While Covid-19 ended in-person baby showers, Natalie Gordon of Babylist helped ensure expecting parents could still celebrate their little bundles of joy. The gift registry founder says the pandemic forced her to reimagine the baby shower experience, which, one, ensured parents could still celebrate with friends and family, and, two, solidified her company’s survival. “My fear was that in a world with Covid-19, [baby showers] would be one of the things that are hardest hit, and [change] the celebration and your village supporting you,” says Gordon.

Gordon created “how-to” guides for her customers to follow to revive the joyous occasion, virtually. She developed different Zoom backgrounds for virtual baby showers, and she crafted virtual baby shower etiquette tips, among other useful content. To her delight, parents bought in and so did everyone else, she says. “Because of Covid, [friends and family] wanted to be more helpful,” and that ensured the company’s bottom line wouldn’t fall off a cliff, Gordon says. The company actually grew its sales over 150 percent in 2020, and has doubled its revenue every year for the past three years, she says. “I am more excited about the next decade than I am about the past decade,” she adds. “We are a beloved and trusted brand for families going through this stage of life that extends in a lot of ways that we’re really excited about.”--Alicia Doniger