The launch and rise of TinyBeans with co-founder SJ Kurtini
Apr 27, 2020
Sarah-Jane “S-J” Kurtini and Stephen O'Young founded Tinybeans in 2012. After moving to Australia with her husband and small daughter, SJ built a reputation as a savvy social media strategist while taking on part time work that she could do while her daughter was napping. This led to an introduction to Stephen O’Young.
Stephen had the idea for TinyBeans as he sought to track his second son's developmental milestones. Finding that no one would take him seriously as an Asian male trying to launch an App for children, he was looking for a female business partner with marketing expertise. He outlined his concept to SJ, who was sold on the idea after a 30-minute meeting. And the rest they say is history.
Hear how Stephen and SJ built TinyBeans to have more than three million users, 100+ million memories, App of the Day three times, AND how they learned about governance, drew straws to be on the board, flipped the board and listed on the ASX.
SJ gives a warts and all account of the eight year journey, which saw her move from Australia to New York (which she says was an amazing experience for her family) and now back to Australia's Central Coast, where she is now taking step back and having a six month sabbatical as she ponders her next project.