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 friend’s 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, “It’s 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 physician’s 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 company’s 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, Lauren’s Herbal Animals can be found in over 750 body care, gift and natural living shops worldwide. Lauren’s company employs 13 people and has revenue of over a million dollars a year.
It’s interesting to note that Lauren Rosenstadt didn’t 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 didn’t let up. She did the thinking and the work necessary to achieve success.
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