Mom Invented

Interview with Julie DeFruscio of Pump Wear by Mom Inventors, Inc.

Q: What inspired you to create Pump Wear?

A: I was inspired to create Pump Wear Inc. out of the love of my then 3-year-old daughter. Nikki Tyler suffers from Juvenile Diabetes; at the age of three we put her on the insulin pump to try to gain better control of her blood sugar levels. When she went on the pump we were given a harness contraption for her to wear. It looked so bad that I sat down and cried. Why did something that was going to help save our daughter's life have to look so bad? That's when I decided that her experience of being on the insulin pump was going to be a positive one. I went out that day and bought t-shirts and had a friend sew pockets on the back of them to hold the pump. They were a lifesaver and Nikki didn't mind wearing them and she looked cute. Like a little girl should.

Q: What steps did you take to determine if you had a marketable product?

A: We used the web to search out most of our statistics; we also called the health department in our area to gain as much information on what our market was. The web has become a powerful tool. We try to stay up to date on everything happening in the diabetes world. We did also complete a business plan that made us really think about what we wanted to do and how we could meet our goals.

Q: Did you use a professional to help develop your product or did you do it on your own?

A: We basically knew what we wanted for a product but since my partner and I can't sew a stitch we had to enlist the help of others to develop the product. Again, I used the Internet and the Thomas Register to find manufacturers in our area - these have been the two best tools we have found. I found a manufacturer willing to help us develop the product. We use a lot of cottage industry because of the specialty of our products as well. Finding reliable, quality manufacturers have been our biggest challenge.

Q: What was the biggest learning curve?

A: The biggest learning curve is finding out everything about your product and how it is made. For example when we started we were screen-printing the designs, which cost an absolute fortune to produce and set up screens etc. We have since streamlined that process. Finding manufacturers willing to work with small business has also been a big learning curve. When you are small you sometimes have to work within an area that can't really give you everything you want until you are able to perfect and find the best alternatives out there. Again finding quality manufactures willing to work with small business has been a big obstacle.

Q: How many Pump Wear products are you selling?

A: We have sold over 1000 Pump Pak's to date. The Pump Pak's are the most popular item but the clothing line has picked up substantially this past year.

Q: Do you see potential for profits?

A: We see eventual profit, but as of yet there has been no profit. We put everything back into the business to create a line of good products. Both Dawn and I work full-time jobs so that we can give the business time to grow and build a good reputation.

Although we have not made a profit yet, and Dawn and I don't get paid, we still have been able to make small donations to the following associations: Juvenile diabetes Research Foundation, American Diabetes Association, Children with Diabetes Foundation, and Circle of Life Camp Diabetes Research Institute. We try to be very supportive of the organizations that help our kids and understand the need for a cure.

Q: What is your vision for the business? Do you want to continue as is or eventually do it full-time?

A: Our dream is to eventually have the business generating enough income to allow us to do this full time. This is the job that we truly love to do, so it would be great to be able to concentrate on just this. That's a long way down the road yet.

Q: How did you finance your business? Personal contributions, loans from friends & family, loans from banks/credit cards, or outside investors?

A: Dawn and I have invested our own funds as well as a business loan. We look forward to the day when we are debt free, but that is hard to do when you just start out.

Q: What has been your marketing strategy (retail, Internet, etc.)?

A: Our marketing strategy has been to use the Internet and mail as much as possible. We utilize every avenue we can find to alert diabetes educators and doctors about our products. We also rely on word-of-mouth and repeat business to help us gain a reputation as a place to look for quality fun creative items. Since cost has been an issue we find that by marketing through the internet and mail we can save thousands of dollars. We exchange links with reputable sites that also list us on their sites.

Q: Have you attended or exhibited at tradeshows?

A: We try to attend all trade shows that are held within 4 hours from us and as long as the price of a booth or table is not an issue. A lot of the shows want a lot of money for a table. We have to limit where we can go based on price as well. We don't have a budget that allows us thousands of dollars for a table. We also have chosen the CWD conference as the main show each year to do. Since this conference usually has over 300 families we feel we can really get the word out here. The CWD people also recognize that we are a small business and price their tables accordingly. They are a wonderful group and website for people with diabetes.

Q: What secrets have you learned in terms of publicity and marketing your product?

A: We have not approached retail stores yet to carry our product. However, we would like to go down that road eventually. There are so many people with special needs that require special clothing that we do see our line expanding and we will be exploring all of the avenues that go with this. We need to do more research on being able to handle large quantities.

We haven't approached the retail stores yet but I venture to guess part of the problem will be just finding the right people to talk with. I think we will first have to target a store that we want to work with and then do the research on who the decision makers and buyers are. There will be a lot of work in entering into this area.

Q: How have you marketed your company?

A: Publicity and marketing success I think comes from letting people know that we are out here. For example, one way to do that was to send a letter to Woman's World. They did an article on us and this generated interest in our website and products. I think telling our story and what we are all about helps with the marketing of our products. We are really just two mom's trying to make a difference.

Q: How does it feel to see your product on the shelves or in use by someone?

A: It feels like a great accomplishment seeing kids walking around with our Pump Pak's on. Knowing that people are happy with our products and continue to return for their pumping needs is pretty special. It makes me feel like we are doing something right.

Q: Have you experienced a "low point in the process" and if so, how did you rally yourself to get back on track?

A: Dawn my partner and I say we always do everything twice, why because it takes us that long to learn from our mistakes. Manufacturing the products has been the biggest learning process and has also given us our biggest lows. How wonderful to have orders but what if you don't have the product? We have experienced everything you can imagine during this process. We refuse to sacrifice quality so when we aren't happy with the quality we want it fixed; unfortunately not all manufacturers feel the same way. So then you have to find another place that feels the way you do. It always seems that after a day of thinking how are we going to find the right manufacturer we will get a call from a mom in tears talking about putting her baby on the pump and wanting us to help her little one. Calls like these make everything worthwhile. They also make me more determined than ever that we are going to be here for families. Of course when my sweetheart Nikki gets excited seeing a new design or my son's are thrilled to finally have double pockets in their shorts it makes me feel like how could I ever think of stopping.

Q: Have you experienced a "high point in the process?"

A: A high point is when pump representatives contact us to purchase items for their clients. This really makes us feel like we are making a difference. When we get calls from hospitals and doctor offices asking for our brochures so that they have something to give to their pump clients I really feel proud of what we are doing.

Q: How long did it take from the time you had the idea until the time you were selling products? Marathon or Sprint?

A: My daughter started on the insulin pump on April 16 2001, Pump Wear Inc. was up and running on August 6th, 2001. I guess you could say that we just closed our eyes and went for it!

Q: How many hours a day do you work on the project?

A: I probably work at least 4 to 5 hours each evening on Pump Wear Inc. along with weekends. It's a never-ending process and requires a lot of time and commitment for it all to come together and work.

Q: How have you managed/juggled the roles of business owner and mom?

A: Sometimes I don't think I manage the roles as business owner and mom all that well. My kids are everything and I've actually been trying to learn to say no to other outside interests simply because the business takes up so much of my time that I don't like being out during the week unless it's for the kids. I've tried to plan special dates with my 11 year old so we can have just mommy and me time. My daughter because she is the youngest probably gets the majority of my time. So I'm constantly trying to find ways to do more with my older two. This week it's a baseball game. It's a learning process to find a balance. Starting a business requires a lot of time and effort something that a lot of people aren't prepared to give it.

Q: Who has been your biggest source of inspiration? What keeps you going?

A: What keeps me going is simple. I love my children; all three who are pumping and I want what they have to live with to be a positive experience. I want them to feel good about themselves. In turn I want other people to enjoy the same experience. I want parents to have a place that they can go to help their children deal with this life-changing event that is fun and creative. I want them to see that they can still live normal lives. Since getting into this I just keep finding other people in need of these types of services and it just makes me want to be able to help them all.

Q: What are your planned next steps?

A: Our plans for the future are to continue to add to our line with more neat ways to wear the pump. We are also expanding out to help other families who have similar problems. We just started a Cochlear Implant line to help children who wear the cochlear implant. We would like to grow this line, along with starting additional lines for special needs children who need clothing to accommodate the great world of technology that helps them live more normal lives.

Q: What has been your greatest success?

A: My greatest success occurs when we receive pictures of our kids wearing our products and notes and letters from parents thanking us for supplying these products. The joy we get from the very people we have using our products makes me feel that we are a success. What has truly made me feel like we have accomplished what we set out to was when a child who does not have diabetes wants our products! How great is that someone who doesn't need to wear it wants it! I feel that we are becoming a success because we are listening to our customers and trying our best to fill their needs.

Q: Did anyone in particular help you along the way that you would like to thank?

A: I have to say that my husband and family have helped me the most. They understand that I am committed and driven to providing the very best for our kids. My husband has made it possible for me to work the long hours involved by cooking, cleaning and basically helping in all areas of our lives. This has given me the time needed to get the business up and running. My kids even help by folding brochures etc. My best friend Dawn has also been inspirational in her efforts to make our company a success. Although her children do not suffer from this illness she still feels and shares my need to provide these products.

Q: What advice would you offer other moms who are developing their products/ideas?

A: My advice to other moms would be to follow your heart. You need to have a positive attitude and just make it happen. You can't allow people to tell you it can't be done (we heard that more than once). I believe in that saying "where there is a will there is a way". You have to find it. Loving what you do makes it all worth it.

Q: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

A: I was so excited to find this site because it finally will bring together shared experiences. One of the things that I have found in developing and trying to produce these products is how to find manufactures and what resources are out there. I never knew what the Thomas Register was until we started this company. We wasted a lot of time trying to find the right resources. That's why we say we do everything twice because it takes us two times to find the right place. We may think we are in the right place then find out that we aren't. It does become frustrating, but we have learned so much and we really feel that we are producing a quality product.

My best friend and I had often talked about starting a business but we never seem to hit on anything that really hit us both. Then when Nikki started pumping and we found that we could make a difference in her life as well as other families we just knew that this was the business for us. I think when you decide to start a business you have to be very willing to put the time and effort into making it a success. You also need to become a detective to find all the resources that are out there. There are people out there willing to help small business you just have to find them. We are lucky we now have a wonderful manufacturer that understands our passion and is happy to help us expand our line.

Julie welcomes your call at 1-866-470-pump. Please visit her website at http://www.pumpwearinc.com.

Tagged as: featured mom, interview, success story