Working as a manufacturing engineer in the automotive industry, Valerie Tucker was accustomed to looking at life in a methodic and mechanical manner, carefully scrutinizing the physical details of her work. But, on the flip side, Valerie describes her dominant personality as that of a creator and an entrepreneur. Several years ago, Valerie created an online business, Val’s Creative Touch, as an outlet for her creative energy flow where she marketed customized stationary items and gift baskets.
However, when Valerie had her children, she discovered the perfect way to blend the best of each interest to create a product line of mommy-to-be and children’s items. The Mother of all IdeasAt the urging of her closest friends and family, Valerie opened Pumpkin MumpkinTM, a company dedicated to offering creative and convenient solutions in the lives of parents, caretakers and children. Derived from her own needs and desires as a mom, Valerie brainstormed and developed her product line and then applied for patents on the Jay-N-ThanTM Stroll-N-ShopTM Stroller Hooks, the Jay-N-ThanTM Car Seat CaddyTM, and the Mommy VeeTM Mommie-2-BeTM Maternity Garment Protector.
The Stroll-N-ShopTM offers parents ease in shopping by allowing the baby to remain in the comfort of his own stroller and the convenience of durable hooks which can hold shopping baskets and bagged items. The Car Seat CaddyTM is made of double-sided quilted fabric and plays double duty, protecting vehicle seats from sticky spills while organizing all children’s paraphernalia neatly in the attached pouches, well out of baby’s reach. The Mommie-2-BeTM Maternity Garment Protector
is designed to safeguard maternity clothing from the inevitable food drips often caught by protruding bellies and is available in select colors to suit the needs of all mothers.
Crawling to WalkingAfter developing the Pumpkin Mumpkin product line for several years, Valerie was referred to Kondria Woods of Prospective Marketing who referred her to the South Carolina Women’s Business Center (SCWBC) and Clemson Apparel Research (CAR).
Eva Dobrowolski, a business coach with SCWBC, provided Valerie with valuable resources to show her how to take the next steps as a start-up business, including a business plan template, manufacturing assistance in working with CAR and opportunities to showcase her products at a national level.
With SCWBC’s assistance, Valerie is moving into full throttle, putting together a business plan which is now under final reviews and defining her website for product promotion. SCWBC alerted Valerie to the Whirlpool Mother of Invention grant competition where she won honorable mention for her Pumpkin Mumpkin product line. Valerie is currently planning to feature her goods at upcoming local arts and crafts festivals and is also up and running at shop.pumpkinmumpkin.com.
“After several years in the developmental stages, I now feel that Pumpkin Mumpkin is transitioning from ‘crawling to walking’,” said Valerie. “The SCWBC, CAR and Prospective Marketing have provided me with valuable assistance in creating a comprehensive plan to move forward and progress in our business goals.”
Sure and SteadyIn addition to the further promotion of her Pumpkin Mumpkin product line, Valerie also hopes to expand into national retail giants as well as open a storefront outlet in the future. Valerie also embraces philanthropic goals inspired by Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby.
“They have used their success to benefit the common good. I hope Pumpkin Mumpkin can be successful enough to offer the same opportunities for positive community impact.”
Contact:
Valerie Tucker
Pumpkin Mumpkin, LLC
PO Box 1232, Mauldin SC, 29662
864-915-9000
http://www.pumpkinmumpkin.com
|
Success Stories 
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The SC Women's Business Center is a program of the SC Manufacturing Extension Partnership, with management, oversight and support provided by SCMEP and its resources.