An Honest Chat with TaskRabbit Founder, Leah Busque

Earlier this year we kicked off a collaboration with TaskRabbit, an on-demand marketplace that helps you live smarter by outsourcing household errands and skilled tasks to trusted people in your community. Now, when you request an Honest Home Cleaning, a “Tasker” will come and clean your home with our family-friendly products. It’s good clean fun!

Today, we’re thrilled to share an exclusive interview with TaskRabbit Founder (and Honest Mom), Leah Busque. Learn more about how she took TaskRabbit from an idea to a full-fledged company and find out her top tips for female entrepreneurs.

Where did the concept for TaskRabbit come from?

In 2008, on a snowy night in Boston, my husband and I were rushing out to dinner when we realized we were out of dog food. We didn’t want to cancel our reservation, but needed to feed our very hungry yellow lab, Kobe. It was then that I had the initial idea that would soon turn into TaskRabbit. I wanted to connect people with a need, with others in their community who had the time and willingness to do it. Four months later I quit my engineering job at IBM to bring the concept of TaskRabbit to life.

Can you tell us more about the TaskRabbit mission?

Our mission is simple: to empower people to be their most productive selves every day. TaskRabbit is a two-sided marketplace where on one side, we’re helping consumers get their chores done, while on the other side, we’re providing flexible ways to make money. We’ve shifted the way the platform works over the years to better serve both our Clients and our Taskers, and today, have created a faster, more real-time version of our product that helps you get something done now or whenever is most convenient for you. We’re revolutionizing everyday work, and are excited about shaping the future of what that looks like around the world.

So, it’s mutually beneficial?

Exactly — as a two-sided marketplace, there are a lot of benefits for both Clients and Taskers.

For Clients, we’re giving them back some time in their day so they can focus on the things that are most important to them. For some, that might mean hiring a Tasker to clean the house so they can take the kids to the zoo. For others it’s getting a Tasker to hang shelves so that they can go for a run or try out that new yoga class. We’re helping people find more balance in their lives, so they can prioritize family, fitness, or passion projects they’ve been putting off, while giving them the peace of mind that everything they need to take care of will get done.

For Taskers, we allow them to set their own schedules, decide who they want to work for, what type of work they want to do, and set their own hourly rates. There’s an incredible amount of flexibility, so they can integrate work into their daily lives in in a way that’s most convenient for them. For example, we have a lot of moms that appreciate the flexibility that TaskRabbit has to offer —  to run errands for Clients before having to pick the kids up from school or soccer practice. We hear a lot of inspiring stories, which definitely keeps us motivated.

What are your top goals for TaskRabbit in the next few years?

We’ve accomplished a great deal already, but I feel like we've barely scratched the surface. There’s still so much opportunity and potential for the company to fulfill. We'll be focusing on profitability, expanding to new global markets, and growing our user base so that more people around the world will be able to experience this new way of living.

Based on your experience, what advice would you give to young female entrepreneurs?

There are so many people with great ideas, but it’s the execution and action that make you an entrepreneur. Confidence is key. Don't focus on all of the things that you don't know how to do or all of the things that could go wrong. See how far you can take something, which is some advice Scott Griffith, one of my early mentors, gave me when I was first thinking about starting TaskRabbit. Keep pushing your ideas forward. There are a million reasons why something won't work, but hold on to the passion and be open to learning a lot along the way. You won't know everything at the beginning, but if you have enough faith in yourself and your idea, you'll figure it out.

Additionally, never pass up a good networking opportunity. Put yourself in front of people who can provide invaluable guidance and mentorship. You never know when the right time will come to sell your idea, and having built those impactful relationships will help.

Do you have a favorite Honest Product?

I enjoy so many of the products. I'm a mom myself, expecting my second child, and Honest has been a big part of our family's lives. I rely on the diaper bundles and everyday essentials to keep my house in order, even enlisting Taskers to use Honest cleaning products to keep the house sparkling and safe for my daughter to run, crawl and play in. We’re in the midst of decorating our second nursery and I love the beauty of the Honest Crib and Dresser set — it has the clean lines we were looking for and gives the room a much-needed pop of color.  My husband and I are excited about how it’s all coming together and are counting down the days until we sign up for our next  monthly Honest Diapers bundle subscription... can't wait to see those fun designs in tiny newborn sizes again!

Thank you to Leah and the rest of the TaskRabbit team! To learn more, head over to TaskRabbit.