When Ryan Sakai and his wife were expecting their first child they wanted to make a website for their son that they could use to help keep friends and family up to date. During that process a seed of inspiration was planted within them. What originally started as a simple website for their new baby quickly grew into a business idea that would be able to fill that particular niche. With the birth of BabyJellyBeans.com came the chance for parents to create beautiful themed web pages for their photos and the ability to do it without needing a lot of technical know-how.
So what makes this business unique? Ryan was nice enough to tell us a little more about BabyJellyBeans.com and to answer a few questions.
Tell us a little about the services that BabyJellyBeans provides.
BabyJellyBeans.com is a website creation platform that allows new and expecting parents to quickly and easily create a stylish website for their baby. Each website includes a 30-day free trial and 1 GB of storage space to upload favorite photos, videos and audio. Website subscriptions come with a free domain name, privacy controls, and a free keepsake CD (after 1 year). You can also order professional photo prints and photo books directly from your website.
What inspired your business?
My wife and I were inspired to build a baby website with the arrival of our first son, Ryley, in 2001. We started his website to share new pictures and updates with our friends and family, and the concept of BabyJellyBeans grew from there.
How much does it cost per website?
BabyJellyBeans websites are $8.95 a month. No contract or commitment. The websites are ad-free and the first month is a free trial. And for a limited time, new websites include a free 1 year domain name.
What separates you from the competition?
The look and feel of a BabyJellyBeans website is like no other. We feature modern designs from top designers through our partnerships with companies like Tiny Prints, Threadless KIDS!, Wry Baby and, soon-to-be, many more. Our website collections are also customizable — meaning each page of the website can have a different design within each theme.
In what ways has BabyJellyBeans expanded/grown since your launch in 2003?
We have expanded our website design collection considerably and we continually add new features and web page options. We also offer free photo ecards and the ability to print our websites to book and CD.
What goals do you still hope to reach over the next year?
In addition to adding to our collection of designs, we hope to continue to expand our distribution through new and existing partnerships. BabyJellyBeans offers a co-branded solution to other companies in the baby/parenting space to further engage their audience and add a new revenue stream by offering our services. We also plan to grow our existing partner program for ultrasound companies and photographers interested in offering our websites to their customers.
Do you have any tips or tricks that have helped you balance your time between business and family?
I work primarily from home with my wife, Tricia, who is also my business partner. It can be difficult to separate our business from our personal lives. We find it helpful to schedule time to spend with each other such as date nights or family days. We also try not to talk about work at the dinner table or in the bedroom.
What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs hoping to launch a business of their own?
If you have an idea, get it into a business plan. This exercise will help you flush out the concept, work through the details and act as a road map when you’re off and running. And always be open to new ideas and change.