After so many years of meeting, working with and interviewing home based business owners, I never get tired of hearing their “how I got started” stories. Maybe it’s because none of the stories are the same, including the ones behind these two businesses.
Business: Cute Beltz, a line of belts and accessories for children 12 months to 6 years young.
Motivation: No existing product was available. “I could never find a belt for my two-year old. My sister had the same issue while shopping for her son. The items I did find were a nuisance as I had to add notches in the belt or use safety pins, which are dangerous for kids,” says designer and founder, Kristen Ford-Stevens.
Outcome: CuteBeltz was founded and thriving online in a matter of months. “The response I’ve received from parents has been an ecstatic sigh of relief. They are witnessing their child’s self confidence heighten each time they put on Cute Beltz,” says Ford-Stevens.
Business: ToiBocks, a wooden box that’s protected by a hidden magnetic lock mechanism that’s embedded in the wood, allows easy access and keeps out prying eyes and sticky fingers.
Motivation: A need for privacy. “One day my four-year-old daughter came to me with an intimate item that I thought was hidden quite well in my nightstand. At that point I realized that I truly needed some discreet storage so I began looking online for something I could keep on my nightstand or dresser. Everything I found had a padlock or required a small key for access, and in that fruitless search, my idea for ToiBocks was born,” says Dawn Tulman, President of ToiBocks.
Outcome: Sales of Toibocks continue to increase and their fan base grows daily. They encourage their Facebook friends to answer the question: “What do you store in your ToiBock?” which brings out a few interesting responses.
