From China with Love

The Today Show Racktrap segment was a publicist’s dream come true! We were invincible, shifting gears from “smile and dial” to “pitch and place.” It was the fashion equivalent of scoring a pair of current season Christian Louboutins at Loehmann’s, unreal and so rewarding. And we all know that never happens.

Between The Today Show and Glamour’s website, the orders started pouring in. We had connected with the hearts and boobs of American women. The calls were incredibly supportive and encouraging. “I saw your product on The Today Show. How do I order one?” “Can someone call me and walk me through the ordering process?” “I love your product! I wish I thought of that!” “Hi, I saw your product on The Today Show and I love the name!” “I tried your website and my order didn’t go through” was replaced shortly thereafter by “I placed my order a few days ago. When will my order arrive?”

Most importantly, orders were pouring in. But unless everyone wanted to share the one Racktrap we had left in stock, we didn’t have enough product for fulfillment. Big Oy Vey!

Since none of us knew anything about production, we were swept into an unofficial MBA program of experience, talking to anyone and everyone who could help us manufacture enough product to meet the demand.

Initially, we tried to remain patriotic and looked into manufacturing in the good old US of A. Charlie (our unseen partner with the foundation in foundations) sourced it out and found a company in New Jersey (what exit?) that was willing to do it in a time frame that worked for us. And so the initial orders were created in the Garden State (cue your favorite Springsteen or Bon Jovi song here).

Upon doing further research, we realized that we could manufacture faster and in a more cost efficient manner if we did it overseas. All suggestions pointed to China. But our experience with China was limited to dinner on Christmas. We had never manufactured anything before and didn’t know where to turn. The three of us could sell snow to a blind and deaf Eskimo but how could we get our product outsourced to China?

So as we continued to fill orders with the made in NJ product, the three of us put our heads together to see if anyone in our vast collective network knew someone who knew someone who had connections in China.

Luckily, when in business doubt, I always calls my good friend who also happens to be one of the smartest women on the planet and is also is the Managing Director of a group that funds female-owned businesses.

The conversation went like this:

“You’re not going to believe this, but my partners and I invented a product called The Racktrap, an undetectable bra pocket that holds your money cash, ID and credit cards safely in your bra,” I said during the initial call.

“Really? Are you joking?” she asked. That was always her follow-up to any of my bon mots since she is not only smart, but a great audience for my jokes. Also, I’m not sure she realized initially that I was being serious, since I am also a professional comedian.
“No, I swear, it was on The Today Show and the orders are pouring in.  Do you know anyone who manufactures stuff in China?”

Her response was priceless:

“Timing is everything, Marla. An associate of mine is having a networking event at her house next week. Why don’t you come? Do you have product you can hand out and possibly meet investors?”

Did I?? Absolutely! 

The next day I called Jackie and Karen and told them about the event and that we had to gamble again. I was taking the remaining American-made products to the networking event the following week.

At the networking event I met plethora of philanthropic women willing to dispense advice and make introductions. They say (whoever ‘they’ may be is) “go where the love is,” and everyone at the networking event was giddy over The Racktrap! The responses further proved that The Racktrap crossed socio-economic lines, from the cab driver that dropped me off at the event (I give female cab drivers Racktraps to keep their money safe) to all the professional women in attendance.  

The evening was coming to a close and I still needed to find a manufacturing source. The hostess made one last introduction, to a woman whose company outsources and manufactures in China. Talk about kismet! She was personable, helpful and provided mockups with the approved artwork ahead of the promised deadline. Ahead of deadline? Really? This woman got our business.

And we hoped that the rest of our journey would be so easy…