Ep 367 | Joan Nguyen

Written By Yasmin Nouri

Losing Her Home, Going 21 Months Without Pay: The Relentless Fight to Keep Her Business Alive

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Joan Nguyen is the co-founder and CEO of Bumo, a platform revolutionizing childcare with flexible, on-demand options for families.

Raised by Vietnamese refugee parents who taught her that education was both a privilege and a pathway, Joan’s entrepreneurial journey began at just 20 years old when she founded MeriEducation with $3,000 in savings, eventually growing it into an Inc. 5000 company. Years later, as a working mother, she teamed up with Chriselle Lim to launch Bumo in 2019. From pitching over 200 investors with repeated rejections, to losing her home in the LA wildfires, to pivoting the company into a virtual school in just eleven days during the pandemic, Joan has demonstrated remarkable resilience. Today, Bumo has raised over $10 million and built a nationwide marketplace connecting families with thousands of licensed childcare providers.

In this week’s episode, Joan opens up about the pivots that shaped her journey. She shares what it was like navigating survival mode versus thriving mode as a founder, building a supportive community, and finally breaking through with investors. We talk about the challenges of fundraising and adapting quickly during the pandemic to save her business. Joan also shares the lessons she’s learned about resilience, setting boundaries as a parent and leader, and the power of asking for help. If you’ve ever faced setbacks that felt impossible to overcome, this conversation is proof that your hardest seasons can set the stage for your biggest breakthroughs.

Show Notes:

  • The power of pivots and why Joan always leads with serving her community. [02:21]

  • How every job and connection came full circle in her entrepreneurial journey. [04:34]

  • Lessons in resilience and perspective from her refugee parents. [07:35]

  • Surviving vs. thriving: the mindset shift as a founder. [09:51]

  • Losing her home, kids’ school, and 300 daycares in the LA fires. [11:29]

  • Running a fashion line and tutoring before choosing education. [13:50]

  • From “glorified intern” to co-founder & CEO of Bumo. [18:57]

  • Pitching 200+ investors and the early rejections. [23:31]

  • Building community with the Bumo Digest parenting newsletter. [25:35]

  • Landing her first lead investor (& literally breaking open doors). [28:16]

  • Pivoting during the pandemic and launching a virtual school. [30:45]

  • Why 2022–2023 were some of Bumo’s hardest years. [33:40]

  • The traction and proof points that led to raising $10M. [40:26]

  • How Joan has evolved as a leader through six years of building. [41:28]

  • The power of focus, hiring right, and clear communication. [51:18]

  • Setting boundaries as a founder and parent. [47:08]

  • Joan’s biggest piece of advice: why asking for help can change everything. [51:07]

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Ep 363 | Yasmin Nouri and Kaya Purohit