Kim Lavine’s story is a testament to the fact that you can turn the simplest idea into a million dollars.
Kim had her first million dollar idea on a snowy day in 2000 when she was at home with her husband watching him feed the deer in their backyard. She looked at a big bag of corn and at that moment an idea popped into her head. She had heard of rice in socks as a soothing heat bag to relieve aches and pains and de-stress tight muscles and her thought was that corn would be much better because it could hold more heat.
She immediately went to work creating a prototype, she sewed up a bag full of corn and popped it in the microwave. Amazed at the soothing penetrating heat she felt, she knew she had a great idea. Kim started by giving these bags as gifts to her children’s teachers. As word spread, more and more people asked her for her corn bags, which she named Wuvits. It seemed everyone in town wanted a Wuvit. Kim had to keep her car stocked with them, because people in the bank or at school events would ask for them. Eventually she realized she had to expand her little business.
She set about writing up her own patent and registering for a trademark. Her husband took a dozens Wuvits to a local gift store and asked if they could sell them on consignment. They sold out in a week and the owner called to order more. Soon after, Kim’s husband was laid off from his job and she had to make the decision whether or not to spend their personal savings to invest in her product.
With encouragement from others, she decided to move forward and headed to her first tradeshow. She came home with thousands of dollars worth of orders! Kim then set about finding a manufacturer to mass produce her Wuvits. She decided to make her product a higher end item using only the best materials and the highest quality grain.
The improvements paid off.
Kim decided to lease 4 mall kiosks and ended up selling $250,000 worth of Wuvits in just 8 short weeks. The word was out about her product in a big way, and people loved them!
In 2004, a buyer from Saks was amongst the frenzy of buyers taking orders from Kim at a tradeshow. She gave Kim a purchase order for 42 Parisian stores, which equaled to 1,000’s of Wuvits. Kim was able to fulfill the order with no problems and she was on her way to making millions. She was then able to get her Wuvit’s in to Macy’s, Gottschalks, Von Maur, Bed Bath & Beyond, Whole Foods Market, and Tabi International.
She created a similar product for kids called Sleepy-Head Fred™, recognized by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as a “Top 5 Gift Pick”.
During this time, Kim unfortunately lost of her mother to breast cancer so she wanted to raise awareness about early detection, and raise money for breast cancer research. She partnered with Waverly®, the nation’s premiere manufacturer of home décor fabrics, designing the nation’s first fabric featuring a pink ribbon motif celebrating breast cancer awareness, titled “Faith, Hope & Love.”
Kim has also expanded her line by creating a line of Green Daisy designer pajamas which were first sold at Saks and Gottschalks.
Kim has gone on to write a book called “MOMMY MILLIONAIRE: How I Turned My Kitchen Table Idea Into a Million Dollars and How You Can Too“. Because of the books success, Kim is now viewed as an expert on inspirational and business advice.
She has been on the The Today Show, Rachael Ray Show, NBC & ABC news, CNN, CNBC, NPR, Oprah & Friends Radio Network, myLifetimeTV.com, and features in USA Today, Country Living, Guideposts, Women’s World, Family Circle and American Baby, as well as international appearances on Canada’s CBC radio network and the cover of Mompreneur.
She has also created a social networking website called www.mommymillionaire.com where she gives advice to entrepreneurs, signed a production deal for her own Mommy Millionaire TV show and launched MOMMY MILLIONAIRE magazine. She is now writing her next book THE MOMMY MANIFESTO.
Amidst all this, she continues to work from home and still finds time to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for her kids who are now ages 11 and 9. Amazing woman!
More articles:
How To Find Retailers To Sell your New Product
7 Industries That Offer the Potential for Moms to Make Millions
How Moms Can Use the Internet to Start Making Millions
Six Figure Yearly Program - Is It Worth The Money?
Get Paid to Drive Your Car - Is This For Real?
Submit Your New Invention Ideas To Proctor and Gamble
More Moms Who’ve Made Millions
