Mommy Inventor: Catherine SoYoung Choi

I recently reviewed Catherine’s SoYoung Diaper bag and I must say it is something that I love. The price might be up there for some but it really does make you feel stylish and it is definitely helpful. Read below to find out how Catherine became a success.

What is your name and how many children do you have? Any babies, if so what ages?
My name is Catherine SoYoung Choi and I am the proud mother of 2 boys, Noah (5), and Fisher (3.5)

What is it you created and why?
I created a diaper bag in response to my frustration with the “black hole effect” I suffered with each of my bags. When I didn’t have a baby in one arm who was wriggling and/or crying, digging into my bag to find my keys didn’t seem like that big of a deal, especially if I liked the way the bag looked. But after I had a baby, that situation became my nemesis and I decided to create a bag that eliminated the “black hole effect’ so moms could find what they need, when they need it, but without having to sacrifice the desire to still carry a nice looking bag.

How did you create it? (ie, what inspired you)
Well, one day I was sitting on a park bench with my husband, while Noah, who was 7 months old at the time, slept in the stroller. There was a bag hanging off the back of the stroller, which I had just purchased. I thought it was ingenious because it was made of mesh and strapped to the stroller handlebars. But it was deep and everything was still jumbled in there at the bottom, requiring a fair amount of digging to get it out. So I started to describe to my husband what I would make a diaper bag do it I could design one. And then, I had the aha moment where I just decided that I was going to do it. I had no idea how I was going to do it – I had no background in the industry, but my desire propelled me forward and opportunities started to lead the way.

What is your schedule like now?
My kids are in school so they are now gone from 9am to 3:30pm every day. So those are my working hours, along with getting the household responsibilities accomplished. I feel very lucky that I have these hours to work, but I am still always running like a chicken without a head and work evenings after the kids go to bed, and weekends when I can. Although I’m really busy, I love it and wouldn’t change it for the world.

What was your schedule like while you were making your product?
It took me 4 years to get from my initial idea to market (I also had another child along the way). So progress was slow and at times, I felt that perhaps I should give up. But everyone was so excited for me about my business idea that I felt I had to make it happen, or risk being seen as a failure (nothing like false pride to keep you going).  My schedule was insane at the time, my younger son was extremely challenging as a baby and I had zero time for the first year. But I made small progress with the bags until I put him into part-time home care as well when he was 1. Then I had 2 full days a week to work.  It’s all a blur now.

What did you do to MAKE this happen?
My first prototype was made by a seamstress that I used for altering my clothing. I drew and cut up a pattern out of paper and brought it to her. I had no idea that being a seamstress is not the same occupation as a bagmaker, and my first prototype was really really sad looking. But it was enough to see what the structure of the bag would be like. Then I found a real bagmaker, who was 5 hours away so i had to send him all the materials by courier, including rolls of fabric that weighed a tonne. We went through many rounds of prototyping before I had one that nailed it. Then I had to find a manufacturer, which took about 18 months and went through 5 different manufacturers before I found the right one.I finally put in an order for 400 bags, and they arrived on my doorstep all wrong- every single one of them. Luckily the manufacturer agreed to redo them at their cost, and then I was finally in business, as of last May (2008).

I hear stories sometimes that there may have been struggles to get the product  noticed or on shelves. Did this happen? Could you share your experience with us?
YES. I realized how important it is to form relationships with the staff at the retail stores carrying my product. If the staff know you and like your product it will sell. Some retailers will even let you make display suggestions. One retailer let me do her window display with my product in the window, and the bags started selling after that, slowly at first and now they are my best retailer. But my bags sat in the store from May to November without a single sale. Since then they have reordered 4 times!

How is your product different from others like it?
My bags have been designed to help moms find what they need, when they need it. There is no fumbling or stress if the bag is used as it was designed to be. One of my customers told me that before she leaves her house, all she needs to do it pat each pocket to know whether she’s got everything, because of the dedicated pockets. And the bag was designed to have a classic, understated and logo-less look, because I like simple, modern design and detest clutter. Hopefully other moms do as well.

What would you tell moms that are sitting at home with ideas in their head?
I would say, start talking about it. Don’t be afraid to share your ideas for fear someone will copy it – the amount of effort it requires to take an idea to market must come from the heart otherwise one would give up on it long before then. Then, follow all leads, even if you think they are not going to lead you anywhere. You will be surprised at the coincidences that start to happen. I have learned over and over that the right information comes at the right time.  Before you know it, you will see your idea start to come to fruition – it is an incredible process, and was a very spiritual one for me.

What advice do you have for moms that just got a product out there?
(tips for them on promotions, marketing, etc)
Join as many networking groups as possible and help anyone you can. It will come back to you. Don’t compete on lowest price. And get yourself a mastermind group or a business coach to keep you on track with your goals.

Any tips?
Surround yourself with as many people who are more successful than you as possible and take their advice. Don’t take advice from people who aren’t where you want to be.

What would you like to say at this time?
Thank you for the opportunity to share my story! It is such an honor to have people be interested in my business and what I have learned until now. Don’t forget to stop by www.soyoungmother.com

Have a GREAT day and thank you Catherine.