Featured Mom-Preneur
a. What is your name?
Linda Byerline
b. What is your age?
35
c. What is the name of your company? URL of web site?
Happy Heiny's - www.HappyHeinys.com
d. When was your company founded?
2002
e. How as your company funded?
Our company has always been a cash company. Our first sales were funded with left over fabric and when sales immediately took off we dumped all of the proceeds back into the business. As we grow larger we try to continue this cash only basis.
f. What does your company do?
Happy Heiny’s produces high quality cloth diapers made of luxuriously soft, custom milled fabrics such as fleece which do not contain any dioxins, thus reducing rashes.
g. How/Why did you come up with this idea?
Linda founded Happy Heiny’s in 2002, in response to the birth of her first daughter Sara Grace. Sara Grace was born prematurely and developed chronic lung disease from the ventilator that helped to save her life. Due to the chemicals that are used to manufacture disposable diapers, doctors recommended that Linda and her husband switch to cloth diapers in hopes of decreasing Sara Grace’s need for medications and further hospitalization.
Heeding their doctor’s advice, Linda and Mike began using cloth diapers. Miraculously, after switching Sarah Grace to cloth diapers, Linda, Mike and Sarah Grace’s doctors documented a 50 percent decrease in her need for hospitalization and medication. However, the cloth products that Linda and Mike were using did not fit Sarah Grace due to her preemie size. After much research, Linda realized that, at that time, there were not any cloth diapers available that were manufactured or available for sale to fit premature babies. Unable to utilize disposable diapers due to Sarah Grace’s medical condition and allergies, Linda designed and sewed her own cloth diapers that fit Sarah Grace comfortably and didn’t cause diaper rash.
h. Where is your product/service sold?
Happy Heiny’s can be located and purchased through participating retailers and through their Web site.
i. What is the best piece of advice someone gave you about starting your own business?
If you really want to start your own business keep trying until you succeed. It may not happen today or tomorrow but before you know it you will wonder what took you so long to try in the beginning. Also never forget where you come from. Your customers will always appreciate your business if you treat them with the utmost respect.
j. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned or advice you would like to give others that might want to start their own business?
My most valuable lesson is to always remember why you are doing this. I am doing this for my family and what matters most is the happiness of my family as a whole. Learn early on how to schedule your “work” time and your “family” time. Everyone will appreciate this in the long run.
k. Does your company support any causes? If so, what are they?
It is the belief of our company that without the community we would not be a company. Therefore, we do support many different causes throughout the year. Each year we do two separate charity auctions with a group of fellow business owners. For example, Happy Heiny’s has worked with Autism Speaks, Fistula Care Foundation, and several others.
We have also donated a portion of proceeds to the 9/11 widow fund, Tsunami Red Cross Fund, and most recently we have a “Breast Cancer Awareness” diaper that has 100% of proceeds donated to Susan G Komen.
