WoW Woman in Parent Health Tech I Margaret Zablocka, founder and CEO of Onoco
Margaret Zablocka is the CEO and Founder of Onoco, a trending parenting app which is:
👶 a baby tracker,
📅 a family organiser,
🌱 a baby development app.
All-in-one, everything in order to make parents' lives easier. Most baby apps focus either on tracking feeds and naps OR monitoring development milestones. It can be difficult to understand insights and even trickier to share these with other caregivers. Onoco integrates everything at hand in one app – and one that’s simple, safe, and easy to share.
Margaret graduated from the University of Warsaw with a master's degree in IT and Econometrics. Then she started working in the financial industry in various product roles, before moving to the UK where she was hired by Paddy Power Betfair as a lead product manager of the largest sports betting exchange in the world. When she first became a mother she realized there was a huge gap to fill in the market of parent tech. Now, she is a mum of two, running a startup with an app used by tens of thousands of users.
Margaret, tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
I am the founder of Onoco, an app focused on helping new parents. Prior to setting up my company in January last year, I spent 9 years with different tech businesses, building complex digital products: financial trading platforms, sports betting apps, and content management solutions. I really enjoyed my work, and I’ve always been passionate about new technologies. That’s why, when I became a mum for the second time, I decided to use my experience (both as a mum and a product manager) to build Onoco.
My goal is to create the most useful app for parents of under-fives. We live in a very busy world. Children develop quickly in the early years and child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances. Good parenting, consistent routines and high-quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.
How did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
I joined the tech industry while I was still in university. Tech is very male-dominated and competitive, so especially at the beginning, I needed to work very hard to prove my value and gain trust.
How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in?
I’ve worked 9 years in product development. Onoco as a business idea was born about 3 years ago, so even with the experience I had, it took me almost 2 years to validate the concept and gain enough confidence to execute it and start the company. The biggest challenge was to start app development during the pandemic, with the whole team working remotely. We’ve learned how to do it, but the beginning was difficult for everyone I think.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
Being able to pursue my dreams through work has a positive impact. The user feedback we get is heartwarming. It motivates me to work harder every day. It’s the best part of my job.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
We are currently working on two very important projects: ‘video consultations with experts on demand’ and ‘Onoco premium’. There are so many things to remember as a busy new parent, you'd like somewhere to track a few of those things you're trying to remember? Are you looking for an app you could share with your partner, family member or a nanny? Are you thinking about a new routine for your child? Onoco is the perfect solution to either of those problems! Soon Onoco parents will be able to write a question to experts regarding: sleep, nutrition or child’s behaviour and receive a video with an answer. You will also be able to schedule appointments. In addition, we will be improving daily routine creator and adding a brand new section in the Insights tab.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Super important. It’s showcasing many female tech role models to inspire and encourage future generations to choose a career in tech. It's also an amazing opportunity to connect with like-minded women from all over the world.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
Consolidation into super-apps, personalisation, data security and tracking with wearables. Baby tech and health tech are changing at a very quick speed, partly because of quickly changing consumer expectations. We are hoping to be leading the change in our sector. It’s going to be a very exciting 5 years.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Work hard and be nice to people. It’s a very simple motto which I try to live by everyday.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
Rachel Carrell - Founder of KoruKids
Michelle Kennedy - Founder of Peanut
Tania Boler - Founder of Elvie
This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder, and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic and read her stories for Forbes here.