Who knew?
Walkie Chalk is... a big Christmas gift?
I didn't, that's for sure. Who buys sidewalk chalk stuff for Xmas? Don't they know it's 22 degrees and snowing out?
When we created it, I was focused mostly on the idea of a very seasonal summer toy - but people kept saying no, it could be year-round... well, given our Amazon stock, or lack thereof, I guess I was wrong. And glad to be wrong. As the chilly white stuff falls here in Michigan I keep forgetting that kids in nice warm places like Florida and Texas can draw sidewalk chalk all year. Lucky ducks!
We keep sending boxes to Amazon and they keep disappearing, and orders coming from all over - Biloxi AL, Darien, CT, Nashua, NH, Honolulu, HI, Las Vegas, NV or my favorite Conshohocken, PA! - . It's sort of the same feeling to have your product shipping to all these strangers - as it is a parent when you child goes off to school is playing with new kids - I just want to know, who are these people? Who is playing with our toy? But THANK YOU, from Ocean City to Century City, we appreciate it!
So as we head towards the end of 2016, we're thinking back on what a year it was. At this time a year ago, we had a single plastic 3D printed prototype of what we thought Walkie Chalk could be, no packaging, no web site and were stressed about the investment to take a giant leap of faith in production.
But, with a great investor, awesome manufacturing partners, the best graphic design guy on the planet (how we got so lucky, I'll never know) sleepless nights and support from our friends, we did it.We have shipments on their way to Toys R Us, Bed Bath & Beyond and Hobby Lobby right now, and we'll be on Zulily next week.
We also met amazing people, like Choon Ng who invented the RainbowLoom (the biggest toy of the last 20 years!) and have gotten calls and emails from buyers, parents and grandparents all around the world. The same guy in Australia keeps emailing asking when he can get a Walkie Chalk!
Now, we're getting ready for Toy Fair in February with our distributor, Talicor out of Kalamazoo, MI and from there it's onto 2018 planning already. Shauna is lining up some awesome PR for the summer too, so watch out! Who knows where Walkie Chalk will go or what happens to our little idea - but now we can say we did something and it was with your help and support that it happened.
We truly thank all of you guys for the encouragement, contacts and advice - it's been one heck of a 2016.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Stand Up & Draw!