Since she had a background as a biostatistician and epidemiologist and had conducted many research studies and clinical trials in her past career, she had used those skills in researching her target market for this new product – those children who were not firstborn and were often heard saying “Me too, Mommy,” as they tried to keep up with their older siblings. Since more than 60 percent of the four million babies born in the U.S. each year are not firstborns, Becker knew she had a large target market for her book. 

She read about the Women’s Business Center in the local newspaper and was referred by the Center for Women to SCWBC. She worked with SCWBC Business Development  Counselor Eva Dobrowolski, who assisted in writing a business plan and showed her financing options through the Small Business Administration. This assistance freed up some time for Becker which she used to conduct focus groups to collect feedback on her product and gather new ideas for future products.

Barriers to Success

As in any start-up, Becker faced some obstacles to overcome, such as an initial flurry of rejection letters from potential book publishers, a back injury, and an initial batch of blankets that were delivered defective from the manufacturer. But through it all, she kept focused on her niche market, tailoring her products for the harried and hurried period of a mother’s life when she has multiple children. For example, Becker designed the Me Too Mommy book to fit into a purse or diaper bag, making it easier for busy moms to record little details of their children’s milestones while they are waiting in the doctor’s office or the carpool line.

Success and Beyond

The company now has a full line of packaged products selling online through Yahoo, Amazon, barnesandnoble.com, and 90 retailers nationally and in Canada.

Her first show in January 2005, America’s Market in Atlanta, GA, helped Becker secure several hospital gift shops as customers. In April 2005, she attended her second show in New York City – the New York Gift Cash & Carry Show – where she sold out of her Baby Bundles product and signed up 60 new online retailers to sell her products.

A grant from the City of Charleston’s Economic Development Program enabled her to move the business out of her home and into a downtown office, where she employs several student interns who learn to apply their marketing studies and knowledge to real-life business applications.

Becker believes in the power of SCWBC’s staff to help small businesses network with the right groups of people. She says the counselors “asked the hard questions about her business’ development” and “gave me advice and paths to follow,” including help with locating manufacturers to create her diaper bags.

The next step for Me Too Mommy? Working with Marketing Consultant Cynthia Gilliam of Semaphore, who SCWBC set her up with, to get her message out faster and in a concise manner. She admits, “This has been a long birthing process with this whole product line,” but has started to see the rewards. In just the first quarter of 2005, her sales have seen 50 percent growth over 2004, and hospitals and florists are being added to her growing customer list. Becker’s products have had two recent editorial reviews in national magazines – Specialty Retail and Giftware News. Becker has recently been added to other online web stores – the Greenville, SC, creativecardshop.com and onlineorganizing.com, and will be listed soon with  ladiesgivegifts.com. There are more products in development, specifically with fathers and toddlers in mind, so Becker expects sales to continue to climb.

49 Elizabeth Street
Charleston, South Carolina 29403
(877) 369-3326
www.metoomommy.com/