<p>Discover how Juliana VanLaanen and Samantha Alavi-Jackson transformed their small Etsy shop into a luxury playhouse brand, navigating challenges from hand-painting in a sweltering warehouse to partnering with Amish artisans. Listen as they share their journey of innovation, resilience, and game-changing market strategies that landed 2 Momma Bees in over 110 stores.</p><p>Below are the key takeaways from this episode:</p><ul><li><strong>Starting Small and Scaling Up</strong>: Juliana VanLaanen and Samantha Alavi-Jackson began their venture, 2 Mama Bees, as a small Etsy shop from their backyards, eventually growing it into a brand that features in over 110 stores.</li><li><strong>Consumer-Centric Product Development</strong>: The duo emphasized the importance of listening to customer feedback which influenced their decision to design and manufacture more user-friendly, higher-quality playhouses domestically with Amish artisans.</li><li><strong>Handling Production Challenges</strong>: They tackled significant hurdles including switching from overseas production to domestic manufacturing to ensure consistency and quality, despite initial cost challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.</li><li><strong>Innovative Presale Strategy</strong>: Their approach to product launches involves presales where they collect customer interest and payment details without charging until they’re sure of the product's market fit, minimizing risks and inventory costs.</li><li><strong>Intuitive Business Decisions and Team Building</strong>: Despite their initial lack of experience, their intuition, willingness to learn, and commitment to hiring skilled team members allowed them to navigate complexities, resulting in remarkable success and industry recognition.</li></ul><br/><p>Todays guest, Juliana VanLaanen, can be found online at:</p><p>Website: https://2mamabees.com/</p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-vanlaanen/</p><p>Todays guest, Samantha Alavi-Jackson, can be found online at:</p><p>Website: https://2mamabees.com/</p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-alavi-jackson-30a5b8264/</p><p>Your host, Scott Turman, can be found online at:</p><p>BrightRay Publishing:<a href="https://brightray.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://brightray.com/</a></p><p>Entrepreneur Website:<a href="https://scottturman.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://scottturman.com/</a></p><p>LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottturman/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottturman/</a></p>

Entrepreneurs, Executives, & Eccentrics

Scott Turman

Moms on a Mission and Amish Artisans: Inside 2 Mama Bees’ Success

NOV 7, 202425 MIN
Entrepreneurs, Executives, & Eccentrics

Moms on a Mission and Amish Artisans: Inside 2 Mama Bees’ Success

NOV 7, 202425 MIN

Description

<p>Discover how Juliana VanLaanen and Samantha Alavi-Jackson transformed their small Etsy shop into a luxury playhouse brand, navigating challenges from hand-painting in a sweltering warehouse to partnering with Amish artisans. Listen as they share their journey of innovation, resilience, and game-changing market strategies that landed 2 Momma Bees in over 110 stores.</p><p>Below are the key takeaways from this episode:</p><ul><li><strong>Starting Small and Scaling Up</strong>: Juliana VanLaanen and Samantha Alavi-Jackson began their venture, 2 Mama Bees, as a small Etsy shop from their backyards, eventually growing it into a brand that features in over 110 stores.</li><li><strong>Consumer-Centric Product Development</strong>: The duo emphasized the importance of listening to customer feedback which influenced their decision to design and manufacture more user-friendly, higher-quality playhouses domestically with Amish artisans.</li><li><strong>Handling Production Challenges</strong>: They tackled significant hurdles including switching from overseas production to domestic manufacturing to ensure consistency and quality, despite initial cost challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.</li><li><strong>Innovative Presale Strategy</strong>: Their approach to product launches involves presales where they collect customer interest and payment details without charging until they’re sure of the product's market fit, minimizing risks and inventory costs.</li><li><strong>Intuitive Business Decisions and Team Building</strong>: Despite their initial lack of experience, their intuition, willingness to learn, and commitment to hiring skilled team members allowed them to navigate complexities, resulting in remarkable success and industry recognition.</li></ul><br/><p>Todays guest, Juliana VanLaanen, can be found online at:</p><p>Website: https://2mamabees.com/</p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-vanlaanen/</p><p>Todays guest, Samantha Alavi-Jackson, can be found online at:</p><p>Website: https://2mamabees.com/</p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-alavi-jackson-30a5b8264/</p><p>Your host, Scott Turman, can be found online at:</p><p>BrightRay Publishing:<a href="https://brightray.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://brightray.com/</a></p><p>Entrepreneur Website:<a href="https://scottturman.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://scottturman.com/</a></p><p>LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottturman/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottturman/</a></p>