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Kubit2me - GamePassion for Fun Is Infectious
When my husband Brad and I decided to take the risk and move forward with our plans to self produce Kubit2me, we immediately started to sock away his commission checks so that we could fund the project without having to take out a loan or secure investors. It cost us about $100K, which included costs for product development and design, attorney & other legal fees for patent, trademark and copyright protection, marketing and promotion, website design, and product inventory.
SHOESTRING LEADS TO CREATIVITY
As you can imagine, we’re on a tight budget. Even though we’ve only been able to afford a 10x10 booth, that isn’t exactly in a “prime” location (I guess they typically put first-timers like us in the nosebleed section!), our goal is to convey the fun, physical, and socially charged elements that are Kubit2me! We’ll be using plenty of colorful plush, and tossing around tons of Kubit2me’s. The great part about Kubitme is that we can accomplish our goal with lots of creativity and little money!
IT’S ALL ABOUT NETWORKING!
Mary Kay Russell, inventor of the tossing game Kubit2me, tells how her passion for her product brought lots of help her way.
What’s been truly amazing through all of this is the way family and friends rally around to help out any way they can! As our excitement about the idea for Kubit2me grew, so did the excitement of those close to us.
Here are a few examples:
- One of my neighbors is a very high-priced Chicago attorney. Although he was too expensive for us, he was able to connect us with more affordable trademark and patent attorneys. He also gave us basic start-up legal advice.
- Another neighbor, a high-level executive for a leading plush manufacturer, gave us invaluable insight and advice on how to bring our invention to market, including product design, manufacturing options, market trends, product placement and retailers’ mindsets.
- Another friend, a CPA, was so excited for us that she handled all of the necessary paperwork for us to incorporate, and now helps us with our company’s tax returns.
- Our CPA friend introduced us to one of her clients, a small start-up warehouse/fulfillment center. We now use this company to warehouse Kubit2me and fill our orders.
- Another neighbor, who owns a payment gateway company, offered to set up our merchant accounts. She educated us on the process and we were up and running before we knew it! She also introduced us to a web design/host company, who designed and developed our website and online store.
- A friend who owns a print company handled all of our initial print work, including sell sheets, business cards, and signage.
- One of our friends, an interior designer, helped us decide on colors for our logo design.
- My sister-in-law is designing our booth for Toy Fair.
- Our neighbor, also an entrepreneur (That Pickle Guy), provided us with lots of free advice on starting up a business.
- Our sons helped us build content for our website’s free downloadable games.
- We hosted a launch party in September ’07 at a local restaurant to thank everyone who helped us get here. Free Kubit2me’s were handed out to all 100 folks who attended!
OUR GOALS FOR TOY FAIR
By exhibiting at Toy Fair, we hope to develop contacts within the toy industry at all levels, including buyers, sales reps, comparable manufacturing companies, etc. We’re also hoping stimulate media buzz for Kubit2me. We plan to accomplish this by distributing press kits and product samples major newspapers in key areas of the country. We have not hired a PR agency to help us in this endeavor, but we’ll considering it based on the feedback we receive from Toy Fair.
MSRP: $24.99Age Range: 10 and upSKU or Item #: 894128001045Launch Date: September 2007Gender: Boys And Girls
This game for two to eight players makes communication more physical, exciting and fun. Participants toss the 6” bright orange plush cube to one another and answer thought-provoking questions from cards that they pull from Kubit2me’s denim pockets. A perfect game to play with friends, at family parties or at just about any group get-together, this non-competitive game comes with 99 friendship stickers and encourages open and honest communication about topics that affect our everyday lives, such as relationships, beliefs, opinions, memories and more. It even has a secret compartment for storing cards and stickers. This product received a 2008 Preferred Choice Award from Creative Child Magazine, a 2008 Award of Excellence and Editor's Choice Award from The Toy Man, and was named one of Dr. Toy's Best Picks 2009. Launch date: September 2007. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 15652 (added 10/11/2007) . TD
MSRP: $24.99Age Range: 8 and upSKU or Item #: 894128001007Launch Date: September 2007Gender: Girls
This game takes personal, shocking and silly truths and tricky, crazy and outrageous dares to a whole new level. To play, two to eight players toss a soft, 6” plush cube and answer questions or perform dares listed on cards inserted into Kubit2me’s embellished denim pockets. Kubit2me is available in a choice of pink, purple, blue or green. It comes with 44 game cards and 35 glitter bracelets that players retrieve from Kubit2me’s secret compartment and wear to display their points. “Its soft, yet energized, kinetic element, combined with its fun and engaging game variations make Kubit2me a unique form of entertainment by encouraging social interaction and face-to-face communication with a physical twist,” President Mary Kay Russell of Kubit2me told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2007. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 15650 (added 10/11/2007) . TD
MSRP: $24.99Age Range: 3 to 6SKU or Item #: 894128001021Launch Date: September 2007Gender: Boys And Girls
This game for two to eight players makes communication more physical, exciting and fun as participants toss the 6” multi-colored plush cube to one another and pull cards from the denim pockets. Designed to encourage self expression, develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination, it introduces kids to their ABCs and 123s through plenty of energy-charged social interaction. Complete with 26 alphabet cards, 20 number cards and 108 colorful reward stickers, it even has a secret compartment for storing all game components. This product was named one of Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products 2009 and 10 Best Socially Responsible Products 2009. Launch date: September 2007. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 15654 (added 10/11/2007) . TD
MSRP: $8.99Age Range: 3 to 6SKU or Item #: 894128001038Launch Date: September 2007Gender: Boys And Girls
Designed to extend play with the Kubit2me Lil’ Scholars game, this box includes 60 All About Me Cards featuring fun and engaging games that help children learn about body parts and emotions, plus 135 reward stickers. Launch date: September 2007. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 15655 (added 10/11/2007) . TD
Writer's Bio: ALISON MAREK is an award-winning writer, director and cartoonist whose work has been published by Fairchild Publications and DC Comics (Piranha Press), broadcast on Showtime and other cable networks, and viewed worldwide in film festivals. See her short films and print work on www.alisonmarek.com. Watch her nefarious villains in the web series www.MuggsMovers.com. Get inspired by her cartoons "Daily ARFFirmations to Unleash Your Inner Fido" at www.ARFFirmations.com. Phew! And then ... Read more articles by this author
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