Potty training is a task that all parents dread but Vicki Hill has found a way to make it easier. She tells startups.co.uk about battling illness, working from home and how her young son inspired her to start a business.
Name: Vicki Hill
Age: 31
Business: Reward Board
Type of business: Online store supplying reward charts/motivational resources
Start date: April 2005
When did you first decide you wanted to start your own business?
I’d been ill with Guillain Barre Syndrome, a very rare but potentially life threatening illness. I was unsure whether I would ever work again so decided to have a go at setting up something for myself. This way I could work as much or as little as I liked. It also kept my brain busy at a time when I was feeling quite down.
Tell us about your business
Reward Board supplies, designs and produces reusable reward charts. Reward charts are highly motivating for children and are considered a positive behaviour management tool. We supply a range of charts including healthy eating, bedtime, potty training and behaviour modification charts. We also supply other motivational products such as reward coins, wristbands and stickers. Our main market is parents but we also supply to trade.
Was it your first business idea and where did it come from?
Originally I opened an online store selling educational resources. However when I started to potty train my own son I looked to purchase a reward chart. I could not find a suitable design or anything that was reusable and therefore I decided to make my own. Once people heard about this they started to ask me to make charts for them and then I put the charts on the website. Suddenly I was inundated with orders and spent most nights making the charts. I decided at this point to open a store dedicated to selling reward charts and to have them professionally produced.
Was your decision to start a business inspired by any other companies or individuals?
My decision to start a business was influenced by a number of mothers that I met on forums of parenting websites. They are collectively known as WAHMS (work at home mum’s) and run their own businesses ensuring that they are still around for their children. I thought this was a fantastic idea having struggled to work full-time as a teacher while having my son and decided that if I was ever to have another child I needed to have a home based business.
What makes you think there’s a market for your business?
Recent television shows such as Super Nanny and Little Angels advocate the use of reward charts. Parents are keen to praise their children and to take a more positive approach to behaviour management. Research shows that a positive approach works. The sales of the charts speak volumes too there is certainly a need out there for this kind of product.
Once you’d decided to start a business, what did you do first?
I spent a long time researching the best way of producing the charts. They had to be eye-catching, appeal to youngsters, safe and durable. It took months and months of research to find somebody able to manufacture reusable stickers to use with the charts. I spent hours online contacting different companies all over the world to find out what they could offer us in terms of manufacturing the products.
What advice did you seek?
I sought advice from other business owners about how to establish an online store. This included advice about store design and payment providers. This advice was invaluable and I maintain a network of cyber business contacts who I use to gain advice and support from on a regular basis. I visited business conferences run by Business Link in the area and talked to specialists in the field of trademarking. I also spent a lot of time reading self-help type books on marketing strategies.