Project Overview & Goals

​Project Overview

This solo project, undertaken as part of Sierra College's Startup & Small Business Development course, involved the conceptualization and planning of a professor-vetted concept. "Mahboo", a proposed software system designed to address a specific problem observed in pediatric healthcare settings underwent a 16 week development process. Utilizing Adobe Kickbox and lean startup methodologies, the concept was thoroughly conceptualized. The core problem identified, based on personal observation and interviews with pediatric nurses, is the common fear and anxiety experienced by young children during visits to the doctor. This anxiety often stems from fear of the unknown, general confusion, or the fear of pain. Such fear can negatively impact the child's experience, increase parental stress, and create challenges for doctors and nurses, potentially hindering the efficiency and effectiveness of treatment.​

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​Project Goals

The primary goal of the Mahboo concept was to alleviate this fear and transform the clinical visit into a more positive experience. The proposed solution aimed to be an "all-in-one package" designed to be:

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• Fun and Engaging for Children: Utilizing interactive technology to educate and entertain children during their visit, tailored to their specific circumstances, thereby reducing worry and anxiety.

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• Easy and Convenient for Parents: Providing a companion mobile application for seamless communication with the clinic, access to health information and tips, and overall peace of mind.

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• Efficient for Doctors and Clinics: Offering a simple software interface for clinicians to communicate with parents and potentially streamline parts of the visit process, aiming to improve patient satisfaction without significant time investment.

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The project's objective was not to build a fully functional product within the timeframe, but to develop a comprehensive business concept, validate the core problem through research (interviews/product website smoke-testing), outline the solution's components and features, devise a potential business model and go-to-market strategy, and project potential financial outcomes and milestones. This included creating detailed documentation like presentations, pitch scripts, financial forecasts, and analyses of potential challenges and competition. A specific goal of the project was to improve website metrics like bounce rate and contact page views for an MVP website. The project culminated in presenting the concept, including a documented pitch delivered at a Sierra College Mentor Round event.

Methodology & Approach

The approach taken for this project was grounded in identifying a real-world problem and developing a conceptual business solution, following steps common in startup ideation.

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​Problem Identification & Validation

The process began with identifying the problem of pediatric anxiety during clinic visits, informed by personal observation and initial discussions with pediatric nurses. This was further validated through structured interviews with individuals having experience in pediatric care settings. These interviews aimed to confirm the prevalence and nature of the problem, understand contributing factors (fear of the unknown, pain, environment), and explore existing coping mechanisms or solutions. Questions explored the experiences of children, parents, and clinical staff.​

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​Solution Conceptualization

Based on the validated problem, the Mahboo concept was developed as a three-part software system: a child-facing tablet application, a parent companion app, and doctor input software. The features were designed to directly address the identified issues – engagement and education for the child, communication and information access for the parent, and efficiency for the clinic. Ideas like personalization, rewards, and age-appropriateness were incorporated based on feedback and goals.​

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​Business Model Development

A business model targeting small-to-medium clinics was formulated. This involved defining a two-part pricing strategy (initial setup fee + monthly subscription) and outlining potential sales channels (online and direct sales). Security considerations (HIPAA compliance mentioned as a potential issue in interviews), reliability, and ease of use were identified as critical selling points. Sanitation was also noted as a practical requirement.
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Market & Competitive Analysis

Research was conducted to identify potential competitors like Motion Magix and Getwellnetwork, as well as the general competition from smartphones. The analysis focused on differentiating Mahboo through its specific focus on pediatric outpatient care, personalized educational content, and an integrated approach for child, parent, and doctor.​

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​Planning & Documentation

Significant effort went into documenting the concept. This included creating mission statement mock-ups, detailed presentations outlining the problem, solution, business model, competition, team plan, and crafting pitches for different audiences (class presentation, mentor pitch). Financial planning involved creating detailed startup cost estimates (listing items like office space, furniture, software licenses, hardware, marketing costs, labor) and projecting revenue, costs, and user acquisition milestones over three years. A basic website was created, and initial analytics were reviewed.

Key Activities & Execution

The following activities were undertaken during the project:
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Primary Research (Interviews)

Conducted at three interviews with individuals knowledgeable about pediatric clinical environments. Questions were prepared beforehand to probe issues like children's anxiety triggers, effective coping strategies, parent concerns, clinician frustrations (e.g., time constraints, resources), communication effectiveness, and potential roadblocks for implementing a new tool (cost, privacy, hygiene, time). Feedback and insights were documented, including potential features requested (e.g., connecting children) and concerns raised. Interview results were scored based on perceived customer match and problem relevance.​

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Concept Design & Feature Definition

Defined the core components of the Mahboo system: the tablet app, companion app, and doctor software. Outlined key features for each:

• Tablet: Games, music, activities, personalized/catered content based on age/visit, educational elements (how the body works, visit specifics), avatar/character interaction, point system.

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• Companion App: Doctor-parent communication, health tips/records access, and information viewing. Ability for children to watch related videos via the app.

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• Doctor Software: A simple, quick communication tool for sharing information with parents.
   

Business Model & Strategy Formulation​

Determined the target market (small/medium clinics), established a pricing model (setup + subscription), and planned a phased sales and marketing approach (initial Google Ads/social media focus, followed by direct sales). Identified key value propositions like security, simplicity, and effectiveness.

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​Financial Planning & Projection

Researched and documented estimated startup costs across various categories (administrative, location, equipment, marketing, labor). Created multi-year financial projections detailing quarterly costs, anticipated sign-ups, upfront earnings, and subscription revenue, culminating in projected cumulative earnings and sign-ups.

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Competitive Landscape Mapping

Identified direct and indirect competitors (Motion Magix, Getwellnetwork, smartphones) and articulated Mahboo's planned differentiation points.
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​Website Setup & Initial Analysis

Set up a basic project website through Squarespace. Used Google Ads for initial promotion. Gathered and documented preliminary website performance data using Google Analytics, including sessions, users, click-through rates, bounce rates, and contact page views, filtering out anomalous data ("flood").

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Development of Communication Materials 

Created a slide-based presentation covering all key aspects of the business concept. Wrote detailed scripts for both a class presentation and a specific Mentor Round Investor Pitch held at Sierra College. Drafted mission statement options.

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Planning Future Steps

Outlined a projected timeline including goals for contacts/sign-ups, hiring (freelance developer, then full-time, then sales rep), establishing an office, and reaching financial milestones over three years. Identified the immediate next step as reworking the website, prototype, and campaign.

Deliverables & Outcomes:

The documented deliverables and outcomes of this solo project are primarily conceptual and planning-focused:
 

Interview Documentation

Summaries of at least three interviews conducted, including questions asked, responses received, identified problems/features, potential roadblocks, and scored assessments of feedback relevance. Key insights regarding child anxiety triggers, parent/doctor needs, and implementation challenges (cost, HIPAA, time, sanitation) were documented outcomes of this research.

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​Concept Definition Documents

Mission statement drafts outlining the value proposition for children, parents, and doctors. Detailed descriptions of the three core components (Tablet, Companion App, Input Software) and their intended features.
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Presentation Materials

A slide deck covering the problem, solution, business model, "underlying magic" (differentiation), marketing/sales, competition, team plan, projections, and status/timeline.​

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​Pitch Scripts

Written pitches for a class presentation and a specific Mentor Round Investor Pitch at Sierra College, detailing the narrative and key points for presenting the concept.

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Business Plan Components

Documents outlining the target market, business model (including pricing ), marketing and sales strategy, competitive analysis, and a phased team-building plan.

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Financial Documentation

A detailed startup budget estimating costs for various categories like licenses, legal fees, office space, utilities, furniture, equipment (hardware/software), security, marketing, and pre-launch labor. A spreadsheet and presentation data showing quarterly financial projections for costs, sign-ups, upfront earnings, and recurring revenue over three years.
 

Initial Website Analytics Report

A summary of preliminary website data (filtered to exclude anomalous traffic), including clicks, click-through rate (CTR), sessions, bounce rate, and contact page view percentage, gathered via Google Ads and Google Analytics. Specific goals for improving these metrics were set.

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Project Status & Timeline Plan

A documented current status indicating ongoing work on the website, prototype, and campaign, along with a projected timeline outlining key milestones for user acquisition, product development (starting with a freelancer), hiring, and financial progress over the next three years.

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The primary outcome was a fully documented business concept and plan for Mahboo, supported by initial problem validation research and preliminary market testing via a basic website. The documented plan identified key next steps focused on refining the concept and web presence before seeking freelance development. After a 16-week culmination of the project, I was chosen out of the class to present the concept at the startup pitch event, where I spoke before dozens of students, professors, and over 10 local investors. Positive feedback was given.

Tools & Technologies Used

Presentation Software

Google Slides was utilized for pitches.

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​Document Processing Software
 Multiple text documents through Google Docs

Spreadsheet/Calculation Software

Google Sheets and Excel were utilized for financial projections and analysis.​

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Website Development Platform (Squarespace)

The website platform for the concept.

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​Google Analytics

Used to track website traffic and user behavior (sessions, bounce rate, page views).

Google Ads

Used for initial online advertising to target clinics and gather data.