In early 2020, Berlyn Haughton had an idea for an all-in-one teething and baby-safety product, then less than a year later invented The Table Tyke. The Table Tyke is a patent-pending silicone placement mat, with a table-edge bumper, that creates a safe gnawing and teething experience for babies and toddlers. The multi-use, reusable, mat is not only BPA free, but dishwasher and microwave safe.
With the invention of such a unique product, it seemed like Haughton was built for being a boss mom. The energetic, corporate professional, who thought she was going to be a broadcaster growing up, just happened to be mentored by the Queen of planners herself, Erin Condren. As a teen, Haughton was Condren’s twins’ swim coach and after graduating from college, she was hired in the office fulltime when Condren was getting her lifestyle brand off the ground.
The self-proclaimed “hustler” did everything from designing orders to pitching sales calls. “That gave me so much business savvy because I’m right out of college; I’m dealing with custom orders and having to be super social, learn the sales avenue, put myself out there… so I learned a lot about good business practice from her. But I needed to spread my wings because I had never left my parents’ house before… I was like 21 or 22, and I was like, ‘I have to try something else.’” Haughton tells Tinseltown Mom.
From there, Haughton went on a quest to figure out what she wanted to do, so after signing up for a temp agency she eventually became a sales recruiter, then moved on to corporate recruiting for major companies like Disney and Direct TV, where she was doing a lot of project-based work. That led to a full-time project management position with another Fortune 500 company. And although the mom of two boys, ages 8 and 5, rose up the ranks in her roles, and is still in a respectable corporate position, her inventive side started tugging at her. “I also had that creative side where I wanted to work for myself and not for someone else, but I just had no idea what that was going to be,” the entrepreneur says.
After numerous mealtime challenges at restaurants with her kids, Haughton saw a need. “My kids would hit their mouths on the table edge, or they would gnaw on the table edge… My husband and I would always put our arms across the table so they wouldn’t hit their mouths. And I was like ‘there should be a placemat with a table edge bumper’ and my husband was like, ‘there it is, there’s your idea,’” the founder recalls.
That idea from 2020 has evolved with the release of a bigger, multi-purposed mat, which can be used for other things like toddler activities, baking cookies, crafting, chopping food, painting, plus more, which means there is more growth on the horizon for Haughton’s business. And while the creator wants to build her brand, customer service is a key component to her success. “It’s really important for me that people love The Table Tyke, that they have a great experience. If not, I will always make it right.”
For more on Berlyn Haughton and The Table Tyke visit TheTableTyke.com
*Sponsored Small Biz Mom Partnership*
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