Disguise The Surprise helps people bring excitement and energy to gift-giving. For so many years, the gift bag and nesting system were our only options. Now we have an easy solution to create fun moments for our families. Moms in particular are so busy and look for products and things that can save them time. This product does that for them when it comes to packaging gifts. Disguise The Surprise allows people to disguise a gift quickly, and look cool at the same time! OR get their creative juices going and make their own thoughtful multi-item gift boxes. Even a teenager will think this is cool!

Disguise The Surprise also helps men in particular giving jewelry to someone as a gift. They are not necessarily the type to wrap or come up with a clever way to disguise it. This offers them a super-easy way to disguise it and look good at the same time!

What was the inspiration to start this business?

As a mom of two teenage boys, I got frustrated when wrapping gifts. As they got older, the gifts they wanted came in very recognizable shaped boxes (cell phones, AirPods, video games). It was not ok with me to wrap in that box and have them guess what it was before even opening. I decided to create a product to make this an easier process. I worked with local labs and designed a set of dividers you arrange around your one special gift to disguise in a shirt box OR create a multi-item gift box.

The dividers are REUSABLE, recyclable and Made in The USA. I enjoy sharing this new concept with people and relaying the idea of not only thinking about the gift itself, but HOW they will package it. When I see a video of a kid opening the shirt box (which they think is clothes) and seeing something like a cell phone or something they really wanted, the reaction is priceless! Those are the moments that I want people to realize how easy it is to create themselves. Rethink HOW they give a gift.

When you started your business, did you ever envision that you would be where you are now?

For so many years I was the mom volunteer at the kids schools that did A LOT of things. I loved this, but knew I wanted to help with the family finances. I still want to be here for the kids when they get home from school, run to doctor’s appointments, etc. I did not want to go back to corporate life. I always had product ideas in my head, but never really acted on them. This was the right time. I was 50 years old when I launched Disguise The Surprise and during the pandemic!!! Yep, a few challenges. I like to take things on and learn as I go. I did visualize myself starting a new business and sharing it with other people. In that aspect, yes, I did envision it.

Was there ever a time that things didn't fall into place, struggles, or challenges? What were they and how did you get passed it and grow from the experience?

Absolutely. Almost daily. When you are a solopreneur, we literally do everything ourselves! As a woman in my 50's, I was not really on social media. I had a Facebook account, but not overly active on that. Now all of a sudden, I needed to learn Instagram...Pinterest...YouTube... how to create Reels/Posts...how to video and use lighting...how to build a website...how to market and reach people...SEO...where to sell in person and set up a booth...how to design on Canva, etc. These were all challenges and still are. I found some mentor groups here in St. Louis, but most of them were not for e-commerce, so it has been a struggle. Through the process, I was able to find several communities through the web that have been great to meet other small business owners and bounce ideas off of each other. The Product Boss community has been a huge resource for me. My husband and I are bootstrapping everything, which is for sure a struggle. I truly wish I could hire experts in many areas to help grow the business, but I can't just yet. I am leaning into press to gain exposure. I have been on our local St. Louis FOX station several times, St. Louis NBC, Columbus, Ohio FOX station and the biggie getting Disguise The Surprise on The Today Show!

I have learned so much in this journey so far and I know I have so much still to learn. My skills in all of these areas have grown tremendously, especially since I had zero skills in many of these areas upon starting. That is pretty cool.

One struggle/challenge that I did not take into consideration in the beginning of this business was realizing that not only did I invent a new product (patent pending), but it is a new concept. That absolutely makes it way more challenging. People know what a candle is, or a piece of jewelry. This product needs to be shown in action and explained. Video is key, or a person speaking. I love watching someone's face when I share what these dividers are used for and why I got started. There is usually laughter and a big smile, for this is a very relatable concept. The reaction is "Wow. Awesome. How fun!" I have learned what type of platforms do and don't work, and still growing in this area. This aspect also made it hard launching in a pandemic. I could not sell in person to visually show people this product and get initial feedback. Community networking events were also all shut down.

What was the biggest lesson you learned while starting and growing this business?

Gosh, I have learned so many things along this journey. One from the very beginning that really stands out is in the manufacturing process. I tried many materials to see what would work best for the dividers. We found that injection mold was the best way to go about this and get the same product on every run. My manufacturer is right here in St. Louis, but he did tell me that the mold itself is very expensive and would need to be made in China due to cost. He works with this factory all the time. They gave me a quote. But when the final quote came back, it was literally almost double the cost! That is when I put on the brakes and took it into my own hands. I researched and found that there is such a thing as the AMBA (American Mold Builders of America) who had a list of mold makers in the USA. I called about 20 of them, explained my situation and ended up finding a mold maker just outside of Chicago that came in right about the cost of China. That was a no-brainer for me. The time it took to make the mold and ship down to St. Louis was a fraction of the cost, AND I am thrilled to say that this product is Made in The USA!

My lesson that I got out of this experience was to for sure listen to people who know more than you in certain areas, but if something sticks out as unusual or "not good", do your own research. Don't always take the first piece of advice that someone gives you. This is certainly hard when you are not familiar with a topic or line of business. But listen to your gut. Maybe they are right, but research it first and then move on a decision.

What would you tell a FEM that is struggling in her business and feel like it's too difficult?

I would tell her to find a community to talk to about her experiences along the way. Depending on what the business is, she might not have good friends/boyfriend/spouse who truly understands what she is going through. Try to find people who have already gone through these steps first so you don't waste time. If she has a product based business, I would for sure direct her to The Product Boss group.

I would look at your local community organizations and see if there are mentor groups you can contact for support. Most communities have SCORE, SBA, etc. We had another local one here called ITEN more for tech startups. Every community will be different.

What continues to inspire you to keep on growing your business?

My kids certainly inspire me to keep going. I really want to be a part of their daily lives and owning your own business allows this to happen. My oldest son is 16 and in a Broadcast Tech class at school. Since I have to do things on a budget, he was able to make my Founder Story as a class project which was so cool and inspiring. Link = https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t7s1ZLuqfc_O4UjvuTAUUE4_-BJVcISs/view?usp=sharing

I also get inspired to keep going when customers send me pictures of boxes they put together using the dividers themselves! That is the best. The feeling of knowing that I created something that people are using and brings them happy moments is fantastic. Also, when a press outlet or a human, in general, tells me how cool this is and love the new concept...that keeps me going. I know not everyone takes the time to think about their gift packaging. Some people will always stick a gift card in an envelope or gift bag. BUT there are plenty of people out there who do like to think outside the box and want to make their gifts stand out. These are the people I want to reach and will grow this business.

Final advice for those thinking of starting a business or looking to grow their current business?

Talk to people who have walked down your path beforehand. Starting a business takes a lot of time and money. If you don't have funds to advertise in the beginning, think about HOW you will reach your audience. Organic growth takes a while and you need to decide if you are up for the long haul. If you can start it as a side hustle first while learning the ropes, this might be good for some people.

I will come back to mentors and community. I have learned from a few people, but am also still looking for that perfect fit mentor. It does not happen right away for most people. But that is where community along the way helps to discuss all aspects of business.

To connect: Website: https://disguisethesurprise.com/ Email: duffy@disguisethesurprise.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/disguisethesurprise/_created/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disguisethesurprise/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duffy-hofer-677544192/

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