The Biz

The “mompreneur” has become a recognized contributor to American business. Mompreneurs are inspired by their own lives and their children, sometimes creating products or services based on a need they themselves wanted to fill. The following is just a sampling of some of the companies that have made an impression on the children’s market. They cover a wide range of products and age demographics, but they all have one thing in common: they were launched by American mompreneurs. Our review includes: Tattly, cachcach, Diapees and Wipees and No Slippy Hair Clippy.

Imagined monsters lurking under a child’s bed is an age-old fright. Some parents have used “monster spray” to rid the room of beasts, or tried to calm the child with other methods. What if you could offer your customers friendly monsters who could help their little ones rest easy? Monster Factory, a character toy brand based in Canada, creates soft plush monster friends. The Monster Factory motto: “Monsters are just like you and me.” Founded by Adam Dunn, Rhya Tamasauskas and Bliss Man, the Monster Factory began as a collaborative art project that saw the creation of the original six monster characters, known as the Heartbreakers.

Scheduling is one of the most difficult parts of family life. It’s tough enough to schlep kids from dental appointments and soccer games to after-school programs and violin lessons — but it’s tougher when children aren’t aware of the time. Families have tried to teach children the value of being on time… with mixed results. Some children always have an eye on the clock, and others can’t seem to find their own watches, much less a clock on the wall. Wouldn’t it be great to have kids want to keep an eye on the time? With the attention-getting pieces from RUBR, families may have just found the answer to keeping kids on schedule.

Child to Cherish
pediped footwear

You can’t go through most any home store without seeing wall transfer decals with inspirational quotes. Before you think, “Been there, done that,” mind your Ps and Qs with Alphabet Garden Designs. These fresh and customized designs create a hand-painted look that complements existing décor. Customers can pick the desired size and color of their design and each one is custom cut . They even offer two finishes: the matte finish is perfect for the indoor hand-painted effect and the glossy finish works wonderfully outdoors. Jenn West and Camilla Rose created the company to offer more versatility than other store-bought decals available.

Shoppers are always on the lookout for special gifts for new parents or shower presents that are not ho-hum. Some items are so filled with fun they scream “buy me!” while others attract because they are ecologically in tune. The more variety you offer, the greater your rewards as customers like having a selection of items at different price points. Great shower and baby gifts help build your business as others ask the happy recipients, “Where did you get that?” Gifts from Nui Organics, Wry Baby, Wupzey and Nova Nature are all well designed, with the right combinations of whimsy, practicality and sensible pricing.

So what makes a stuffed toy special? It’s not always easy to say; sometimes a kid just seems to have a certain chemistry with a toy, even when there’s seemingly little that sets it apart. Oh So Cuddly Stuff is a company that wants their toys to be those special ones in every child’s toy box. The company is fairly new –– toy designers Mark Davies and David Dalton founded it in 2011. They believe that the perfect stuffed toy begins with the softest, most huggable materials, and they pay close attention to details, including stitching and feature placement, so the look is handmade and high quality.

Bumkins Finer Baby Products
HALO® Innovations

The great thing about offering home, lifestyle and gift items in your store is that most can be displayed without regard to time or season. To ensure they are a selection of new products, buyers will swarm the New York International Gift Fair® January 26-30. Drawing an estimated 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and 80+ countries, the NYIGF is produced twice annually. Held in January and August in New York City, the Fair hosts about 2,800 exhibiting companies showcasing brands across the home, lifestyle and gift spectrum. The Giggle Guide™ has culled the list of exhibitors to preview a selection of interesting children’s items, including Zipit, Pure Play Kids, Greenpoint Brands and Buzzworthy Baby.

Parents share the same conundrum when it comes to infants: at some point they just have to put them down. And when they can’t hold them in their arms, babies need a soft and safe place to land. Sure, they could use a blanket on the floor, but that just invites any foreign substance to reach their tender mouths. It also doesn’t exactly offer the most comfort to little bodies. Pello is this problem’s solver. It’s the luxe floor pillow designed by a mom for her own infant.

It is always inspiring to see the birth of new companies, but especially when our economy is struggling. In a time when it seems we are seeing more companies closing their doors, the birth of a new enterprise brings with it the anticipation of better things to come. Like a crocus that pushes up and blossoms through the cold snow after a harsh winter, Be{tween} Collection, The Tangerine Tree, coveRumps and Foamnasium are new companies that did indeed bloom, despite challenging times. It is the tenacity and spirit of these companies, three of which were started by women entrepreneurs, that lets us see something special… the promise of tomorrow.

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