- Tricia Paul, Owner – The Tote All Bag (Email: tricia@thetoteallbag.com)
- Website: http://thetoteallbag.com/
- Business has been in operation for approximately 1.5 yrs
- Product description: Purse organizer/Bag organizer made of funky, fun, hip fabrics; helps to keep daily essentials organized from bag to bag.
- Price point range: $10 to $40
- Customer Profile: Busy people – any busy person who carries essential items: students, moms, women, children. Target customer consists of every age group from teens all the way to adults
Q: As the creator/owner of The Tote All Bag ©, what inspired you to come up with the idea for the product? What problem does your product specifically address?
TP: I had the initial idea about 10 years ago. I remember thinking about how convenient it would be to transport everyday items from bag to bag in a way which allowed me to be stylish at the same time. About 1.5 yrs ago, the same thought occurred to me again, only this time as a Mom. I wanted a solution to the problem of how to carry all of my daily essentials while transitioning back and forth from a diaper bag to a purse. I tried to solve the problem of how to keep essential items together. The purpose of The Tote All Bag © is to fill it with essentials, drop it in your bag and carry it around that day. It enables you to easily keep your important items together when changing bags. It satisfies the need for vanity at the same time as it is utilitarian: stylish & functional at the same time.
As far as the inspiration is concerned, a few years ago while watching “The Big Idea” hosted by Donny Deutsch, I was struck by something he said which stuck with me. He said that if you produce something that makes your life a little easier there is a very good chance it will help someone else too. I was struck by the concept of just trying out an idea – to do it for myself and hope that others like it. I kept this in mind and from the earliest product prototypes to the present styles, I try to make the items as pretty and as useful as possible.
Q: Do you have prior entrepreneurial experience? What motivated/inspired you to believe in your ability to launch this product/business idea?
TP: The Tote All Bag © is my first entrepreneurial venture. My motivation to launch the business came while I was a stay-at-home mom outside of the corporate world. I found myself gradually having the desire to be busy and wanting to do something which would fill my time. I wanted to some kind of “work” without it necessarily having to be a job in the conventional sense. It was also about doing something to carve out my own identity so that for the sake of my own self-perception I didn’t see myself as being just a slave to my children. I wanted to be productive and creative and I wanted to contribute to my family in some “real” financial sense.
Q: As a busy mom, wife and entrepreneur, what advice do you have for other busy women with similar responsibilities/roles who also wish to start a business but who need some encouragement in helping them get over the (decision) hump? How do you go from coming up with the initial product idea/thought to deciding you’re finally going to go for it?
TP: The most important thing is to just believe in yourself and your abilities, to commit to your idea, and just go for it. For me it was staying up late at night researching manufacturing ideas, finding the right methods and people, taking my kids fabric shopping with me, using every opportunity to think about and further my idea. My advice for others is to go ahead and take the leap – believe in your product and try to make it simple and cost efficient to produce.
Q: Describe your business financing – is it self-funded or did you have outside financing?
TP: The Tote All Bag © is completely self-funded. I’ve reinvested my income from sales back into the business. I started out slowly, experimented with designs, made some units, sold them and used the proceeds from sales to keep the cycle going. Along the way I continued to research suppliers and I was gradually able to find new supply opportunities to help make the product better, etc.
Q: In your journey thus far with your launch of The Tote All Bag©, what’s been the best or most pleasant aspect of the experience?
TP: The best part of the experience for me has been getting to see people using and enjoying the products or selecting my products for gift-giving. I’m also constantly inspired by my customers as they often come to me with questions or ideas which lead to new product ideas so there’s a constant creative loop between me and my customer base. I enjoy seeing the versatility of the products as they are used and I also enjoy the creative side of the business.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
TP: My biggest challenge has been finding dedicated “ME” time to spend on thinking about the business in terms of strategy and planning in the midst of everything else going on in my schedule. I’m trying to take a disciplined approach of using the time that the kids are in school to focus on addressing the other sides of the business that are just as important but are the things that I can’t always make the time to work on.
Q: As a mother of boys as well as a girl, what are the lessons/messages that you hope your children will learn from observing their mom in her role as an entrepreneur/business owner?
TP: I try to teach all of my kids to believe in themselves, to have a good work ethic in life and to be confident in themselves as well as in their ideas. It’s important for them to realize that you have to work for what you have and to be passionate about something – it’s not so important what it is but I want them to be passionate and excited.
Q: It takes a certain level of self-confidence and courage to start a business. Who are the members of your inner circle/support system network who provide you with encouragement when things are good, as well as in those challenging moments when you need some extra support/motivation? How has your role as an entrepreneur changed your own perception of yourself? Has it enhanced your own self-confidence?
TP: My husband is there to encourage me when things are going well and he’s also there to support me in those moments when I have some self-doubt. My parents also give me constant encouragement. They reassure me that they won’t be disappointed if one day I decided to walk away from the business or if the business didn’t do well. For me personally, the role of business owner has given me a little bit of myself that I may have felt that I had lost after becoming a wife and a mom. It’s added to my self-confidence because the business is 100% my own domain where I’m ultimately the one who makes all of the decisions. I’m enjoying being “the boss” and I also enjoy being able to focus on creating a product and building a business.
Q: The current economic climate poses challenges in particular for small business owners and entrepreneurs. What have been some unanticipated advantages and disadvantages of launching/promoting a business in the current climate?
TP: Right now there are lots of special deals on supplies and fabrics. Vendors and suppliers are willing to make deals in order to get the business. On the customer side, even though people don’t want to indulge on extravagances, they still want something a little bit special. The price point of my products allows people to still afford the little luxuries which aren’t expensive so it’s not considered a hardship for my customers to buy my products. As far as disadvantages, I’ve noticed that there are a lot fewer people out shopping –there’s less foot traffic in terms of shoppers. Then again the people who do come out actually seem to be buying for the most part. There’s generally a lot less traffic in boutiques, etc.
Q: How have your friends been inspired by your role as a business owner? What are your observations and/or what are some of the reactions that they’ve shared with you?
TP: In general everyone has been very supportive and positive. I’ve got a network of close female friends and each of us has our own business so we’re constantly on the lookout for good deals that can come in handy for each other. This network of fellow women entrepreneurs has also grown into a great support system.
Q: Name one or more women (past or present) who inspire you or who, in your opinion, represent the empowerment of women and a brief description about the reason behind your selection(s).
TP: I’d have to say Oprah is definitely one of my inspirations because she is a completely self-made woman…she educated herself and built a huge empire through hard work and dedication. Katie Couric, too, because even though she lost her husband, she’s been able to go on to reach new heights, changing to a more high profile job, all in front of the public eye. She’s also a mom who puts family first while balancing the demands of a powerful position/career.
Q: How do you define the empowerment of women and why is it important for women in our society (including young women) to feel empowered?
TP: It’s important to be passionate about something or else you’ll lose yourself. Believe in yourself, believe that you’re equal, find something that you love, focus on it and especially in those difficult life moments, dig deep and go to that place.
Q: What are your plans for the future of the Tote All Bag©?
TP: In the next year I’d love to expand and develop new product lines such as key chains. Ultimately I’d love to get my product into stores, especially L.A. area boutiques. I’m also planning on expanding my website capability so that I can do more commerce through the site. In general I plan on promoting my business a lot more.
Q: How can customers purchase The Tote All Bag©?
TP: Customers can visit my site, http://thetoteallbag.com/
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