Holiday seasons bring the most joy in the life of numerous people. However, the arduous task of gift wrapping can suck away the joy since even getting the wrap to be a perfect size and length is a challenge. Even if a person can get the perfect geometric calculations, the real challenge begins when they cut the gift wrap paper.
The gift wrap paper often comes in rolls; keeping the paper straight and aligned to the horizontal plane can be tough. To top it off, cutting the paper in a sharp straight line with a pair of scissors is a task on its own. All the combined problems are a perfect recipe for stress, not to mention the amount of gift wrap paper wasted in the process contributing to pollution in the long run.
Though there are numerous ways to fight paper pollution, one way is to not waste the paper that’s already available at our disposal. Besides that, gift wraps make the appearance of the gift more elegant. The two ideas combined led Bryan Perla to create a product called Little Elf, an efficient and easy-to-use gift wrap cutter.
Little Elf is a cylindrical hollow cutter with a blade at the end and a slight vertical gap to adjust the gift wrap’s length. The product is easy to use:
- Insert the gift wrap roll in the hollow part of Little Elf.
- Roll out the gift wrap from the small slit and adjust the paper according to the required width.
- Push Little Elf downwards and align the blade with the edge of the paper.
- Push Little Elf upwards, lightly guiding it through the entire roll, and you’ll get a precisely cut gift wrap in no time.
Bryan Perla worked on Little Elf’s prototype during high school and presented it as a project to his teachers. He then spent two years in development, launched a Kickstarter campaign, raised 700% more than his initially asked amount, and launched the business. He had already made $250K in sales since the launch.
Despite the well-doing e-commerce platform, Bryan wanted a shark’s investment to help blow up Little Elf and make it a staple product. Bryan appeared on Shark Tank seeking an investment of $150K in exchange for a 15% stake in his company. He wanted Little Elf on the TV commercials and selling hotcakes.
Bryan also shared how the severe dyslexia he was diagnosed with during his school years never became a challenge as he focused on his brilliance and sharp-mindedness. His parents were also supportive of his adventures and problem-solving attitude. Bryan loved the art of designing and prototyping from a young age and decided to pursue it when he saw how Little Elf, a product he created to solve his family’s gift wrapping problems, blew up in high school.
Lori was the first to offer $150K in exchange for 30%. Kevin, a dyslexic himself, offered Bryan $150K in exchange for 10% equity but with a royalty of a dollar per unit until it made $450K. The sharks engaged in a bidding war when Lori decided to match Kevin’s offer but at 75 cents royalty per unit sold.
Bryan rejected the idea of having royalty attached to his product. The rest of the sharks didn’t make an offer as they didn’t find Little Elf to be a business they could help reach the commercial market. Lori announced her final offer of $150K in exchange for 20% equity in the business.
Bryan accepted Lori’s offer, and together they sealed the deal.
Our Review of Little Elf
Little Elf is the best example of what determination could do for an idea. Bryan’s strong will to make Little Elf a product in every household made the company incredibly profitable. Before coming to Shark Tank, Little Elf made $250K in sales. However, now the company’s making a million dollars annually.
Since the design of Little Elf is so well accommodating to the user, the product has become popular and well-loved around the retail stores, especially during the holiday season. The loyal customer base of Little Elf continues to grow as people become more aware of how easily they can get a perfectly cut gift wrap. Instead of precisely measuring the gift or going nuts over the imperfect line, you can use Little Elf and get a precisely cut gift wrap within seconds.
Pros of Little Elf
In a short time, Little Elf has found a great customer base owing to the product’s ergonomic design and the company’s excellent customer service. Here are some things customers love about the business:
- Little Elf gives users a perfectly cut gift wrap in no time.
- The product is cheap and easy to use.
- The efficiency in cutting the gift wrap to the precise length saves people time and effort.
- The gift wrapping process becomes easy and effective with Little Elf.
- People constantly working with rolls of paper for design and artistic projects can make great use of Little Elf.
- Little Elf is available for sale in retail stores nationwide.
- Little Elf is also available on Amazon to make it accessible for people across the country.
- Individuals can directly purchase Little Elf from the company’s e-commerce website.
- Little Elf is available in bundles to save customers a couple of bucks on the product.
- Little Elf has a sharp blade that gives a precise cut in no time.
- The award-worthy customer service has kept the customers coming back.
Cons of Little Elf
Despite having a loyal customer base, some things haven’t worked in favor of Little Elf:
- Little Elf could be challenging to use initially as the alignment of the roll and the process of pushing the cylinder upwards or downwards can seem tough.
- Some people don’t find Little Elf as efficient as a pair of trusty scissors.
- Little Elf may not always work on every type of paper. People are usually satisfied when they use Little Elf on A-quality gift wraps.
- Little Elf can be a bit hard to use on small rolls. Customers find the product more efficient with big rolls instead.
Who Is Little Elf For?
Little Elf is a product for every individual who has difficulty masterfully cutting a gift wrap paper. The process is tiresome, and even after numerous efforts, the gift wrap is seldom in the alignment one would like. Little Elf makes the process easy once you know how to angle the device perfectly onto the gift wrap roll to cut it to a precise straight line.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Though there’s no other product similar to Little Elf in design or use, Scotch gift wrap cutters are the most accessible and easy-to-use gift wrap cutters. The product’s design resembles an ordinary blade used for dermaplaning, but the smooth blade cuts through the gift wrap perfectly and in a straight line, giving you a precise shape.
Our Final Thoughts
Little Elf is a product with an ergonomic design that makes precise cutting of gift wrap possible. Since the product meets many people’s needs, especially during the holiday season, the company has found the perfect sweet spot for sales. That’s how Little Elf has kept growing in the past and will continue showing profitable growth in the future.
Bryan Perla, the founder of Little Elf, also inspires the youth to keep making their way, beating all the odds. We will likely see Bryan Perla with his innovative ideas and new inventions after the successful pursuit of Little Elf.
