|
Herb Filled Pillows Make Over a Million Dollars
Written by Stephen Bucaro
Lauren Rosenstadt was a single mom working at a herb company in Bethesda, Maryland. A herb (pronounced erb) is a plant that has medicinal, savory, or aromic qualities. One day while at lunch with a friend whose daughter suffered from insomnia, Lauren thought, If I could fill a pillow with herbs, that would be soothing and help my friends daughter sleep.
A few days later, Sydney Greensheep, a pillow shaped like a sheep and filled with dried herbs, was completed. Lauren gave Sydney to her friend to try with her daughter. The next morning her friend reported, Its unbelievable, she slept like a baby!
Insomnia is epidemic in our fast-pased American lifestyle. 40-50% of Americans complain of occasional bouts with insomnia. 10-15 percent of the US population suffers from chronic insomnia. Every year, as many as 10 million Americans seek a physicians help for sleep disorders. As many as 10,000 automobile accident deaths each year are the result of someone falling asleep at the wheel.
Lauren showed Sydney to her boss, who was impressed enough to provide her with space in the companys booth at a trade show. Many trade show visitors liked the herb stuffed pillow idea, and by the end of the show, Lauren had orders for over 100 pillows.
Lauren hired a seamstress to sew the sheep-shaped pillows. Then, she stuffed them herself. The trade show buyers put the pillows on display in their shops, and within days they all sold for between $18.00 and $22.00 each.
Encouraged by these results, Lauren sent samples to department stores and specialty shops. Orders started rolling in. To sew the pillows, she enlisted small home business sewers. It was hard work to deliver bolts of fabric and 40 pound bags of filling to their homes. Within the first year, she grossed over half a million dollars.
Now, Laurens Herbal Animals can be found in over 750 body care, gift and natural living shops worldwide. Laurens company employs 13 people and has revenue of over a million dollars a year.
Its interesting to note that Lauren Rosenstadt didnt start out as a hobby seamstress or craft person. She was a person who used her insight to help a friend confort her daughter. After recognizing an opportunity, Lauren didnt let up. She did the thinking and the work necessary to achieve success.
Visit Laurens website www.herbal-animals.com
Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.
Copyright(C)2004 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blank email to subscribe@bucarotechelp.com
|
|
|
|
