What she did: After hearing a lot of griping from friends and colleagues about finding good child care, singer Kristina Wilson, 33, figured she'd found the perfect business: a lot of demand and a great labor pool of struggling artists and performers sick of waiting on tables. In 2006 the former Morgan Stanley executive assistant launched Sitters Studio. She says revenue is just under $1 million a year. The company operates in New York City and now has expanded to Chicago. Its secret? Parents, she says, appreciate the vetting process and child-development classes for all the babysitters. The artsy vibe doesn't hurt either -- especially in Brooklyn. Still, she points out, "we use corporate standards to run the company."
The challenge: Taking an ordinary commoditized product and making it something special
