VentureMom Shop Adds Baby Sleep Product

Karen Barski – Mod Swad

So many times a newborn baby can lead a mom to a venture.   With a restless baby that startled easily,
Karen Barski had tried everything she could find at the baby stores and on line
but nothing worked, “We swaddled Bella but she
unraveled herself within 15 minutes...ALL NIGHT LONG.   Time and time again, I found her red and
sweaty with the swaddle over her face.”  Out
of frustration, Karen Barski, got out her sewing machine and created a stretchy
sack that gave her baby some room to move, but kept her snuggled.  And it worked.   Bella,
who was five weeks premature, slept through the night and Karen and her husband
were able to get some much needed rest. 

Her other mom friends were having the same issue, so she
began to offer her new invention as a baby gift.  By chance, a friend knew someone in the
manufacturing business and Karen reached out. 
Self funding her first order was scary, but selling only on line in the
beginning, the stock was gone in a matter of months.  Other companies have tried to copy the
swaddle, but Karen’s design is ergonomically shaped like a peanut to better fit
with a baby’s body.

Karen created two lines, 
the Woombie Line first, which is cotton, very practical and
affordable.   And then the Mod' Swad, a
higher end version of eco'friendly  baby
swaddles, made from a variety of organic and sustainable fibers including
heathered Bamboo, Muslin, Cotton & Merino Wool.  The upscale line offers a vintage look with
flair.

The e-commerce site went live in 2007.  Karen used Google’s Adwords Pay Per Click Campaigns and keywords to help people find
her.  Imagine a mom with a crying
newborn, on-line at 3am searching “newborn, swaddle, and sleep” - she would
find Karen's site and was sold.   And
they sold - each consecutive order of inventory doubled.   In just five years,  the Woombie is sold in over 1000 stores
nationwide and the Mod'Swad can be found in 200 baby boutiques.  Karen says, "We just got placed in West
Los Angeles at the Bel Bambino store, so we hope Mod' Swad will be seen on a
famous baby soon."

With a warehouse, Karen has several on staff to pack and
ship orders.  But she still works from
home and sets her own hours around her five kids’ schedules.  “My twins go to preschool this fall so I’ll have
at least three free hours a day to work.”  

She enjoys the creative aspect of the business the most, “Seeing
a product go from an idea to something that can help new parents is so rewarding.”  On her first trip to China to oversee
production she took her then 16 year old daughter with her.  "My oldest daughter is now off to
college.   I think she appreciates the  entrepreneurial side of what I do and is inspired
to have her own business one day too.” 

Contact:  Karen Barski,
203-660-4440, sales@woombie.com, www.woombie.com, www.modswad.com

VentureMom Tip

If you create something that 
clearly fills a need,  go for it.