With January already behind us and February well on its way, we’re a bit late with our year in review blog. But all in all, we consider 2021 a huge success. We accomplished a lot and learned even more. We definitely had some setbacks, but we used those setbacks to assess, learn, adjust and ultimately show 2021 who’s boss!
MEDIA COVERAGE
We started 2021 with an unprecedented snowstorm that resulted in the loss of power (and water) for several days. However, around that time we were featured in the lifestyle section of the Austin-American Statesman. We earned some great media coverage in 2021, thanks to our PR pro, and this was an article we were especially proud of.
SOMETHING TO POND-ER
INSP!RED Product Development Group is a woman-owned business and Shari, the owner, is a single mom. The team is mainly comprised of women and parents. She created a low-overhead work environment that is family-friendly and makes it easier on the team to balance work and kids – especially in a time where kids are home more than ever. The open-air warehouse, along with 16-acres of land with walking paths, a livable treehouse, and a putting green enables employees to bring their children to work when necessary. This helps alleviate the burden of missing work or having to find childcare and allows our employees to spend time with their children on breaks and throughout the day. It also creates an environment where kids get to see their parents in action at work and learn what it takes to run a company. Last year, Shari and her father added a pond to the property and it’s gorgeous – perfect for a nice walk during a mid-morning or after lunch break and fun for the kids to kayak and play in when it’s hot outside.
OH, SNAP! WE LAUNCHED A NEW PRODUCT
After dealing with months of supply chain issues, shipping (container) delays, increased costs, etc., we received and launched our new product, the Cabinet Caddy SNAP! at the end of October. Cabinet Caddy SNAP! is a pull-and-rotate organizer for spices, prescriptions, crafts and much more. You asked and we listened. We took feedback from our loyal customers and made the Cabinet Caddy SNAP! The new features, such as the three adjustable shelves, small things tray, and the smaller size Caddy with more room to store more items, all make it a must-have or must-give for anyone in a home, apartment, RV, camper or location that needs to save space for organizing. Have you ordered yours yet?
30% GROWTH
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that’s the case, we should feel extremely flattered, but we don’t. All our products are invented by our co-founders, they are patented and trademarked, and we own the copyrights on all our images, videos, and graphics (because we do them ourselves). However, it’s a constant battle to protect the integrity of our brand because we have so many knockoffs on the market (that look very similar but aren’t nearly as well made and the quality is inferior). This was (and is) an ongoing battle and we have a team devoted to the cause. Despite this, along with supply chain issues, etc., we still were able to increase sales by 30%. That’s a huge success for our nimble team and our fearless leader, Shari.
NIGHTS OF LIGHTS
In 2020, Shari and her father, Ron, created a trail of lights on the property as a way to do something for the neighbors where they could be outside and really immerse themselves in the spirit of Christmas. It was an instant success, so they decided to make it bigger and created INSP!RED Nights of Lights – A Mile-Long Walking Trail of Magic for a Cause. The Christmas magic spanned across 8 acres of walking trails and ended with a complimentary hot chocolate by the warm firepit. It was a free event open to the public and we collected more than $5,000 in cash donations and more than 30 barrels of gifts for Blue and Brown Santa of Williamson County.
AMAZON LIVE, National Hardware Show & MUCH MORE
We participated in Amazon Live to demo and sell our products and it was a big success. We were able to attend the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas and it felt good to be back in the trade show scene. We had a fun team building event in April and learned who has a knack for bowling. Two of our team members moved to different cities (and one out of state) which has been an adjustment, but we’re grateful for the ability to work remotely. As every year does, 2021 brought joy, excitement, challenges and obstacles, but we persevered and we are more than ready for whatever 2022 will bring us. We are grateful to God for all His many blessings on the business and we are grateful for you to be part of our journey.
Here’s to a prosperous and joyous 2022!