Cheryl Wells has made a career out of her experience as a mother. As a parent, Wells knew that visual stimulation was essential to the mental development of infants. Inspired and concerned for the development of her own baby, as she “sat alone in her rear-facing car seat,” Wells searched for a product that would entertain and stimulate the mind of her infant daughter. When she learned that the product she searched for did not exist, she created Auto Mobiles™: a colorful entertainment device, attached to the car’s ceiling, from which three dimensional objects suspend. Well’s motivation translated into compassion for babies everywhere, as they sit, strapped into their car seats. Drawing from her dedication as a mother, her experience as a business woman, and the help of many others who held the same genuine concern, Up & Away, Inc. (ToyDirectory) premiered Auto Mobiles™ nearly four years ago. Today, the company remains committed to the budding possibilities of Auto Mobiles™ and its potential to improve the travel of “baby passengers” everywhere.
An Idea Is Born
I am certain that products derived from the genuine needs of both parent/caregiver and child, are the best. I knew that the ideal scenario would be to find a product that could be placed on our car´s ceiling and provide visual entertainment and stimulation for my baby. So I began my research -- bound and determined to find something colorful, lively and appealing, but no such product existed. I decided right then and there that I’d set out to create a travel mobile for my daughter.
There were key people along the way who were everything from inspirations to resources to collaborators. We worked together to perfect a concept and turn it into a product that brings visual pleasure to the precious passengers in all our lives. Up & Away, Inc. is a company that can best be described by the evolution of our premier product, Auto Mobiles™.
Nurturing and Development
I applied the same hard work and devotion to the development of Auto Mobiles™ as I have my 11-year business of dental crown and bridge restorations. I wouldn’t have done it any other way. I know that the business knowledge, appreciation and focus on quality, service, work ethic and philosophy have been an invaluable foundation for my role with the creation of Auto Mobiles™ and Up & Away, Inc.
We are in such good company with fellow parents and inventors who start with the identification of a simple need and find themselves on a similar journey towards the introduction of a fine, well received and appreciated children’s product.
Growing Up
Auto Mobiles™ is a travel mobile that is truly right for parents and caregivers everywhere. Today’s caregiver has many faces, and can include everything from parents to grandparents to young nannies. Our marketing communicates as best we can the experience of having a product like Auto Mobiles™. We clearly identified not just what the product is, but how it fits into the target audience’s lifestyle.
Up & Away, Inc.’s immediate goals are to create variations on the concept in terms of the actual look and feel of the product. For example, we are in the process of creating auto frames that display photos in the car using the same concept and a new plush line of Auto Mobiles™.
Another less immediate goal is to license the concept. Again, because of the vast range of who fits into the caregiver category, we know that different themes and existing children’s characters, for example, would work beautifully for Auto Mobiles™. The imagery possibilities are endless, and this lends naturally to companies that own those characters and properties.
Although I am fairly new to the industry, I would have to say that competitive pricing is essential. We have, and will continue to balance that with our overall passion to create the most unique and truly delightful Auto Mobiles™ for baby passengers everywhere. Up & Away, Inc. is about a dedication to quality, and providing practical and fun products with a purpose!
