Here at Belly Bandit HQ, a women-owned and operated company, we believe in celebrating the success of all women in business! Our “Moms Who Made It” series is our way of honoring Mompreneurs who inspire us every day.
This week we're thrilled to be featuring Lisa Furuland, founder of the amazing DockATot®. When Lisa was unable to find the perfect lounging product to fit her son's need she went to work creating her own. She used her background in art history and her eye for beauty and design to create the first DockATot® lounger. Her snug and soothing (and oh-so-cute) design gives baby a place to rest, play and lounge - brilliant!
Describe your business philosophy in 5 words:
Always take risks.
What inspired you to go into business?
I created the DockATot multifunctional baby lounger to help simplify my life as a mom. When my son, Ilias, was born in 2006, I searched unsuccessfully for an alternative to the blanket, the cot, and the baby lounger. I craved something more snug and, at the same time, more versatile that could be use anywhere around the house and for travel. I came up with the name DockATot because I was living in a small seaside town in Sweden where docks are considered safe harbors. I wanted our docks to serve as a secure place for parents to place their little ones.
When did you know you, “made it?”
I knew we had made it big when our Instagram account began growing so fast. We are now at 327K followers. When we saw how Moms were recommending the product to each other, we knew it was just a matter of time until the company had established significant growth. And it wasn’t just Moms, but celebrities started reaching out asking us to send them docks. We also had a few big stores approach us to tell us “DockATot” was a top search term on their websites. So we knew from all the reviews, industry feedback, and mom recommendations that the day of the DockATot had dawned.
Who is your mentor?
I was really inspired by the book ‘The Tipping Point‘ by Malcolm Gladwell. He’s one of the best thought leaders when it comes to how ideas can go viral, which is such an important part of our marketing plan and strategy.
What's your #1 tip for moms interested in business
You need to pursue uniqueness. Don’t copy – where’s the pride in that? To become truly successful, you need to fill a void in the market. And don’t be afraid to take risks. I always do something I am a little not ready to do and that scares me. Sometimes I have an idea and just start putting all the pieces in place and a few months later it’s a reality. So don’t overthink.
What does “me” time mean to you?
Mom time is usually hiking in Athens, running or practicing my headstand to achieve balance, and I always make time for a good blow out at the hair salon!
What‘s on your bedside table?
My nightstand is usually full of books about my favorite designers, architects, etc. I devour all things aesthetically pleasing in fashion, industrial design, photography, interior design, architecture, graphic design and nature.
Words to live by - Share you favorite quote!
I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.- Estee Lauder.
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To learn more about Lisa and DockATot head to, https://dockatot.com/.
