Homely founders discuss their housekeeper app and Shark Tank

This article was written and published in Spanish and has been translated into English via Google Translate. Click here to read the original article.

Homely was born in Mexico City four years ago, founded by Edgar Tello and Melina Cruz. It is an app that not only cleans your house but protects domestic workers by providing them with social security, operating under an Uber-style with the concept of a Keeper (a cleaning professional) rather than driver, and currently operates in Mexico City and the metropolitan area.

Melina and Edgar have been friends for more than 10 years and had long been anxious to start a business together. This was the opportunity to improve the working conditions of domestic workers.

Although similar platforms already exist, the difference between them and Homely is the possibility of hiring a service with only two hours in advance from a mobile application, Edgar explains, when the other platforms need to schedule the service at least 24 hours in advance.

How to get to Shark Tank?

In March 2016, this app was launched that promises to be friendlier than the competition and less than a month later Edgar and Melina had a stroke of luck: Sony's production team invited them to participate in the first season of Shark Tank, a program in which entrepreneurs negotiate with investors in order to receive their support.

The creators of Homely had to pass two filters, the first related to the review of the business plan and growth projections, and the next stage was to send a video with a pitch. 

During the program the entrepreneurs got a vote of confidence from the sharks Ana Victoria García and Carlos Bremer.

What were the keys to achieving that ‘yes’?

1. Having a solid team: The friendship and good working relationship between Edgar and Melina was an aspect that sharks considered, Melina considers. This should be noted and reflected when the company is presented to investors.

2. Trust the project: Although they had very little time of operation and that could represent a disadvantage compared to other startups that appeared in the program, the secret was to love what is done, says Melina. Confidence in the project is noticeable at the time of pitching against potential investors.

 3. Improve the situation in the country: “That factor was decisive to convince them to invest; Carlos made it clear to us from the beginning that what he liked most was the part of boosting the economy of women and men who work in cleaning services and giving them a different picture, ”recalls the entrepreneur.

Homely is an app that not only cleans your home but protects domestic workers by providing them with social security.

And is that the keepers, earn 500% more than a minimum wage working in half the time, also have a coverage of medical expenses that cover them from incidents while they work. Having a social impact is very attractive for investors today, that gives an extra to the business model.

 After leaving Shark Tank with partners such as Ana Victoria García and Carlos Bremer, Homely's future would change because, having them, "you can go when there is a problem or mentoring is needed," says Melina.

After the program, says the entrepreneur, both sharks checked the numbers to see how healthy the business was.

In January 2017 the platform was redesigned to improve the user experience and reached 4 thousand registered users.

In the first half of that year, the platform reached 6,000 hours of service and had around 350 clients per month in Mexico City and the metropolitan area of ​​the State of Mexico, which were served by 65 keepers.

In September 2017, they started operations in Guadalajara, which helped them to have a 2017 closure with 120 keepers and a 900% growth in sales. And this year they started operations in Monterrey Nuevo León.

Edgar Tello and Melina Cruz, Mexican pride

And at the beginning of the year, Forbes magazine included the project of Melina and Edgar within the 30 promising startups of the country, a situation that was a cause of pride for both.

"They are one of those little things that seem banal, but I think it is something that as a brand helps us a lot... how cool that they recognize everything and that they take us into account to be part," says Melina.

But the triumphs do not end there, because also in Austin, Texas, they obtained second place in the International Pitch Competition at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, where the first three places were from Mexican projects.

So, the young entrepreneur invites entrepreneurs to "not be afraid of sharks because Shark Tank is a platform that is driving the entrepreneurial ecosystem by giving visibility to projects."

This article was written and published in Spanish and has been translated into English via Google Translate. Click here to read the original article.

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