Did you hear the big news? We’re partnering with Happyly to offer 3 months of free access to their game-changing app that helps you to create meaningful moments with your family through curated, personalized experiences to meet the needs of your everyday life.

I recently moved to a new neighborhood and we’ve been using Happyly to find weekend adventures (because otherwise, we’d just head to the same playground on repeat). And we’re thrilled to offer Happyly as a benefit to Team Colugo to encourage time outside and to find volunteer opportunities in a frictionless and fun way. 

I’m so inspired by what Caitlin Iseler, Happyly’s founder & CEO, is building that I had to interview her for our Female Founder series. So, without further ado, let’s jump in. 

Hi Caitlin! Can you tell us what inspired you to found Happyly?

As a new working mom, I spent hours late at night researching how to maximize my time with my daughter. I knew there must be a better way. Parents are busy, and bringing the best practices from other industries to make it easy for families to get off their screens and safely into the world became a personal priority.

We both have 6-year-old kids, and it’s struck me lately how they’ll really remember our time together now (I have very vivid memories from when I was a first-grader!). How does Happyly help families to create meaningful moments? 

We’re big believers in offscreen time to connect deeply, slow down, and be present together. Sometimes I catch myself wanting to go big when I’m with my daughter, but then I’m reminded that it’s actually the small, everyday things that drive connection and create lasting memories. This can be exploring a new playground and watching your child gain confidence in a new environment or choosing to play tag and laugh together instead of using the time to answer emails or doom scroll. We also love giving back together in our community. Our favorite opportunity these days is Love and Lasagna, where you make lasagna for a local family in need. Working with your hands while showing love to others is such a special way to pass on values to your kiddo. It’s a great chance to slow down together too. 

I’m so excited to offer Happyly as an employee benefit at Colugo. Why is it important for employers to focus on employee wellness and how does Happyly help? 

Number one, caring about your team and investing in their well-being is the right thing to do. Second, happy and healthy people are best positioned to do great work – it’s a win-win! 

Tell me about The Happyly Giveback Feature. 

Giveback removes the friction associated with finding ways to volunteer (especially with kids) making it easy to say yes to volunteering. Within the app, you’ll find vetted ways to give back at home or in person and have access to our Giveback Assistant to help facilitate your volunteer activity. It’s good for the self, the family and the community. It boosts our mental health too! 

I love that you focus on “micro-wins” at Happyly? What’s a recent micro-win that you’ve had? 

We went to Germany to visit family and had a pretty packed schedule, but made time to do the simple things we love. We found a new playground, walked around the lake and even went paddle boating on the Alster! 

What’s next for Happyly? 

Lots of listening! We area eager to fully understand what our Happier community is loving and why, and where we can improve to best support deep connection for families and companies. 

I’ve spotted you wearing your Colugo On the Go Organizer. What are your favorite features? 

I love every bit of it!!! The cup holders are so cool and I love how much space there is. On the outside it’s a compact bag but you can truly fit everything you need – and it looks cute too :) 

Thanks so much, Caitlin! We so appreciate you taking the time and we’re so excited about our partnership to offer Happyly for 3 months free to the Colugo Community!