Jamie Ratner, MS'01: As Seen on Shark Tank

Simply making it to Shark Tank might be the ultimate dream for an entrepreneur. But, last year, Jamie Ratner, MS’01, founder and CEO of CertifiKID, closed a deal with Mr. Wonderful himself, for her discount website for family-friendly activities. Before starting CertifiKID, Jamie worked in security for almost a decade after receiving her master’s in criminal justice at Northeastern. But, as a parent and self-proclaimed deal-finder, Jamie and her husband saw a gap in the market for kid-friendly events, offering amusement parks and birthday parties instead of spas and restaurants. Their solution—Certifikid. However, like many others, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Jamie's business, forcing her to pivot and offer awareness and discounts for virtual kid programming. Today, she's working hard to stay resilient, and is ready to share the lessons she's learned from navigating through the unique circumstances. Visit certifikid.com