A pair of Minnesota moms wants to empower kids through their new entrepreneurial endeavor
By Nancy Crotti, MinnesotaBusiness Magazine
JoAnne Pastel and Kakie Fitzsimmons couldn’t find books that featured young children of all ethnicities playing and learning together. So they decided to develop their own line of books, toys, children’s clothing and accessories that encourage diverse populations of kids to learn about sports and outdoor activities.
Pastel’s previous career as a stock broker led her to realize that she and Fitzsimmons, who also works in financial services, could succeed with a children’s product line if they were careful about planning and sharing information. (They declined to disclose sales, saying only that the books, priced at $14.95, have sold in the thousands.)
Pastel and Fitzsimmons started working on the Bur Bur & Friends series of books in 2004 and named their company Farmer’s Hat Productions after Pastel’s son William’s favorite hat. Their first three books feature drawings of William (as Bur Bur, William’s imaginary friend), Pastel and her husband, Petters Group Worldwide executive Bill Dunlap. In the books, Bur Bur learns about fishing, boating and baseball. A book about hiking featuring a Caucasian girl named Anna was published last month and they plan to finish writing a basketball book by the end of December. Other books based on six additional characters of different ethnicities are planned.
The line debuted in April and Farmer’s Hat held a kick-off at the Mall of America in July. Maureen Bausch, executive vice president of the mall, says the Bur Bur line has been very well received. The books are available at the mall’s Park at MOA stores as well as online and at stores listed at www.farmershatproductions.com.
“I think people really like the concept,” Bausch says. “It’s unique. There aren’t too many in that category.”
Farmer’s Hat has also teamed up with Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines to offer a free Bur Bur & Friends kit to kids on flights, with an activity book, crayons and a kid-sized box of cereal.
“We are building a brand which will include other products in addition to the books,” Fitzsimmons adds. “The books are the core products.” Currently, the line includes a puzzle, soft baseball, cloth dolls and hats. Pastel and Fitzsimmons recruited 20-year-old artist and college student Lindsay VanDeWeghe to do the illustrations, and Dunlap has collaborated on some of the writing. “One of the things that has helped us is that the people who are working with us are just as passionate as we are,” Pastel says.
Pastel and Fitzsimmons started Farmer’s Hat with private money and are now looking for outside financing. Meanwhile, they are working at getting the books into other bookstores and into libraries. They’ve hired a public relations agency and have had some home-grown PR as well.
“William walked right up to a stranger and asked, ‘Will you buy one of my Mommy’s books?’” Pastel recalls with a laugh. “It’s wonderful to see the positive reaction.”
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Farmer’s Hat Productions:
Headquarters: Wayzata, Minnesota
Inception: Founded in November 2004, products available in April 2007
Revenue: Not disclosed
Seed Capital: Not disclosed
Patents: none
Employees: 6
Description: Farmer’s Hat Productions, LLC – preview product line is trademarked as Bur Bur and Friends. The series features a diverse group of characters who introduce children to sports, outdoor exploration and active play.
Web site(s): www.farmershatproductions.com , www.burburandfriends.com
Management team:
President: JoAnne Pastel
VP: Kakie Fitzsimmons
Project Manager: Sarah Hermann
Creative Director: Christopher Bohnet
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