From Big Tech Executive To Parent Tech Pioneer: How Medha Nicky Rishi Is Redefining Modern Parenting With MissPoppins

Meet Medha Nicky Rishi, a former Big Tech Global HR executive turned pioneering entrepreneur who is revolutionizing the parenting landscape. With over a decade of experience shaping workforce well-being strategies across 63+ countries at companies like Square, Nicky has transitioned from advocating for changemakers on multinational boards to becoming one herself. As a twin mother, she intimately understands the challenges modern parents face and has channeled this personal experience into creating innovative solutions.

Nicky is the founder of MissPoppins, an innovative 24/7 parent tech platform that connects parents with certified childcare and family providers from prenatal through toddlerhood stages. The platform offers everything from doulas to sleep coaches to speech therapists, providing personalized, real-time guidance to simplify every stage of parenting. What sets MissPoppins apart is its comprehensive approach—combining technology, community, and expert care in one seamless experience with on-demand parent coaching.

Her entrepreneurial philosophy centers on a powerful belief: “As women we are taught to doubt our capabilities instead of confidently advocating for them. I believe that the world is overdue for women-led solutions that fix modern day problems.” This conviction drives her mission to close educational gaps in parenting training while building technology that truly serves families.

In an exclusive interview with Entrepreneur Loop, Nicky shares her journey from corporate executive to startup founder, revealing the challenges of building a two-sided marketplace, the importance of pivoting business models, and her vision for scaling MissPoppins nationally through strategic HR and clinic partnerships.

Please provide a brief introduction of yourself and your professional background.

I’m Nicky Rishi—a Big Tech Global HR executive and twin mom turned founder. I’ve spent over a decade shaping workforce well-being strategies across 63+ countries, most recently at Square and have advocated across multinational boards to support changemakers.

Please tell us a bit more about your startup – what does it offer, what problem does it solve, and who is your target audience?

Our target audiences range from HR employee benefit providers, childcare/parenting experts, and parents.

What inspired you to start your own business? What was the “aha” moment?

MissPoppins. sprouted from personal need when I became a mother of twins. Nobody prepares you for parenthood, it was when I felt the most unsupported. These were times I Googled endlessly and wished I had guidance on demand.

What were some of the biggest initial challenges you faced in getting your business off the ground?

How did you overcome them?  The biggest challenges we faced was understanding which consumer or business profile to target. A marketplace model means you have a two sided economy and your business model may pivot throughout its growth stages.

How did you identify a gap in the market or need that your business fulfills?

We identified a market that was ripe for disruption. There is a current rise in solopreneurship with providers ready to assist. Changes in technological innovation and workforce participation has only widened the gap for human connection and parenting training.

What has been your approach to funding your startup? Did you use your own savings, seek investors, crowdfund?

We are currently bootstapped and have spearheaded our sales initiatives. After a successful revenue generating quarter, we are now seeking institutional investors.

How did you go about building your team and attracting talent in the early days?

Promoting our mission statement is key. We want people to understand the company goals and how they can make a difference.

What have been some of the toughest decisions you’ve had to make as a founder?

Any stand out as pivotal? Knowing how to pivot your business model during each stage is important. As a marketplace model, there are several growth revenue avenues to pivot towards.

What have been your key strategies for growth and gaining traction/users?

Having a clear value proposition by continuously improving the tech and brand side of the company.

How do you stand out from the competition in your space? What sets your product/service apart?

We are the only platform with a broad range of specialties. Additionally, we developed proprietary AI technology that creates a unique user experience. We are the top choice for HR professionals seeking a flexible solution for their parent workforce.

What have been some mistakes or failures you’ve made along the way as an entrepreneur? How did you recover and learn from them?

Always having the target consumer in mind before developing any new features, products, or services.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting out?  

As big as your idea may be, it is important to keep communication of your story clear and concise.

What are the most important skills someone needs to be a successful founder, in your opinion?

Grit and fearlessness. You have to be willing to take an idea and completely dive in that direction with strong but strategically proven conviction.

What does a typical day or week look like for you? How do you manage work-life balance?

Life as an entrepreneur is less about work life balance and more like work-life harmony. As a mission-driven founder, it is important to carry your brand wherever you go.

What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about being an entrepreneur?

Having a strong mission is rewarding to the team. Knowing that we are closing educational gaps in parenting training is fulfilling; it also improves the world around us.

What are some future goals or plans you have for your business in the next few years?

We plan to scale nationally through HR and clinic partnerships, then expand to global markets where digital parenting tools are underserved. Future ideas in the work include: an AI personalization engine, developing employer dashboards, and launching provider certifications, all in service of becoming the go-to infrastructure for modern parenting.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start their own company?

Solve a problem you can’t ignore. It has to matter enough that you’ll keep showing up when it’s hard and quiet. Also, build in community, not isolation. The more vulnerable and open you are in providing value to your community, the more it is embraced.

Medha Nicky Rishi’s journey from Big Tech executive to parent tech entrepreneur exemplifies the power of solving problems you can’t ignore. Through MissPoppins, she’s not just building a business—she’s creating the infrastructure for modern parenting that she wished existed during her own journey as a twin mother. With plans to scale nationally and expand globally, Nicky is proving that when women confidently advocate for their capabilities and build solutions for real-world problems, they can truly change the landscape for generations to come. Her story serves as an inspiring reminder that the most impactful startups often emerge from our most personal challenges.