How I Created a Product from Scratch with No Experience
My first career had nothing to do with physical products. I worked in television news for 10 years. During that time, I found myself inspired by and drawn to entrepreneur success stories. They stirred up the dream of having my own business one day, but I had no clue what that would look like—and trust me, it's still evolving—but I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur.
Transitioning from a ten-year career in television news to becoming an entrepreneur—or “mompreneur” in my case—might seem like quite the leap. However, the journey of transforming an idea into a tangible reality is something that still excites me to this day.
I've experimented with numerous business ventures and ideas in the gap between leaving the news business to become a full-time mama and the launch of my first physical product. Most of those ventures were service-based, with the exception of a granola experiment I tried at one point. I’ll save that story for another day.
The idea for my first product came after the birth of my second son. Our family loves to travel and explore new places, and I wanted an easy way to document the memories we share so we never forget these special times. Relying on digital memories was not an option for me after I traumatically lost the contents of digital journals twice due to app updates and technology glitches. I discuss why I don't rely on digital storage here.
So, I decided I wanted to create a Family Travel Journal that was simple and easy for a busy mom like me to use.
Most of the travel journals I found online were designed for a single trip, but I wanted a book full of memories from many trips. This lady did not have time to fill out a whole book, so I knew I wanted to create the journal I needed for my family.
But how does someone with no experience create a product from scratch? One of my greatest strengths is figuring things out. So, that's exactly what I did, and I'm going to share with you what worked for me.
Seeding the Idea
With the spark ignited, it was time to get to work to bring my journal to life.
Research and Contact: I started by identifying existing products on the market that were similar to what I envisioned. Then I started reaching out to these companies, to see if they would be willing to share the printing companies they used to make their journals. Some were incredibly generous in sharing insights while others chose to keep their practices confidential, which is completely understandable.
Follow the Trail: Armed with the information I gathered, I dove deeper. I reached out to printers recommended by these companies and started asking a lot of questions about the process of creating a bound book. Some printers were open to guiding a newcomer like me, while others weren't as helpful. Perseverance paid off when I found a generous, kind man who was willing to help me out even though his company didn’t even work with small companies like mine.
Navigating the Learning Curve
With the guidance of my newfound printer friend, I started learning the intricate process of creating, printing, and publishing a journal:
Education and Experimentation: Research became my constant companion. I delved into paper samples, ink types, binding techniques, and the complexities of layout design. It was a crash course in the world of book production, and my willingness to learn and adapt played a pivotal role.
Trial and Error: The process of developing the Family Travel Journal was not without its challenges. The learning curve was steep, and setbacks were common. However, I saw every obstacle was an opportunity to refine the product further.
Turning Vision into Reality
After six months of dedication, determination, and a willingness to navigate uncharted waters, I held the first sample of Our Family Travel Journal in my hands:
Triumph of Perseverance: The journey from concept to reality was marked by countless hours of research, numerous rejections, and several “fails” but the small successes along the way and a continuous desire to learn made the process enjoyable. I often say creating a product is like solving a big puzzle. There is great satisfaction when all the little pieces start coming together.
Beautiful Creation: The joy of holding the first physical copy of Our Family Travel Journal in my hands was unparalleled. The journal that I had envisioned for my family was now a reality that could be shared with others.
I hope that by sharing my experience you will be reminded that with the right mindset and the courage to navigate the unknown, anyone can turn their dreams into a tangible reality. Yes, that means you!