Baby Shoothe Massager, Lauren Piccirillo — Mompreneur Monday Shout Out
Just do it is great advice. But, sometimes, an entrepreneur needs to Stop, Think, then Go. Okay, that little bit I picked up from my son’s recent kindergarten project. But, it’s sound business advice for an entrepreneur looking to launch a health and wellness product, especially one that’s for babies.
Lauren Piccirillo spent 9 years getting her new mom must-have invention from idea to in-story reality. Baby Soothe is first ever baby massager simulating a mother’s gentle fingertip massage, to naturally soothe crying, fussy babies on-the-go.
Nine years ago, Lauren was a new mother – stressed, strapped for time, and losing sanity over her son’s crying. The only effective method to calm him was to massage him with her fingertips on his belly or back. That, was Lauren’s AHA moment !
Mompreneur Monday Shout Out
Find out how mompreneur Lauren Piccirillo turned her personal problem into a project that led to the launch of Baby Soothe and a partnership with Baby Brezza, one of the biggest baby product brands in the market.
How old are your kids? Joseph is 9 and Vincent is 6.
When did you launch your business? After 9+ years of developing my invention, I finally launched Baby Soothe with Tranquilo (the sister brand of Baby Brezza) on September 1, 2019. We are so excited to be sold at Walmart.com, select Walmarts, Amazon and Tranquilobaby.com.
Why did it take 9 years? And what was the last hurdle that brought the product to life? It took time to develop, refine and perfect the product, ensuring it was a safe and effective massager for babies. I worked closely with the engineer to guarantee we had an optimal product. Initially, I was going to manufacture it on my own, so in 2014 I launched Baby Soothe on Kickstarter with the objective of raising funds for injection molds and an order to manufacture a specific number of pieces. After the campaign, I quickly realized I wanted to license Baby Soothe, so I could continue to do what I do best: market, develop and sell inventions. The last hurdle was finding the perfect licensing partner company whose mission was aligned with mine. After 5 years of pounding the pavement to find an ideal partner, I finally found Baby Brezza/ Tranquilo.
Are you self-funded? Yes, I am. I chose not to seek an investor. I wanted to take the risk using my own money and not having to worry about someone else’s equity stake.
What’s your biggest business tip? Do your homework and research if you have a new concept for a product/business. Secondly, network like crazy in order to bring it to fruition.
What motivates you to hustle for your business, when mom life seems to be swallowing you whole? The driving force behind my tenacity is to deliver this exceptionally innovative baby product to the masses. I know my pediatrician-endorsed Baby Soothe, baby massager is an effective and natural solution. It is a much-needed tool for parents on-the-go. This tool provides mothers with an extra set of massaging hands throughout the day. If baby is calm and soothed, mommy is happy. A motivation for me is also to empower women all women to live their best life.
What’s your biggest challenge right now? My biggest challenge is taking a breath to relax and enjoy the present moment. It took me almost a decade to launch my product, and I am used to consistently hustling to achieve and accomplish. Now, that I have found the perfect licensing partner in Tranquilo, and we have launched, I need to stop and appreciate the journey a little more instead of thinking about my next steps for success.
How do you manage your days, your time? I am old-school; I like to write down my daily schedule on a good, old-fashioned note pad, as well as, via the iPhone notes app. Oh, and I love post-its!
What has been your biggest “aha” moment this year? My biggest AHA this year has been seeing my product on Walmart shelves. It has been an inexplicably surreal experience.
What does it mean to you to Hustle Like a Mom? To hustle like a mom is to have unrelenting passion, pounding the pavement to do whatever it takes to get your idea off the ground. To believe wholeheartedly in your dream and to never give up for yourself or your family, no matter how high the mountains are in front of you to climb. To hustle is to teach my sons to pursue their passions and live and breathe what they love to do.
