COVERPLAY was discussed again in a blog called A Consultant’s Chronicles: The business blog for Means to an End — a mediation, HR training and organizational consulting service in the SF Bay area. The author discusses why COVERPLAY’s slipcovers work — it’s a simple and smart idea that is necessary. The author goes on to talk about some of the features of the pack and play slipcovers, how to build a business with the right idea and the frustration we get when we hear of an idea explode that we probably could have thought of. I have included the blog post below.
Although I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to making fun of “reality TV,” there is one sub-category I watch with genuine interest & that is any reality show about business. Until this summer, success in this area belonged only to Donald Trump. This month there’s a new show I like a lot called Shark Tank where real venture capitalists compete with each other to fund real Shark Tank entrepreneurs using their own money.
Building A Business By Addressing A Small & Simple Need
Sunday night’s episode was a classic case study in building a business by addressing a small & simple need. The name of the product is Coverplay, which was developed by Allison Costa & business partner Amy Feldman. It is a specially treated [& patented] coverlet for playpens. Why do parents need it? Think about what happens in a playpen: it’s a venue for [pre] toilet training, children bring food, toys & well, frankly, anything they can get their little hands around [not to mention what their brothers, sisters & playmates may contribute] making your child’s playpen host central to all kinds of bacteria. Clearly, an uncovered playpen is not a safe place for a small child whose immune system is just developing. Enter Coverplay, which:
- Protects against viruses
- Is machine washable
- Comes in a selection of colorful patterns
- Pediatrician recommended
- Great for travel
A “Silver Lining” In a Down Job-Market
In short, it’s a fantastic idea that’s really simple & really necessary. As soon as you look at it you can’t help but think, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Its utter simplicity reminds me of other really basic ideas that turned into big businesses, like Post-Its or even the tops of take-out coffee cups with a small sip hole in them. The list of simple products like these goes on & on. They all have at least one thing in common: they are examples of small, simple ideas that fill a void. It is exactly what Madison Avenue adman & TV host Donny Deutsch talks about when he encourages potential entrepreneurs to develop their “big idea” & bring it to market. In a job market filled with bad news, this product is a ray of sunshine capable of inspiring anyone with a little “big idea” to put forth their best effort to make their dream a business reality.
