysitting and referral service, was established in 2016 by Gabriela Rosello and Synthia Fairman, both 26 years old.
Since then, the company has expanded into nine Florida cities and added services, including pet-sitting and male nannies, to its offerings, growing through word of mouth and marketing through social media. The company has shown six-figure revenues every year since its inception and one of its biggest clients includes a group of Tampa Bay Lightning players.
TBBW asked about the business and what tips busy parents should know as they head into the summer months.
What were you both doing before starting the business in 2016?
Rosello: We both worked at the Joshua House, a foster home for abused, abandoned and neglected children ages 6 to 17. Synthia worked in the young girl’s home, and I worked in the boy’s home. We were also working part-time at local gyms (LA Fitness and YMCA), and that’s when we saw the need in our community for babysitting services.
What challenges have you faced while growing your business?
Fairman: A few of our biggest challenges have been, one, finding reliable, honest, responsible sitters to join our team. Two, helping first-time parents trust a stranger in their home. And three, keeping up with the high demand of social media presentation.
How do you differentiate what your company offers?
Rosello: Doublemint is one of the [few] sitting services that doesn’t require a membership or implement additional booking fees when finding child care. Also, our sitting company is the only service locally that offers “bro-sitters” [male babysitters]. What also sets us apart from competitors is our heavy involvement and engagement within the community, supporting local organizations, businesses and nonprofits. We pride ourselves on the genuine relationships we make with our clients, partnerships and sitters.
Can you talk about your marketing strategy and use of social media?
Fairman: We are … Tampa’s “biggest secret” simply because we do not advertise. Our business is strictly word-of-mouth; however, we donate to local preschool and elementary school galas, youth sports fundraisers and special needs organizations. Social media has played a huge role in the growth and success of the business. Families enjoy seeing the engagement of sitters and the business on social media postings. [One recent month,] we had 38 new families join the Doublemint family due to social media.
As parents go into the summer months, what should they know about child care for their children?
Rosello: Keeping their children busy is key to keeping their sanity this summer. We know that some children don’t thrive in the summer camp atmosphere, which is why we offer summer-sitting care to our families, full- and part-time. Our sitters are constantly being updated with the events the community has to offer with kid-friendly events for them to attend.
What’s next for you and your company?
Fairman: Our hopes are to continue to expand and grow and provide the best babysitting this community has to offer. We would love to service the entire state of Florida, and have an app developed for the ease of childcare at your fingertips.
Follow Doublemint Sitting on Instagram at
@doublemintsittingllc.♦
