The Biz

Wouldn’t we all like to see into the future and know exactly how successful our businesses are going to be? Forecasting sales demand is not that different than trying to forecast the weather; even when all indicators point to one likely outcome, something could happen to change everything in an instant. So what is a manager to do? Well, like most meteorologists you can hedge your forecast success with historical and present day data, and then use that information to make an educated guess.

With most toddlers using sippy cups at least some of the time, there’s bound to be some daycare and playdate confusion about which one belongs to which child. This is a genuine concern, not just because of the inevitable tantrums that would ensue should the little ones realize the mix-up, but because of the transfer of germs. Baby Face Band enables parents to easily personalize their baby’s sippy cups in a way that’s both effective and super-cute. The company was launched in 2010 by momprenuer Laura Black, and has been making steady progress ever since, thanks to a wonderfully simple product that makes parents’ lives a bit easier.

There are a lot of great trends to sift through this season. We have culled some newbies to bring retailers a few of the market innovations that carry perfect designs for display throughout the fall and winter seasons. Focus holiday shoppers on earrings with a practical twist from Triple Sweet; continue the accessory trend with matching head and toe bumbums; show off a classical yet playful look with Olivia & Owen; and offer doll lovers of any age a modern Lille Huset dollhouse.

Getting organized is one of the big challenges of motherhood. Infants grow quickly and go through so many changes, it can be hard for a mom to keep up. Older kids have endless appointments, events, and extracurricular activities, and keeping on track is often difficult. Glow Baby is a company that produces useful and stylish stationery products to help a family’s schedule run smoothly. Glow Baby, a Toronto-based company, is the brainchild of Lindsay Harris, a busy mom of two who found out firsthand how difficult it can be to juggle the needs of young children while tending to all the other responsibilities of work and home.