Hey, if a company can be named Google or Zynga and be successful, why not BooginHead?
I know what you're thinking: What's a BooginHead, and can I use it as a Scrabble word? According to company founder Sari Crevin, the name refers to those times when someone "does something they shouldn't, but they do it regardless and it makes you laugh." A prime example is her toddler son, Jake, who liked to toss his sippy cup on the floor over and over just for the sheer enjoyment of watching mom pick it up every time.
The thing about cute-product businesses like this one is that they can seem easy. Create an adorable product with an "awwwww" factor, and the rest is a breeze.
Not so fast. "The juvenile industry is incredibly competitive," Crevin says. "It's one of the few industries where mom and pop operations can compete right alongside larger companies on the shelves. Because of that, the barrier to entry is smaller and each year you have more copycat competitors entering the space. But, also because of that fact, there is room for new and innovative products that otherwise would never make it to market."
Like many entrepreneurs, Crevin, a former Microsoft human resource manager, started the business because of personal experience. "I couldn't find a product that met my own needs and standards. I was tired of chasing after my one-year-old's sippy cup that he loved to throw from his high chair and stroller. I didn't want to walk into a store and see that someone else had already come up with an idea like SippiGrip and got it into stores first. I never want to look back and say, "coulda, woulda, shoulda.' "
Here are the three biggest mistakes Crevin made in starting the business: read and learn.
- Trademark and brand name searches and clearances. "Over year ago, out of the blue, I got a letter from Platex that informed me that I could not use any form of the word 'binky' and my second product was called 'BinkiGrip'. There was a lot of scrambling to change the name and the packaging for everything I had in production. I ended up changing it twice before landing on PaciGrip.
- Not investing in a good graphic designer sooner. "I worked with a lot of designers who were a lot less expensive but just couldn't deliver the kind of brand image I was looking for. Now that I have been working with my current designer for over two years, it's great to know that with each new product, packaging design and marketing materials generated, someone is watching out to make sure my brand's look and feel is consistent."
- Short-term financial decisions. "There were many times in the beginning where I made financial decisions based on the short term rather than looking at the larger picture. What might have seemed expensive at the time, like flying in product for a retailer instead of letting it arrive by sea, really wasn't takng into account what was best for the company or the client long-term."
Now for the three best decisions Crevin made.
- Invested in a good lawyer. "There are many places to cut corners, but a lawyer isn't one of them. Trademark and patent applications can be very tricky." Take note, those people heading over to LegalZoom.
- Made product changes based on customer input. "I always listened to my customers and made changes and upgrades based on their needs. After reading reviews online for PaciGrip I realized how important it was that it worked with all brands of pacifiers. That alteration made it universally compatible and it is now my best-selling product."
- Early trade show entry. "Even when my intial product, the SippiGrip, was still in the early stages, I took a leap and signed on as a vendor at the ABC Kids Expo Trade Show."
BooginHead now has sales exceeding $1 million a year. Crevin credits other mompreneurs for inspiration, including Tamara Monosoff of Mom Invented and Kim Lavine of Mommy Millionaire.
For more of our interview with Sari Crevin, click here.