Cross your fingers... I think I found a factory...
Read MoreI knew finding a Factory would not be easy, but I'm still surprised at just how hard it has been...
Read MoreBecause a tote is only as good as what you can put inside, the Litty Bird tote is designed with 3 easy-access pockets to keep all your gear organized. Read more for the photos...
Read MoreNow that I'm officially patent pending, I can finally share the features that make my bags and straps unique...
Read MoreFiling for the S Corp was only the beginning. There are a bunch of things you need to do afterwards. Here is my to do list with some notes from both my chats with Adam and some online research...
Read MoreAfter meeting with the patent lawyer, he suggested that I should pretty swiftly move to incorporating. He recommended an LLC or an S Corp and said to check with our accountant about what was best...
Read MoreI shared my idea for these bags and straps very tentatively with just a few select people. I wanted to get an idea about whether this was as different and desirable as I thought it was. One person I shared my idea with was my work neighbor, Wendy. She informed me that one of her closest friends from Marshall Law Group- Trademarks The Spot was a trademark lawyer and she would be happy to set up an introduction...
Read MoreI want to have it all out there. I want to be able to start selling these bags and see if this can be the success I know it can be. Anyone who knows me knows that not being able to share this far and wide is driving me crazy...
Read MoreAs I was sewing my prototypes, I brainstormed with my family and close friends about what to name this business. I knew I wanted a heron logo, but I needed a name that was memorable, meaningful, easily spelled and Googled, and sounded professional...
Read MoreBefore I tell you the story of trying to name this business, I need to go a little deep and tell you about why herons have a special place in our hearts...
Read MoreMy kid has started repeating everything, and while I decided long ago that curbing cursing in front of him was not going to happen (he is going to have to learn the difference between inside words and outside words quickly), the expletives while I was fighting with my sewing machine were excessive. I was using my mom's machine from the 70s, and it was not thrilled to be sewing through 9 layers of fabrics. In fact, it was so unhappy with me, it quit three inches prior to completing my final seam on my first tote prototype...
Read MorePart of me wanted to stop everyone on the street and show them my bag and ask their thoughts. But I settled for awkwardly showing my first prototype during a work happy hour to anyone who would listen. I was thrilled to hear the positive responses, but these were mostly people who worked for me. They had to be nice...
Read MoreThe first question I get asked when I tell people about this is "How do you find the time?"
I am very dedicated to my job where I also volunteer my time starting a new women's networking group, I teach classes to college and grad students a couple times each semester, I mentor for AWNY/She Runs It, and I have a toddler. I won't say it's easy by any means, but it's possible.
One morning I woke up 30 minutes early and sewed two pieces of the laptop sleeve bag before Hudson woke up. It's not much, but if I do two pieces every day for a week week, I'll have it done by Friday.
My tips for balancing it all...
I knew that to make my ideal bag, I would need to make a prototype. But it had been nearly 20 years since I last sewed regularly. I was the owner of my mom's sewing machine from the 70s, though it remained folded in its table for many years...
Read MoreAfter a year of the idea tickling my brain, I finally was inspired to make the idea a reality when I was wide awake at 3am after an amazing family trip to Alaska that left me very happy but also very jet lagged. (It is so true that boredom is the best space for ideas to present themselves.)
I realized I had a few needs from a new bag...
Read MoreOne day I was rushing to the train and my laptop strap broke. I cursed my luck and found something in my purse, tied it on, and made the train just in time.
As it turned out, my rigged handle was incredibly comfortable; it stayed put and didn't dig, while also making the heavy laptop feel light. When I got to the train, two women stopped me to compliment me on my “very pretty bag” and asked where I bought it. I laughed as I explained that I had rigged it just a few moments before out of desperation… and the idea was born.
Welcome to Litty Bird! A company dedicated to bringing ergonomically comfortable, convenient, and customizable bags to help women master their lives.
Until these are officially for sale, I'll be sharing the story of starting a company from scratch. I can't share the details of what makes the bags unique nor detailed photos just yet (gotta protect the idea) but I'll share the process!...
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