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Meet the Maker - Baby's Bliss GripeWater by MOM Enterprises Never in my wildest dreams did I ever visualize myself as the CEO of a successful company. I was a registered nurse and educator who just wanted to help my patients cope with the first few months with a new infant without tearing their hair out. My experience as a nurse combined with my background of coming from another country (Scotland), provided me with the perspective to develop my first product, Baby's Bliss GripeWater. It's a well known fact that up to 20 percent of infants suffer from colic and more than that number have stomach upsets, gas or acid reflux. I have had to stand by watching distraught parents search for a remedy that works. In Scotland and all over in Europe and Asia, gripe water has been used for over 100 years to ease the symptoms of these conditions. Everyone has a bottle in their nursery; it's as essential as diapers. Yet here in the US, it was not to be found. My patients were going to Canada or sending to Europe for a bottle of gripe water. It was heartbreaking to see their frustration and I wanted to help. I decided to create a gripe water solution that could be marketed to them in the US. Working with an FDA registered laboratory I developed the formula that became Baby's Bliss GripeWater, the first gripe water in the US. This was five years ago. As of today it is in over 10,000 retail shops and pediatrician offices throughout the country. Originally, I did not have a big budget for marketing, but they say that necessity is the mother of invention. I worked at getting the word out on the Internet. This started a buzz about the effectiveness of the product and the business grew quickly. I had to quit my other professional activities to manage everything. Most of our initial success was due to word of mouth advertising. Once parents knew about it, they told other parents about it and the word spread exponentially. These were real customers spreading the honest word of mouth about the effectiveness of the product and it delivered instant credibility that advertising cannot buy. I was also very happy with all the connections we made at the ABC Kid's Expo. They were invaluable and we continue to attend each year. Nothing can replace it on our calendar. During our start up-phase, my company had its challenges. While the parents love that Baby's Bliss GripeWater is safe, effective and natural, pediatricians had to be educated. Five years ago, integrative and natural medicine was not as big of a trend as it is today. Recently, however, both parents and pediatricians are excited about it. Parents, in particular are seeking natural remedies for their kids because they do not want the harsh side effects of pharmaceutical medicine. Our growth continues. Originally, we grew so fast that it created challenges such as staffing and warehousing our product. However, with a small creative team, we managed very well, and in the process, created a company that is thriving. This year we have just launched our second product for pregnant women called Morning Sickness Magic. All in all, I can't tell you how excited I am about being at the helm of a company that helps so many people. |
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