When starting a new business, especially when creating a problem-solving product that is first to market, it can be a very demanding and complicated process. Working in Melbourne, Australia, as an Osteopath and Orthotist, patients would share their frustrations with me about breast pain when lying in the prone position, particularly in those patients that had recently undergone breast surgery. A light bulb went off for me, as they say, and I identified a problem in the breast health industry and created Mammagard as the solution. Mammagard is the world’s first breast orthotic designed to protect women’s breasts from experiencing compression & discomfort while lying face down. A common mistake, however, for new entrepreneurs, is thinking that the product will speak for itself. While this can be the case, some of the greatest ideas and most high quality products don’t find initial success in the market because they aren’t properly presented or potentially not in an optimal business model.
Here are my tips for launching and growing your product into a business, especially when your product is the first of its kind.
- You Will Need to Educate Your Audience
Mammagard is the world’s FIRST breast Orthotic (pillow). While it can be a great asset to be the first to market, it can also be a big challenge. You audience isn’t aware your product exists even though they may know inherently that they need it. This means that you need to plan ahead for strategic marketing campaigns to reach your end user. You also need to make sure it is easily accessible either online or in store for purchase. Once the end user knows your product is out there and how they can get it, that’s half the battle.
- Things Will Take Longer Than Expected and Time Is Money
When making a business plan, it’s important to create a budget and timeline and do your best to meet the milestones you have set toward your end goal. However, it’s inevitable that first time entrepreneurs or first time products will have unexpected time delays and costs. It’s great to create an overflow or miscellaneous budget item for this so that you don’t run out of funds and have to hault your progress. Expect to run out of money at some point!!
- Find a Mentor Who Has Gone Before You
Even if your product or business is the first of its kind, that doesn’t mean there isn’t someone who hasn’t been through a similar process before. Find a mentor who has launched and sold multiple businesses or brought new products to market. This is someone you can go to for guidance, support, and just to vent disappointments or celebrate achievements during the ups and downs of your company’s progress.
- Be Open To Change
Just because you are first, doesn’t mean you are all-knowing. It’s great to be confident in your innovation but it’s equally important to listen to feedback from clients, consumers, and industry professionals. Be willing to adjust the product itself, the packaging, or your business strategy as you learn what the consumer wants. For Mammagard, we tried 140 different prototypes in terms of shapes, sizes, materials and more to come to the final end product.
- Go Where The Market Is
You may create the product to fulfill a specific need but find that there are several others uses or demographics that receive the product well. We originally launched Mammagard in Australia for women who have undergone reconstructive surgery from breast cancer but we found there was also an audience for a variety of breast plastic surgeries, the chiropractic and massage industries, and women who have natural breasts but prefer to read or sleep on their stomach. We also quickly learned that the real heart of breast reconstructive surgeries was in the US, particularly California. We eventually moved our offices, manufacturing, and fulfillment centers to Los Angeles to better satisfy the need.
To learn more visit Mammagard.com or follow @Mammagard on social media.
