Rancho Santa Fe mom-turned-entrepreneur Sheena Badani has started a new business to help dads make the most of their time with their kids.
With her company Parint, she is helping dads build meaningful relationships with their children through customized one-on-one adventures. The outings are specially crafted toward each dad and kid's interests— from princess excursions to dinosaur-themed nature treks to stoking memorable conversations.
“They don’t have to be big and elaborate,” Badani said of Parint’s elevated dad dates she calls “Dadventures.” “It’s about making space for that intentional time which can be very hard to come by.”
Badani moved to The Crosby community three years ago from San Francisco with her husband and three children. An alum of UC Berkeley and Harvard Business School, Badani worked for over 15 years as a tech executive doing a variety of jobs in sales, marketing and product development at companies such as LinkedIn MondoDB and Gong. She left her career to focus on building her own business around something she was so passionate about.
“For me it was the result of a very simple but powerful realization that time is our most precious asset,” Badani said.
The saying that “kids grow up so fast” is a common cliche but since becoming a mother, Badani has come to understand just how true it actually is. Parents have 18 years before their children venture out on their own and they need to make the most of their time together and be present, she said.
Growing up both of her parents worked and her father worked nights and weekends. The moments with her dad that really stand out were when it was just she and him, doing something special and different together. She remembers when she was 9 years old and her dad took her on a day trip to San Francisco.
“I remember eating warm clam chowder bowls together, staring at the ships in the bay in the hazy fog,” she said, easily calling up the lovely memory. “It made me feel so special and heard that we had that common experience.”
As she explored the idea for Parint, the one common thing she heard from dads was that distractions and mundane tasks often got in the way of quality time. She wanted to help create meaningful experiences for those dads who had very demanding jobs, those who maybe didn’t have strong father figures growing up or men that aspire to be more intentional fathers.
Parint focuses on just one-on-one experiences. Dads fill out an introductory form to share about theirs and their child’s interests—just the act of filling out the form can be a learning and bonding opportunity on its own, Badani said. The trips are then tailor-made for each duo. Every Dadvenuture includes a variety of elements to foster connections: real world exploration, a hands on activity, a creative thinking element and conversation starters.
One recent Dadventure for a five-year-old boy who loves the Pixar movie “Cars” included a trip to the Deer Park Winery and Auto Museum in Escondido to check out antique vehicles, a license plate scavenger hunt, and an opportunity for dad and son to design their own cars with modeling clay. The pair also had a conversation about their dream cars.
Another excursion in San Francisco for a young K-pop fan and her dad included touring around Japantown, trying sushi for the first time and singing karaoke together in a private room.
Coming up with unique activities and creative destinations is a lot of fun for Badani: “I’m an explorer, I love to get to know my local area, I love to travel the world and I’m doing it vicariously through my customers,” she said.
Some of her favorite hidden gems she’s discovered include the EcoVivarium in Escondido where kids can interact with reptiles, the Spanish Village Art Center for art lovers and a Petco Park tour for young sports fans.
An added benefit of Parint are the partnership opportunities for local businesses who may be looking to attract more of a family audience.
Badani started Parint in the local San Diego area late last year, building her base of customers and local businesses and growing through word of mouth. In the last months she has expanded to the Bay Area and New York.
Her success can be seen on the Parint Instagram page, filled with the bright and smiling selfies of happy dads and kids. Customers often share photos and tell how much of a blast they had on their outings and how excited their kids were to be with dad. One shared a heartwarming story of tucking their daughter in that night and hearing her say “thank you” and “I love you,” words they hadn’t often expressed.
“I feel like I’m making somebody’s day, It makes me feel good,” said Badani. “I hope I can play a small part in creating memories and those lasting relationships.”
If dads are interested in trying out Parint, enjoy a complimentary experience by signing up at Parint.co
For local businesses interested in collaborating to create engaging experiences for families, contact sheena@parint.co
This story originally appeared in Rancho Santa Fe Review .
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