Care.com Founder Sheila Lirio Marcelo: How a Struggling Mom Built a Million Dollar Caregiving Empire | E140

As a young mom, primary breadwinner, and full-time professional, Sheila Lirio Marcelo understood the relentless struggle of balancing work and family. The constant search for reliable care left her feeling overwhelmed. Instead of accepting this as the norm, Sheila took matters into her own hands and created Care.com, a platform that has eased the caregiving burden for millions of families worldwide. In this episode, Sheila joins Ilana to discuss her journey of balancing motherhood and a high-powered career, the challenges of building Care.com, and her exciting new venture, Ohai.ai, an AI-powered household assistant. Sheila Lirio Marcelo is the founder of Care.com, an online marketplace for families to find childcare, senior care, pet care, and more. She is also the founder of Ohai, an AI-powered household assistant designed to help reduce the mental load of running a home. In this episode, Ilana and Sheila will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (02:12) Sheila's Childhood and Family Influence (08:04) Struggling to Balance Motherhood and a Career (11:20) Her Journey Into Entrepreneurship and Care.com (14:57) Why Generalists Are Key in Business (18:12) Care.com’s Success: The Power of Testing Ideas (23:34) Building a Two-Sided Marketplace and Gaining Trust (29:44) The Decision to Go Public With Care.com (31:39) Managing Decision-Making and Stress as a Leader (33:38) Reinventing With Ohai AI for Families (40:01) Her Approach to Mental Clarity and Calm (44:44) Embracing Challenges and Personal Growth Sheila Lirio Marcelo is the founder and former CEO of Care.com, the world’s largest online caregiving marketplace, which went public in 2014 and was acquired for $500 million in 2020. After years of leading Care.com through exponential growth, Sheila transitioned into a new chapter, founding Ohai, an AI-powered household assistant designed to help manage various household activities. She is deeply committed to creating solutions that simplify life, improve well-being, and empower families. Connect with Sheila: Sheila’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sheilamarcelo  Sheila’s Instagram: instagram.com/sheilaliriomarcelo  Resources Mentioned: Care.com’s Website: https://www.care.com/  Ohai’s Website: https://www.ohai.ai/  Leap Academy: LeapCon is the #1 Conference for Reinvention, Leadership & Career — a powerful 3‑day experience designed to help you unlock what’s next in your career and life. 📍 San Jose, CA 📅 Feb 26–28, 2025 If you’re ready to step into clarity, confidence, and bold action, this is your moment.👉 Grab your ticket before doors close at leapacademy.com/leapcon