Parenthood inspires moms everyday. It also inspired Julie DeFruscio. When her young daughter was diagnosed with diabetes and needed to carry an insulin pump around, she decided to find a way to make clothes her daughter would love, reports The Wall Street Journal.
“It was awful to see such ugly medical-looking items that were our only choices for a little girl,” says the 51-year-old Ms. DeFruscio. “As parents, you want your children to have the fun and cute things.”
The opportunity for a business was obvious. Ms. DeFruscio brought her longtime friend Dawn Juneau, who was working as a secretary, on board as a partner. Neither had any experience in business, but they plowed ahead, offering T-shirts as well as accessories, such as insulin-pump cases, that kids can customize.
Launching Pump Wear Inc. meant Ms. DeFruscio had to rearrange her life, working from home late into the night and handing off many of the everyday household duties to her husband, Mark. Navigating the unfamiliar difficulties of the business world was also a struggle at first, such as finding a manufacturer that was affordable but still reliable.
Once the company’s website was up and running, the partners started pitching their products to diabetes groups and educators, which got orders rolling in. From there, they came to rely on recommendations from the diabetes groups, as well as medical offices, insulin-pump sales reps and satisfied customers–many of whom also thanked the company for their work.
Photo from Pump Wear