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What one thing that you know now, do you wish you had known when you were starting out?
When we first started I wish we would have know how long it would take to get the product to mass production.
If you were to give novice inventors one bit of advice, what would it be?
If I had to give a beginning inventor advice I would tell them to have patience and you have to be persistent things are going to come up but you have to stick with it.
What should a new inventor do after they have determined the target market?
Once the target market has been determined you must really study them and learn all there is to know on how to connect with them.
What are things an inventor should avoid?
An inventor should avoid trying to outsource everything to get that product out there are several things they can do their selves if they take their time and use the Internet.
How did you finance your business, and how have your finances changed as you’ve grown your business?
We financed the pillow with our saving and used a kick-starter campaign.
Are you selling your products, and what sorts of licensing deals do you have in place?
Yes we are selling our product through our online site as of now (www.journeypillow.com).
What has been your greatest success in business?
Our greatest success so far is bringing our first run of product to market with zero company debt.
What has been your lowest point with your business? How did you recover?
Our lowest point of the business was when 5 different manufactures to make the pillow turned us down. We stayed persistent and finally found one that was willing to take on the project.
Going back to your business’s beginnings, what process did you follow to develop a prototype?
In the beginning, Candace used her engineering skills and drew us a prototype and then we found a local prototype make our first prototype.
How did you find a manufacturer for your product?
We found our manufacturer after many months of looking on the internet
What secrets have you learned in terms of marketing your product and getting it into stores?
We just opened our online store last month and now are working on getting into stores and the airport.
What was the biggest learning curve in terms of marketing your product?
The biggest learning process for us is getting our product out there and getting people to see our product and see benefits.
What have you learned since you created the Journey Pillow?
Since we started Journey Pillow we have learned that it is very important to have someone that has done this before to help you avoid certain traps and make you get profitable faster. We hired a great business coach Dr. Dionne Mahaffey to help mentor us through this process.
What was your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subject in school was math because numbers never lie.
Finish the sentences:
I love to play … golf because it’s just like life. Some days are good and some days are bad but you have to stick with it and keep you head in the game to be good and make the next great shot.
When I am in my zone … I listen to Lauryn Hill radio to really get work done.. I’m listening to it right now.. LOL
Smartest toy for a child … to me is the leapfrog game console because its fun for the kids and they learn at the same time.
One of my business heroes … was Steve Jobs he was such an innovator and kept people wanting more and more. One of the greatest businessmen to ever live.
To learn more or purchase the Journey Pillow visit JourneyPillow.com and visit their social platforms: Facebook: Journey Pillow; Instagram @Journey Pillow
