Uncovering the Equaly Scam: The Reason Janna Ensthaler Pulled Out of Investing in the Equality App
Busting the 50:50 Myth: The Untold Story of Equaly
Janna Ensthaler, renowned investor, wasn't exactly a fan of the Equaly app's mission from the get-go: "To be frank, I've got reservations about this fierce feminism," she stated, challenging the Equaly founders. In her opinion, advocating for a 50:50 divide in household chores was misguided. She believed that a woman's decision to lean more towards domestic responsibilities or career pursuits was a personal choice.
For those keeping up with her LinkedIn posts, this stance came as no surprise. A majority of her supporters were older men, while reactions from young founders were relatively scant.
Despite their differences, all parties involved managed to come together at the end of the show. Initially, Ensthaler sought a bigger chunk of the 200,000 euros she was willing to invest, but compromise prevailed, and she agreed to receive a 22.5% stake in the company.
However, there was a twist—Ensthaler never invested in Equaly, as the founders revealed in a subsequent interview with the Manager Magazin. So what really went wrong?
Balancing Acts: The Equal-Care App
The brains behind Equaly, Ronja Hoffacker and Louisa Plasberg, launched their pitch by addressing a common issue in relationships: disagreements surrounding the distribution of household tasks and childcare.
Commotion ensued among the "Lions" as they eagerly shared their own relationship woes. Judith Williams was peeved by her husband's meticulousness, Tilman Schulz had spats with his partner over perceived inconsequential tasks, and Ralph Dümmel appeared to be the only one living harmoniously with his partner, Anna Heesch.
The confessions served to emphasize a crucial point: many relationship conflicts stem from an uneven distribution of daily tasks, with common complaints like, "I always have to unload the dishwasher!" or "You never put the kids to bed!"
Hoffacker and Plasberg's solution: an app designed to help couples track, visualize, and fairly assign household chores, care work, and mental load for 159 euros/year. With the app, couples could define, distribute, and reflect on their tasks through weekly "check-ins," receive expert tips, and participate in coaching sessions.
The Lions Roar in Dissent
As the Lions prepared to make their offers, one by one, they began to retreat: Dümmel, believing the app was unnecessary for him personally; Schulz, feeling he wasn't the right fit for Equaly; Williams, firm in her belief that equality needed to be tackled on a larger scale; and Maschmeyer, unconvinced by the app's business figures.
In the end, Janna Ensthaler, the dream "Lioness" of the founders, was the only one left standing. She put forth a confident counteroffer: a 30% stake instead of the original 10%, and the 200,000 euros she could part with.
From Struggle to Success: Equaly's Evolution
The show was aired in the spring of 2024. Fast forward, and Louisa Plasberg, one of the Equaly founders, revealed in an interview with Manager Magazin that their business strategy had undergone a drastic change: "Since then, our focus has largely shifted to the B2B sector."
Contrary to what was discussed on the show, the Equaly app now caters primarily to businesses, offering leadership workshops, parental coaching, establishing parent networks, and providing advice on re-entry after parental leave. This strategic shift led to the quick attainment of profitability, prompting the founders to shelve the idea of accepting investment for the time being. They found the exchange with Janna Ensthaler beneficial regardless.
- "What about a potential collaboration between Equaly and various finance and technology companies to expand their B2B sector offerings?"
- "Given her investment stake in technology-driven companies and her interest in business, would Janna Ensthaler be interested in exploring a partnership with Equaly, now that they've shifted their focus to the B2B sector?"
