Hulafrog

Hulafrog operates as a national-local digital media firm focused on connecting parents with local activities, events, and businesses catering to families with children.

The company was founded in 2010 by Sherry Lombardi and Kerry Bowbliss in Red Bank, New Jersey. The founders, both mothers who had moved to the area, identified a need for a centralized, comprehensive source for local, family-oriented information. This personal experience directly shaped the company's mission. The venture was formerly venture-capital-backed, securing a $500K seed round in 2013 and a subsequent $300K early-stage VC round in 2014.

Hulafrog's business model hinges on a network of local websites, each managed by a publisher—typically a local parent—who runs the site from home. This structure, which Lombardi once described as a "digital-age Avon," allows for deep, community-level engagement. Publishers undergo a training program, called Hulafrog University, to learn about sales, marketing, and managing their local edition. Revenue is generated primarily through advertising sales to local businesses, with publishers earning commissions on these sales. The platform provides these businesses with a direct channel to a highly targeted demographic of parents. The core service for users includes a business directory, an event calendar, and newsletters that deliver curated, aggregated information on local happenings, deals, and ideas for families. More recently, the company expanded its offerings to include a national daily email newsletter called Hulafrog Today.

A significant milestone in the company's history occurred in January 2023, when Hulafrog was acquired by CertifiKID. This acquisition placed Hulafrog within a larger portfolio of parent-focused media brands, including Macaroni KID, aiming to create one of the largest digital media and advertising companies in the parent-focused space in the country.

Keywords: parent resources, local family events, kids activities, community guide, digital media for parents, hyperlocal advertising, parent-focused marketing, family newsletter, local business directory, mom entrepreneurs, publishers network, family deals, children's events calendar, CertifiKID, Macaroni KID, Sherry Lombardi, Kerry Bowbliss, Red Bank NJ, family-friendly businesses, parenting website