May 07, 2018

161 – “Frankensteining It” with Wendy Santini of Pinzit

42 minutes

Wendy is the founder of Pinzit Limited.

Actually, this is Wendy’s third career. She also co-owns a family flooring business and practiced as a registered nurse too.

Wendy’s product, Pinzit, is a women’s fashion accessory invented quite by accident. She was trying to solve a problem she was having while wearing her favorite new sweater and suddenly, the idea for Pinzit was born.

But once Wendy had her idea, what was she to do next? She knew nothing about product development and manufacturing when she got started. But she sure does now!

The Start of Pinzit

One morning Wendy was trying to figure out how to wear her sweater so that it would in place. She was sick of using a safety pin to keep the shrug from slipping.

So she searched through her jewelry box and found a pearl earring to do the job. Unfortunately, the clasp on her earring wasn’t made for that and the earring quickly loosened and fell away – lost forever. However, when Wendy recognized what happened, the idea for Pinzit was born.

Business Building Insights

If you can dream it, you can do it.

The way to find resources and help is to ask those around you. You never know what connections others have, who could be the contact you need to advance your business. But you have to let people know what you’re looking for.

Product creation is a series of small tweeks until you land on that perfect design.

With anything, when you do it, you get better and better. The key is in the doing.

As you start out, test out your product at a local trade show or craft fair.

Business development is an evolution. Get your product right, then move on to creating your website, then enhance your packaging, etc. Step by step!

Candle Flickering Moment

Finding manufacturers in America was quite a challenge. First it was getting a designer for her prototype and then it was finding someone to make them in mass. In the beginning, Wendy became her own manufacturer creating over 5,000 Pinzits right out of her house. Luckily, those days are behind her.

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Thanks! Sue

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By Sue Monhait

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