Isabel and Caroline Bercaw hold the positions of co-founders and CCCOs (Co-Chief Creative Officers) of Da Bomb Bath Fizzers. Since creating the product line together in 2013, both sisters have worked tirelessly to develop their brand. They are the creative minds behind the original (and existing) line, “featured fizzer” concepts, as well as brand extensions (which are currently in development). They are responsible for organizing the Da Bomb social media calendar and executing social media messages and posts. They regularly communicate with current customers and potential clients, selling their products at trade shows and pop-up sales. They are brand ambassadors, sharing their story with the public.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
We grew up using bath bombs all the time, but we always felt disappointed when a bomb finished dissolving because, well… it was gone. So we decided to create a line of bath bombs that each have a fun surprise in the middle.
Our first experience selling was when we signed up to participate in a local art fair. We spent the whole summer making about 150 bath bombs, and we were pretty shocked when we sold out on the first day of the fair!
Tell us about your business.
When we started making bath bombs in our basement a few years ago, little did we know that our hobby would turn into a booming business. Guided by the belief that everyone loves surprises, we created a line of bath fizzers that each have something fun inside. Toys, charms, messages and jewelry are just a few of the items you’ll find inside our products.
Since Da Bomb Bath Fizzers™ became an official company in April 2015, we have somehow managed to juggle school and friends, while standing at the helm of a company that has created over 150 jobs in our hometown. Each fragrant fizzer is handmade using just a few simple ingredients, and proceeds from the sale of the Earth Bomb go to organizations that clean up the world’s oceans.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
Yes. We’re planning to offer free shipping on our website on Black Friday for orders of $50 or more.
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.
We were the 2016 Minnesota Cup Start Up Competition Youth Division Finalists and took the overall Crowd Favorite Award. (Top 16 out of 1,800 small business entries).
Where is your business based?
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
We made every single bath fizzer by hand in our basement for the first two summers. Once we launched our website, we started getting wholesale requests and we began feeling overwhelmed. Our mom jumped in to help, and then we recruited our dad. Soon we realized we needed to hire more help, so we did. Nine months after we started selling to stores, we had 8 employees working for us in our home. It was a crazy, exciting time. Now we have over 150 employees who make the bombs for us, all still by hand in our production studio which is about four miles from our house.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Social media has been huge for us. We have over 28,000 followers on Instagram, which is so exciting. We attend several national trade shows each year, and word of mouth has been huge. Potential wholesale clients see our products in stores, and contact us about selling our products. We get up to a dozen unsolicited wholesale requests each day!
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Juggling school, extracurricular activities and running a business!
How did you overcome these challenges?
We get really creative with answering emails between classes or at lunch, and we get out a few hours early each day, which helps.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
We live by the phrase: Expect the unexpected. We always joke that each day has a triumph and a tragedy, and it’s oddly true! You never know when something won’t go the way you expected it to, so you need to accept it, deal with it, understand setbacks are normal, and move past it so you can focus on the next challenge.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
For starters, all our bath bombs have surprises inside. The name of each bomb coordinates with the fragrance, appearance and enclosed surprise. Ex: The Earth Bomb looks like the earth, smells like an ocean breeze and has a toy sea creature inside. Our Cake Bomb smells like almond buttercream, is topped with sprinkles and has a cake-themed surprise inside.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
“No” is the first two letters of “Not Yet.” If something doesn’t work out today, keep trying because it might work out in the future if you keep working toward the goal.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
Go for it! It’s easier than ever for people of any age to start their own business. I (Isabel) would say think through your idea carefully, but don’t spend TOO much time in thinking mode. Many people spend so much time planning that they don’t actually take action.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
Well, pretty much anything you ever wanted to know you can find on the internet. And our favorite resources are smart people in our business community who continually give us their advice. We’ve been so lucky to learn from people who have walked a path similar to ours, and we’re also lucky to give advice to other start-ups now, too. Never be afraid to ask for advice. People are remarkably willing to help!
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
There was an article about Emily Weiss in Entrepreneur Mag this month that was pretty good. She founded Glossier. We also recommend going out to YouTube and typing in “Freaker Kickstarter.” If you’re looking for some inspiration, it will change your life.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
International shipping!
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
We’re working really hard to meet demand right now, to scale and to innovate. That’s our main focus. We have some really exciting new items in the works, and they’re coming in January 2018!
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @dabombfizzers
Twitter @daBombFizzers
Facebook www.facebook.com/dabombfizzers
Website www.dabombfizzers.com
Email info@dabombfizzers.com
Hashtags #dabombfizzers #sisterpreneurs #bathbombs