We had the good fortune of connecting with Shelly Scott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelly, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
Being an entrepreneur is not about working for myself; I don’t think of it that way, at all. I work for the families who fight or have fought for our country. Their challenges and desires are at the heart of everything I do.

There is a lot of discourse about “product-market fit” for startups, but there was another crucial piece of the puzzle: founder fit. As a strategist, I understand the value of a well-rounded team. Sure, I can see the big picture, but I can’t be an expert in everything. That’s why finding co-founders who shared my vision for GetSidekicks was essential – but it wasn’t enough – I also needed people who brought deep expertise in their areas.

Noam Wasserman’s book “The Founder’s Dilemma” really struck a chord with me. It talks about how founder conflict can destroy even promising startups. Healthy debate is productive, but constant arguments create a toxic environment and stall progress, so I took my time to find the right team. Everyone went through a trial period to ensure we could work effectively together. Luckily, I reconnected with two incredible individuals I knew from Intuit, a company renowned for its customer-centric culture. Having that shared background has been
super valuable. We’re all mission-driven and passionate about creating user-centered experiences tailored specifically to military and veteran families.

What should our readers know about your business?
GetSidekicks is the simplest way for military and veteran families to find childcare. We connect families with reliable caregivers (“Sidekicks”) who understand the military lifestyle. This means no need to explain deployments or answer awkward questions – Sidekicks get it, they know about OpSec, and topics to avoid! Plus, 75% of them offer rates lower than civilian providers. They’re not just in it for the money; they truly want to support the military community.

Not only is finding quality child care is a huge weight off a parent’s shoulders, it improves warfighter readiness, and improves wellness for the entire family.

But GetSidekicks is more than just childcare. We’re building a community. We know military life can be tough, and we want to make it easier. We have a roadmap for the future that goes beyond childcare, and it all centers around connecting military families in meaningful ways. Imagine a support system that any family serving our national defense interests can stand up in a few clicks no matter where they are in the world. That’s the future we’re building at GetSidekicks.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

If my best friend was visiting Atlanta, I know exactly what I would do! We would start at Kula Coffee, which is located on the ground floor in Atlanta Tech Village in Buckhead. I would then show off my office at ATV to her; Atlanta Tech Village is community that promotes faster connections between talent, ideas and capital, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of such an inclusive and welcoming community.

From there, we would go to Big Trees Forest Preserve for a nature walk. Then, Ponce City Market for shopping and snacking, then a walk on the Eastside Trail of the beltline.

I would take her to a yoga class at {SACRED} YOGA in Summerhill. I love {SACRED} Yoga, they are one of the few – maybe only – yoga studio that hosts family oriented yoga retreats every year. For lunch, Woods Chapel Hill BBQ which is right next door. Yes, eating BBQ after yoga is my thing.

In the evening, walk the 3-mile loop at Chastain Park Trail, followed by dinner at THE CHASTAIN, which recently earned a Michelin Green Star to acknowledge a restaurant at the forefront of sustainable practices and ethical environmental practices. The vibe there reminds me of my favorite restaurant in San Francisco, Spruce, and like Spruce the staff balances sophistication with being a neighborhood restaurant so well!

After dinner, go home, put on a movie from Marvel (so many of them were filmed right here in ATL) – then go to sleep and host her at whole new set of places the next day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My spouse, his support, encouragement and advice (even when I didn’t want to hear it!) has helped me navigate some of the uncertainty that comes with leading an early stage company.

Website: https://www.getsidekicks.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5h311y_official/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellyscottsanderson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetSidekicks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqNOjvQk9ZapAhcBHPwR1Mg

Image Credits
KingDavePhotographics

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