There are a variety of reasons a number of moms have found themselves inventing a product. Some are looking to generate money and stay home with the children, while others have struggled with a problem and created their own solution that could also benefit others. For Stacy Dahlman, inventor of Paci-Plushies, it was a combination of both.
“Being a stay at home mom is fulfilling in many ways, but after a few years of constant cartoon watching and toddler activities, it's easy to lose sight of your former self. I felt like there was this whole other person locked away inside of me, just waiting for a chance to re-surface. I was already at the point of desiring to accomplish something that would be personally satisfying when the idea for the Paci-Plushies, a small stuffed-animal that attaches to a baby’s pacifier, came to mind. From the beginning, I hadn't exactly set out to create my own business. I basically had this idea, and continued to move forward with it because it brought forth a new sense of serenity and achievement in my life.”
Stacy quickly realized that developing a business has many challenges and adding the twist of bringing a product to market adds another facet to these obstacles. “After applying for a patent, I had two options: I could sit back and wait for the Patent Office to approve my patent or I could move out of my comfort zone, start a business and begin to manufacture the Paci-Plushies right away. I decided on option number two and have moving full force ahead ever since.”
One of the biggest challenges for most new businesses owners is the development of a budget. Without a well defined and thought out budget, a great product idea can quickly become a disaster. One can find themselves far into the development of the product and realize they are out of money, finding their idea ended before it even had a chance to get started. Stacy realized that having a vague idea of a budget is vastly different than the reality of a concrete number. “Initially, I had a dollar amount in my head that I considered my "budget". This was a substantial amount of money, but it was an amount that I wouldn't lose any sleep over had my idea turned out to be a complete flop. Fast forward a year and a half later and I realize that my original budget was almost laughable; add on $100,000 and that's what my original budget should have been!”
Stacy has an excellent perspective of her product development experience. She realized that there is so much more to it then thinking of a product and getting it to market. As she explains, “Developing the Paci-Plushies has been a journey about self discovery, the quest to further one's knowledge and the realization of innate ability. The lessons I've learned and the people I've met along the way are irreplaceable. There certainly were days when I just wanted to throw in the towel, but every low point in the journey has taught me something about myself, and has made me a better person in one way or another. Even with all the negatives I experienced, I can honestly say that I would do it all over again in a heart-beat.”
Stacy has proven that multi-tasking and time management are vital to being a mom, business person and an inventor. It took Stacy 12 months from having the vision for her product to getting it to market. For those that have always thought they had the perfect product idea, Stacy is proof that it can be done with a lot of hard work and determination.
If you have a great idea, do your research and see what else is on the market. Check out the following websites for guidance on inventions and starting a business:
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www.score.org)
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www.mominventors.com)
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www.uspto.gov)
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www.sba.gov)
Lesley Spencer Pyle is the founder and president of the HBWM.com, Inc. Network which includes Home-Based Working Moms(
Home-based working moms) and HireMyMom.com (
HireMyMom). Pyle has been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Parenting, Dr. Laura's Perspectives, Family PC and many others. She has 4 children ages 2 to 14 years and has been working from home since the first baby was born!
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