Founded in Whitby, the Hire and Fire Your Kids app is helping parents raise their kids in the digital age by building them up today to be the confident, independent, happy & healthy adults of tomorrow. 

Hire and Fire Your Kids (HFK), a Whitby-based technology start-up developed a gamified parenting app that helps parents raise their kids and prepare them for the “real world.” The app can be used to keep parents and kids accountable regarding hygiene, manners, and family values. The game is played in the home between parents and kids, where parents can hire their kids for various jobs around the house and fire them if they are caught one too many times not meeting household expectations – but don’t worry, firing your kids doesn’t mean they’re off the hook, it just means they will have to work to rectify the situation before they receive any reward.

The Hire and Fire game initially started on pen and paper when Founder Jody Swain wanted to create a fun and easy way to manage boundaries and household expectations with her daughter and her stepsons. The game was a hit amongst her children and Jody, as a parent and stepparent, found that the game made communicating with the kids frictionless. The more her children participated, the more empowered and motivated they became to do things around the home.

Knowing how significantly the Hire and Fire game helped Jody and her family, Jody was determined to take the idea to the next level and create an app that was accessible to families. Without a tech background, Jody felt that she needed support on the tech side of things and turned to the Durham Region technology ecosystem, including 1855 Whitby and Spark Centre. Jody notes that working with 1855 Whitby has been instrumental in the growth and success of her business:

Being a part of the tech world as a non-tech founder, 1855 Whitby has offered exactly the type of support and guidance I need to propel my business forward. The team at 1855 was hugely supportive in helping me secure funding to further grow my business. The space itself is lovely – I’m able to host meetings and although I’m a sole proprietor, working out of 1855 along other tech founders has made me feel like I’m a part of a team.

Jody Swain, Founder, Hire and Fire Your Kids

 

In addition to 1855, Jody felt support from other organizations in Whitby’s business community, including the Business Advisory Centre Durham (BACD) and the Whitby Chamber of Commerce (WCC). Working with both organizations has helped Jody establish a network within the community and create opportunities to further showcase her business, including a speaking opportunity at Whitby Chamber’s signature Connect Women event. Jody notes that she wishes she had begun working with BACD from the very get-go and recommends all new entrepreneurs reach out to BACD for support.

Jody’s journey as a tech entrepreneur has been nothing short of exciting; HFK was featured on CityNews and Jody was on season 14 of Dragon’s Den, where she ended up striking a deal with Dragon Lane Merrifield. The HFK app has seen users from across the globe. Jody believes that much of HFK’s success can be attributed to the openness and honesty of its customers. Building an app is no easy feat and Jody relies on customer feedback to make changes to the user experience.

Jody has big aspirations for HFK and continues to seek new opportunities to fund and grow the app. The app is currently available in the Apple App Store, on Google Play, and on the Amazon Appstore.

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