Lori
09-20-2004, 08:41 AM
CASTAIC -- Barbara Marcus lives in a world of talking ducks, sock puppets and children's toys, a place of imagination and bright colors set to soothing music-box melodies the budding entrepreneur is marketing through her homespun entertainment venture.
"The music never stops," said Marcus, 37, watching the "Baby Prodigy" DVD she produced for $20,000. The 30-minute video of sights, sounds and interactive lessons is intended for infants to 4-year-olds.
"Once they hear too much talking, they start to lose it. A lot of times, when they get bored, they'll walk away. It's a tough age group."
The DVD is the first product from The Baby Prodigy Co. Marcus founded the business more than 3 years ago out of her home, where she is a mother to daughters Samantha, 4, and 2-year-old Lara.
The video has sold more than 100,000 copies since its release last year, and has garnered critical acclaim from some parenting and toy magazines.
But she's not stopping there. A second DVD and a CD of soothing classical tracks are on their way to stores, and she is planning to license the company mascot "Dookie Duck" for various children's products.
"The first one was fun," she said. "The second one is work. I have to keep up with the big companies. ... There are companies who release 15 to 20 videos at a time."
For Marcus, the transition from stay-at-home mom to children's entertainment producer required pluck and persistence, beginning with a campaign to persuade her husband Richard to invest the family nest egg into her idea of a line of educational DVDs aimed at infants.
"My business plan is to convince my husband," she said.
Read more about this female entrepreneur (http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20949~2413457,00.html)
"The music never stops," said Marcus, 37, watching the "Baby Prodigy" DVD she produced for $20,000. The 30-minute video of sights, sounds and interactive lessons is intended for infants to 4-year-olds.
"Once they hear too much talking, they start to lose it. A lot of times, when they get bored, they'll walk away. It's a tough age group."
The DVD is the first product from The Baby Prodigy Co. Marcus founded the business more than 3 years ago out of her home, where she is a mother to daughters Samantha, 4, and 2-year-old Lara.
The video has sold more than 100,000 copies since its release last year, and has garnered critical acclaim from some parenting and toy magazines.
But she's not stopping there. A second DVD and a CD of soothing classical tracks are on their way to stores, and she is planning to license the company mascot "Dookie Duck" for various children's products.
"The first one was fun," she said. "The second one is work. I have to keep up with the big companies. ... There are companies who release 15 to 20 videos at a time."
For Marcus, the transition from stay-at-home mom to children's entertainment producer required pluck and persistence, beginning with a campaign to persuade her husband Richard to invest the family nest egg into her idea of a line of educational DVDs aimed at infants.
"My business plan is to convince my husband," she said.
Read more about this female entrepreneur (http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20949~2413457,00.html)