Life Just Got a Little Easier For Travelling Parents

Travel Massive Milano member and CEO of BabyGuest, Serena Errico helps to make life easier for travelling parents by ensuring travel operators are offering a child-friendly environment.

We had Serena tell us a little bit about how she built BabyGuest from the ground up, and what exciting plans are coming up next.

Who is your startup for?

BabyGuest is for travelling parents with kids aged 0-4 years, and for all travel operators aiming to reach them.

When a parent is leaving home with small children everything seems essential for a long trip or just a week-end (strollers, cradles, high seats, bottle warmers and so much more). BabyGuest provides professional service allowing parents to rent equipment for their baby and purchase essential items with the certainty of receiving everything at their destination on time.

Our objective is to enable travel operators to be better equipped to welcome families by providing anything they need to keep their babies comfortable. BabyGuest allows any travel operator to really become kid friendly.

What inspired you to create this startup?

I used to travelled a lot with my son Leonardo (now 4 years old). I realized how difficult it was and how much extra baggage you need just for the baby every time you choose to travel.

There was nothing, and this was the gap. I decided to create my own start-up to help all new parents who love travelling, and above all able to help the travel industry as a whole.

How did you build your startup?

I checked the market. Every year 20 million families go on vacation with children agend 0-4, loaded down with extra baggage (B2C); the vast majority of accomodations, even high-end hotels, are ill equipped to recieve tiny guests (B2B).

I checked the competition arena. No one is running the same business with an industrial approach and covering such a large market. There are a few local business that are not scalable and that could be our potential affiliates.

I built the company choosing a smart and tiny team with complementary skills.

What makes your startup different from other similar startups out there?

BabyGuest is one of the only international and industrial platforms able to manage baby equipment rentals and sales.

We have a proprietary technological platform with:

Fast and secure payment system;
Real-time warehouse turnover and unloading updates;
API set available
Modular rental/purchase service for each client/partner
I-Frame code devoleped to be integrated in partner sites

We have an integrated and centralized logistics and a framework agreement with DHL.

How did you get your startup off the ground and gaining traction?

We worked on the B2B site creating agreements throughout the travel industry. Now we have among our partners, 53 hotels, 1,550 serviced appartments, 1,050 travel agencies and 3 tour operators.

Do you have any tips for new entrepreneurs who want to create a successful startup?

Before doing anything check the market.
Try to undestand how your idea can be disruptive.
It is a must have or a like to have?
If it is a must have, go on, absolutely.
Be focused.

Travel Start-Up is a monthly series that profiles unique online travel start-ups in the Travel Massive community around the world. Connect with Serena Errico and BabyGuest on Travel Massive, Facebook and Twitter.