When faced with challenges, these moms took matters into their own hands. They turned their solutions into successful businesses with products that make parenting a little bit easier.
Aqueduck faucet extender and handle extender helps little ones reach water easily.
“As my three young boys grew bigger and heavier, it became harder to pick them up to wash their hands. I could not find anything to help them reach the water faucet. On a family trip to a theme park when germs and frequent hand washing were on my mind, my idea was born. After six months of experimenting with prototypes, the faucet extender Aqueduck® was launched. Later we added the two handle extender, and we are currently developing other bath-related products to help bring the water to the kids easily.” –Susanna Lee
BubbleBum is a portable, foldable, inflatable car seat.
“I was frequently traveling between our home in Ireland and England with my two young children and was left transporting heavy and bulky booster seats back and forth. Often the car rental companies did not have the seats I had pre-booked when we arrived. Concerned for the safety of my own children while traveling, I decided to come up with an inflatable solution, BubbleBum®. I took my idea and design from concept to shelf in nine months. The name came from kids who said it was a bubble for your bum and recommended it be bubble gum colors.” –Grainne Kelly
Want to take your idea to the next level? Tamara Monosoff, founder and CEO of Mom Invented®, knows how to turn a product into a 
financial success. She is the author of The Mom Inventors Handbook: How To Turn Your Great Idea Into the Next Big Thing (McGraw-Hill).
Treat Your Product Idea as a Business from the Start. There is no true shortcut. With an open mind, analyze and understand the design and production costs, market size, selling price, profit potential, and competition before you spend money bringing your product to market.
Bring Your Product to Life with a Prototype. Start with something basic that will be refined over time. It does not need to be expensive or fancy.
To Patent or Not to Patent? A patent can be a useful tool but it is not a requirement and sometimes a waste of precious resources. Consider taking advantage of a Provisional Patent Application (PPA) first. It is a placeholder that will buy you 12 months of time before you have to officially file a utility patent.
For more products created by moms and to read the rest of Monosoff’s tips, visit our full digital issue here.
