Creating Great Gifts

Growing up, I always loved making gifts for people.  From decorated cakes to olive wood clocks, I enjoyed giving people something original that couldn’t be purchased just anywhere.  It has been a great pleasure to hear how customers are using our Pilloroos as gifts.  I really enjoy hearing the story behind the gift.

Last week a woman bought the Baseball Bash Pilloroo for the little boy who would be her ring bearer at her wedding.  Her fiance is a professional baseball player and since the ring bearer would be holding a pillow…The Pilloroo would make the perfect gift!  I think she really knocked that one out of the park.

For a limited time we will be selling the Baseball Bash Pilloroo for only $19.99 on our website.  If you have a gift to give..Knock it out of the Park with Pilloroo!

Haas Family Reunion

Reno Aces

The annual Haas Family Reunion was celebrated over the 4th of July weekend at the brand new stadium of the Reno Aces.  Surrounded by family, great food and America’s favorite past time, life couldn’t get much better.  We had a great time!  My son, Jacob, was even lucky enough to end up with the Grand Slam ball and had it signed by the player who hit it.  He is still beaming with pride.  And guess where that signed Grand Slam ball is right now…that’s right! In his Baseball Bash Pilloroo!  Perfect!  Just another way Pilloroo can be used by your special someone.  If you have any stories to share, let us know.  We would love to hear from you.

Pilloroo at Bentley’s Market this Friday

This Friday, June 26th from 6:00 to 9:00, Pilloroo will join other local artists and businesses at the Outdoor Market at Bentley’s in Fresno.   On the corner of Friant and Fort Washington, Bentley’s market is the finest market and bistro in the valley.  With plenty of outdoor seating and a wonderful menu to choose from, you will feel like you were whisked away to an old world European market. Enjoy the hand picked delights from local farmers and the wonderful designs from local artists.  Every Friday night there is a select group of local businesses sharing the best they have to offer.

This week, Pilloroo will join these businesses.  To celebrate, we will have one lucky Pilloroo priced at only $20.00.  So hop on out out and see the newest additions to our line.  You’ll enjoy your evening, and Pilloroo will be oh so happy to see you!

The Perfect Packaging for our Pilloroo

Choosing the right packaging for our Pilloroo was something that took a lot of time and effort.  As a shopper, I always took for granted packaging.  Skimming store aisles, I would pick up products that caught my attention.  Designing the packaging for Pilloroo, we realized how much goes into thinking through every detail of a product’s packaging.  We started looking at great brands differently.  Going back to our favorite stores like Target, Carmel Kids, Macy’s, this time as students, we observed everything from how the products sit on the shelves to how the packaging communicates the brand.

Pictured above are mock ups that I actually made in my office.  Cutting, pasting, redesigning, hours were spent trying new and different ways to present the Pilloroo in a way that was fun while showing customers the hidden pouch.

We’ve received many compliments on our packaging.  Many kudos coming from long time exprerts in the industry.  It’s a great feeling when hard work pays off!

Elishea – Our Pilloroo Kid of the Week

Our Pilloroo Kid this week is a top entrepreneur in her 5th grade class at Crestwood Elementary in Visalia.  During the class’s weekly marketplace she sells scented playdough at her business Playdough World.  The first week she priced her playdough at $1.00 a bag and sold out.  What did she do the second week?  She raised her price to $40.00 per bag, and again sold out.  That’s a lot of classroom cash!  Great thinking Elishea!

 

Know a great thinker?  Let us spotlight your awesome kid.  E-mail us at info(at)pilloroo.com.

Assembling a Team

Getting a product to market takes a great deal of work. It also takes a great team of people.  After we tested Pilloroo at local craft fairs, we knew we had to get more Pilloroos produced and go big.  A good friend of ours suggested we call the Lyles Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State.  That was the single most important thing we did for our business.  We were invited to take part in the Dogworks program that helps develop, market and commercialize ideas such as ours.  The team there is fabulous and in our first months there, they helped us add players to our Pilloroo team.  First, the patent attorney Richard Ryan from Fresno, then the graphic designers of Five Creative Group, also here in Fresno.  And after many phone calls and lots of searching, we found manufactures and packaging for our Pilloroos in the Los Angeles area.  One of the things we are most proud of is using California based businesses.

As we grow Pilloroo, our team of people will ultimately expand.  This core of people who helped us from the very beginning will always hold a special spot in our Pilloroo hearts!

Ethan – Our Pilloroo Kid of the Week

Our Pilloroo Kid of the Week is Ethan.  Ethan is 2 years old and enjoys running, jumping, and playing.   A super fun kid, very rarely does he slow down.  When he does stop to take a nap, he has his monkey and his custom ordered Pilloroo.  What a cute Pilloroo Kid.  Keep up the fun Ethan!

 

Know a great kid?  E-mail us at info@pilloroo.com.

Tune In to Oprah Tomorrow Tuesday May 19

Ashley will be on Oprah tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19th.  Our Pilloroo Kid of the Week last month, Ashley founded her own foundation to help kids who have been affected by disasters.  After losing her own toys in a house fire, Ashley started this organization to help kids who have lost all of their toys due to fire or natural disaster.  Tomorrow she will join Oprah via Skype to share her story with the world.  We are so proud of Ashley.  

You can also check out her new website at: http://74.62.155.156/~ashleest/.  Go Ashley!

Building a Business … Continued

How do you know if your idea is a great one?  If you can sell it, then you’ll know.  We started very simply.  Keeping our cost to a minimum, we set up this booth at a local craft fair and waited to see the reaction.  BillieJo and I set up the booth at sunrise, had a cup of coffee and waited for people to arrive.  ”What is this?” was the most popular question asked by adults.  Kids, however, had a different response.  Their curiosity drew them in.  When they discovered there were toys in the pockets of all the pillows, their reactions were priceless.  Some grabbed the pillows and had to have them right away.  Many dragged their parents back to our booth to get one before they left.  We will never forget the people who asked “Who invented this?” or “Do you have your own store?”.  We especially loved the people who said we were going to be millionaires, or our favorite, “You’re going to be on Oprah!”

As we took all of this in, we really did record which ones we were selling the most of and which ones were not that popular.  Our 5th grade friends at Crestwood Elementary in Visalia who are starting their own businesses for their classroom economy were surprised to hear that starting out was really this easy.  Testing our idea was the easy part.  Turning the idea into a business was hard part.  Next week I’ll talk about what we did to build the team of people that helped us launch Pilloroo!

Fresno State Students Making a Difference

Every week we highlight great kids.  This week Pilloroo would like to recognize 8 remarkable students from Fresno State University.  This group of marketing students set out to break a World Record for collecting the most plush toys.  In true Fresno State style they knocked it out of the park!  The existing record was 6,00o toys.  Almost doubling the existing record, these students collected a total of 11,527.  They are planning to donate the plush to local charities like Valley Children’s Hospital and the Marjaree Mason Center.  Go Bulldogs!

 

If you know a student or group of students who deserve to be recognized, e-mail us at info@pilloroo.com.