Becoming an Entrepenuer With A Family

I can’t remember how many years it’s been since I first started asking my dad, a lifelong entrepreneur, “How about this idea?”, “What about that?”, or “What if we make this?” The ideas ranged from furniture, to toys, to games—we discussed it all. My dad would do some research and usually come back and tell me to keep trying. But then one day, it came to me and I knew this idea was the one!

It started when Reid, my son, was about 14 months old, and I ran into a neighbor whose son was eating a store bought pouch filled with a veggie blend. She called it “astronaut food.”

I was intrigued and went up to the local health food store, which was one of the only places that carried them at the time. I bought some and Reid loved them! It was so fun for him to hold and squeeze; he learned how to roll up the bottom and get every last drop out. I have always been into health and wellness and was thrilled to have him eating veggie purée as a snack, but I felt strange buying these while I was constantly cooking similar healthy foods at home. And I hated the waste created from throwing out the pouches. Billions of single use food pouches end up in landfills every year. That just didn’t jibe with my practice of using the most earth friendly baby products for my son. And then it dawned on me; I should make a reusable version of these pouches!

I began to brainstorm with my dad, Noel, who has a background in manufacturing, and together we created Squooshi—reusable food pouches designed for healthy fun, convenience, and less waste.

It's been two years since we received our first Squooshi prototype and my sister and I both started testing them out in our own homes. I can honestly say that I can't imagine my kitchen without them now, and I know my sister agrees.

Because our pouches have fun artwork, Reid immediately loved them more than the store bought pouches. He has the freedom to choose the character he wants and he can also tell me what he would like me to fill them with. Reid loves the characters and actually squeezing the pouches, and I love blending veggies into his yogurt and applesauce and knowing he is eating really healthy, fresh food. Plus, when I open his lunchbox and can wash the pouch and re-fill it, rather than throw it in the garbage, I feel great!

Since our launch in October 2012, we have received countless emails from parents thanking us for making Squooshi. We have parents who love them because they help feed their picky eaters, or kids that have severe food allergies They even help feed children who are ill and have trouble eating from a spoon. These are just some of the benefits Squooshi has provided that we didn't even think of when we created them. It has been a lot of hard work, as any business venture is, but definitely worth it. It feels amazing to have created a product that has been so well received and that is better for our beautiful planet!