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Key Takeaways Molina and Williams had to get scrappy to finance their business in the early days.
After a long road to launch and slow start, a viral moment led to millions of dollars in sales.
Now, the sisters are continuing to grow their company and its community.
In 2013, St. Louis, Missouri-based sisters Jane Molina and Joy Williams were in a busy season of life, running their family’s long-time heating and cooling business and raising five young children between them.
Image Credit: Ninni Co. Joy Williams, left, and Jane Molina, right.
Despite having no shortage of to-dos on her list, as Molina breastfed her third son, a new project took shape. She noticed that sometimes he would latch not for milk, but for comfort, and searched for a pacifier that could fulfill that need and give her back some time.
But she couldn’t find a product that mimicked real breast tissue and encouraged a wide latch, rather than the typical tight, pursed one. What if she created it herself?
Molina voiced her idea to Williams, whose marketing background would be a serious asset. At first, Williams questioned the practicality of starting another business. The family HVAC company continued to struggle in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis; it was tough to cover all of the bills.
“ We basically were walking around with holes in our shoes, eating bologna sandwiches and drinking Coca-Cola, paying payroll and then having $150 in our bank account at the end of a week,” Williams says.
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