Before my son was born, I was a computer programmer for a major credit card company. But, when I looked into that little boy's eyes for the first time, I knew that I couldn't leave him to go back to work.
I began my adventure as a stay-at-home mom. My life revolved around this new little person, and I wanted to make sure that he had everything he could possibly need or want. When he was about 6 months old, I noticed that he was obsessed with strings. He loved to play with the string on my hoodie. He would stare at shoelaces for hours. His favorite toy was a stuffed giraffe with a knotted fabric string for a tail. He loved to sleep with it, but would cry the second he "lost" the string.
So, I decided to make a new toy for him. One that had lots of strings, so that he would always have one to hold. That toy became the very first Zadyball. He carried it with him EVERYWHERE we went. For years. It was the subject of many conversations, usually beginning with "what is that thing?" When I would explain it, I would often hear "Oh, my child would like something like that too!" That was when I realized that I was on to something.
I started making Zadyballs as baby shower gifts. Soon, I had baby shower guests asking where they could buy one. After much convincing from family and friends, I decided to sell them.
That's when I discovered the wonderful world of Etsy. And the rest, as they say, is history.