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Meet Joia Danai Stewart of Mom-me-Downs App in San Fernando Valley

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Joia Danai Stewart.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a 100 percent Valley Girl, and proud. If I weren’t such a chicken when it comes to tattoos, I would for sure have an “818”, a Palm Tree, or some type of very SFV related piece indeed. I currently live in Winnetka, but lived in Pacoima with my family when I was younger, went to school in Granada Hills and Reseda, and graduated from California State University, Northridge with a degree in Sociology. After receiving my BA, I entered the working world but found myself stuck. Working in a position with no growth potential, I was eager to build a business.

My parents divorced when I was just a baby girl, but my mom remarried when I was ten years old; I have one younger sister. I was raised primarily by my mother who has always worked in tech. She received her Masters of Science from Azusa Pacific University when I was about eight years old, (I still remember her graduation day) and is currently a supervisor at APU in their IT department.

I am often asked about what inspired me, a young African-American female with no children (yet), to create an app for parents. Well, a former coworker shared her discomfort with using some of the customer-to-customer websites and applications that were available to her. When it came to finding bargains for her children, she felt those sites were untrustworthy. I understood and felt there should be an option available exclusively for parents. One that focuses only on listing new or used children’s items from trusted families and had a community feel to it. Sort of like a hand-me-downs system, but from parents nearby. I decided to call it Mom-me-Downs.

Besides my mom’s career, I don’t have much of a background in Tech. The extent of my experience pretty much starts and ends with designing MySpace profiles using HTML. However, I did not let that stop me from taking on the Mom-me-Downs project. I read countless articles and blog posts, watched hours of YouTube videos of interviews and startup pitches, and talked to anyone and everyone who was willing to answer questions. All of the graphic designers and coders I worked with were freelancers from websites like Freelancer.com and Fiverr. I honestly believe that we can do anything that we set our hearts AND minds to.

Outside of Mom-me-Downs, I am a natural creative. I have a passion for acting and writing, (Winner of the Women’s Only Entertainment Film Fest 2017 – Best New Media, Take 3) and have utilized my talents to develop graphics and tutorials for Mom-me-Downs marketing. Mom-me-Downs is a project that I truly believe will be successful. Because the idea of this app has so much potential, I am highly motivated to see it grow.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Building an app is NOT easy by any means. I’m sure if there is an abundance in capital, the process would be smoother, but definitely not easy.

Yes, it’s easy to come up with an idea and you can say it’s even easy to build a minimum viable product or prototype, but taking your app from just the idea to an actual functioning tool that people will utilize on a daily basis is no small feat.

When I first started working on Mom-me-Downs my challenges were finding answers to questions like “How do I build an app?” but the internet is the go-to, one-of-a-kind resource for finding answers through articles, CEO/Founder interviews, and blog posts. It is crucial to read from trusted sources like Wired, TechCrunch, AfroTech, etc. to make sure that what you’re reading is not just some random person’s pretend theories. Reading posts, articles, and interviews from these trusted sources detailing the experiences of successful apps in the past helped boost my confidence and assured me that I can actually do this. The readings also highlighted things to avoid doing that can possibly save thousands of dollars in the long run. Even more, the articles help me calm down when things are moving slowly. Apps can take 5 or more years to get to the level I would like to be and knowing that keeps me grounded.

Now, I’d say my biggest challenges are raising capital and marketing; getting the word out that this app is a major benefit to parents who may not be able to afford items in stores at full prices. Or even those who need to make a few extra bucks by selling items their kids no longer need. Because users set their own prices, items can be listed as FREE or for donation as well. Another major challenge, I am working without a team so pretty much everything falls on me. I have to admit, some days I just feel defeated. But it’s important for me to remember why I started Mom-me-Downs, acknowledge the users who believe in it, and keep going to find new users to join the community.

A personal struggle has been in support from close friends and acquaintances, especially those who encouraged me to start the business in the early stages. I’ve heard hundreds of times that strangers will support you faster than friends would, but never believed that would be true for me. Yet, I can say it has been my reality. I have had to literally pull some of my friend’s arm to download the 100% free app and post a listing. However, I try not to dwell and have decided to focus on those who support at will. Those who have downloaded the app on their own account posted listings and shared a Mom-me-Downs experience on their social media. They are the heartbeat of Mom-me-Downs.

This whole process is definitely an enlightening one.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mom-me-Downs App – what should we know?
Mom-me-Downs App is a safe platform to buy and sell new or gently used kids items. We’ve even built a ‘Swap’ tool so users can set up trade items with each other. Buy, sell, and trade anything for children or parenting like toys, clothes, furniture, maternity wear, learning material, and everything else you just couldn’t resist buying. The app is location-based, making it simple to reach out to other parents in the community.

The goal is to help parents save time and money by providing an online platform that lists kid’s products at bargain prices. We want to offer a space for those who may not be able to afford items at full price, want to contribute to a better environment by purchasing used items instead of using new materials, or just simply like to find a deal. This product has the most extensive audience: parents. People have been having kids since the beginning of time, and though birth rates have slowed down (California birth rates dropped 3% in 2017), there will always be a parent who needs items for their children (and at different stages of their lives: newborns, toddlers, kid, tween, teen). Reusable and recycled items are becoming more and more prevalent now that Americans are educating themselves on waste and the harm that improper disposal of unused products does to the environment. Because consumers have a hard time finding a new home for their used items to thrive in, they are thrown away and sent to landfills. The future is in reselling and reusing, and Mom-me-Downs makes finding parents to give or sell to as simple as posting to Instagram or Pinterest.

Mom-me-Down is tailored for the parenting community so you know exactly what you will find when you use the app. It’s convenient, allows for parents to save money, make money, and be a contributing member of the community. Even though there are hundreds of apps with a similar platform, we target users who either don’t know about or feel comfortable using the other apps and websites by providing a sense of safety and trust.

We created Mom-me-Downs to bring parents together through giving and receiving. Think of it as a hand-me-down system, but from one parent to the next! Like the saying goes, “it takes a village to raise a child”, and with Mom-me-Downs, the village is strong!

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
In all honesty, I couldn’t do any of this without God. He is the reason I have the ideas that I have, the ability to keep going, the strength to persevere. My father’s a pastor and my mother’s a gospel singer, so my Faith runs deep.

In the physical sense, my mother and boyfriend have been the biggest support system. Not only has my mother encouraged me with words of wisdom as well as trying to find students at APU who can work as interns, without her I would not have an Android version of Mom-me-Downs. Her guidance, experience, and knowledge have been helpful in keeping me going.

My boyfriend Craig is the real MVP, though. He encourages me when I am doubtful, picks me up when I am falling, and reminds me that I will win when I just want to give up. He has introduced me to so many people who have been encouraging as well. Without him by my side, I would be lost and feeling lonely. He’s also helped link me with an amazing Graphic Designers and Consultants who have given me pointers and guidance all because they know Craig. He is truly the BEST.

I don’t have a business partner but am on the hunt to find one that is motivated, sincere, and has a passion/drive for success.

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Image Credit:
Gianna Dorsey Photography

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