Keeping babies entertained is difficult. For them, the fun never stops because they need your undivided attention, even when you are exhausted. You have probably seen dozens of YouTube videos where parents do experiments with their babies by giving them a toy and an ordinary household item. 80% of the time, the latter wins unless the former has attractive colors. Even then, it’s a hit and miss.
Then there are videos of babies crying because they dropped their pacifiers. They don’t care that you are working from home and in a meeting with your boss. They just want their pacifier back and don’t have the skill developed yet to pick it up themselves.
An exhausted mom came up with an idea to solve this problem, and Pully Palz was created. Julie Thompson was tired of playing the drop, pick it up, and repeat the game with her baby. She tried everything: Hanging the pacifier around the baby’s neck and using clips. However, the baby can’t pick up what they can’t see.
So, she designed a pulley system that would hold not one but two pacifiers. The strings could be pulled easily, and mothers wouldn’t have to worry about their babies smacking themselves or getting trapped in a choking hazard. What made this product unique was that Julie described it as the perfect toy to improve a baby’s hand-eye coordination.
Julie came up with the idea in 1995 when she was completing her bachelor’s degree but didn’t launch the product until 2015. After appearing on Shark Tank, there was a rise in sales, and the company did quite well for itself.
Are They Still An Active Company?
Bankrupt
Julie started selling Pully Palz on Amazon and through 350 retailers in the US. Though the company is now closed, a few pieces are still being sold on other websites.
After the product received glowing reviews from her customers, Julie lowered the price and offered the toy at a discount. This probably was the first indication that she was struggling with her business. The official Pully Palz website is now shut down, and their social media pages haven’t been active since 2016.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Julie Thompson appeared on Ep.24 of Shark Tank in Season 6, which aired on April 10, 2015. She presented her brand Pully Palz and wanted an investment of $100,000 for a 20% stake in the company. Based on these numbers, the company at the time was valued at $500,000.
Julie had a Pully Palz in her hand, which she demonstrated before handing out samples to the Sharks. She then told the Sharks her story and how the product helped her. Robert agreed with her and said he understood the problem.
All the Sharks want to know how many sales she has made so far, and she said a little more than $90K in a year. She told the Sharks that are biggest buyers are people at trade shows. Once the Sharks had inspected Pully Palz, she brought out the teether, a new product that also fitted in the pulley system.
Moving away from the product, Mr. Wonderful asked Julie how many babies are born each year, and she said around 4 million in the US. This gives her a target market pool of 8 million. Mr. Wonderful is impressed with how well-prepared Julie is. He then asked her what was holding her back, and Julie said it was because she’s just one woman.
Robert asked how much she had invested in the company, and Julie said $175,000, which she took out from her retirement account. Most of the money went into testing the product and making sure it was safe for the babies. Around $100,000 of it went into inventory.
Robert said that he already doesn’t like the conventional clips, which are currently being sold in the market, so he’s out. Mark said that she had spent too much on inventory and she might not be able to match it with the demand, and he backed out.
Mr. Wonderful said that the product is overpriced and he’s out. Though Daymond is impressed with the idea, he said that the product lacks hanging appeal and might not do well in big box stores, and he backs out as well.
This leaves Lori. She believed that Julie’s product was brilliant and wanted to be a partner. She offered $100,000 for a 30% stake. She said that her links to popular toy businesses like Toys R Us and Bye, Bye, Baby will help Julie immensely. Julie thought about the offer and countered with 25%. When Lori says 28%, a deal is made.
Our Review of Pully Palz
At first glance, Pully Palz might seem like an ordinary product for babies, but it’s much more than that! Babies who are attached to pacifiers and mothers who rely on them to keep their young ones understand the true value of this product.
Its design is simple: A pacifier attached to a string, which keeps it secure with an attachment so no matter how hard your baby pulls, it will stay in its place.
Pully Palz is able to hold the following pacifiers:
- Tommee Tippee
- Avent Soothie
- Avent (With Handles)
- Nuk
- Brown’s Mam
- Playtex Binkey
- Nuby
Pros of Pully Palz
- Is considered developmentally beneficial and improves your baby’s motor skills
- Inspires brain coordination
- Attractive colors that attract the attention of babies
Cons of Pully Palz
- Standard pacifiers are not a match
- The string is short
- Limited plush toy designs
Who Is Pully Palz For?
Pully Palz is for all those moms and dads who keep their babies happy and quiet by giving them a pacifier. If you think about it, the product addresses a parent’s need than a baby’s.
Are There Any Alternatives?
We have toys attached to pacifiers that give your baby a firm grip but nothing as interesting and unique as Pully Palz. Up till now, this product has no competition. It’s one of a kind, even though the design is not patented.
Our Final Thoughts
It is unknown whether Julie received Lori’s investment money because the company went bankrupt soon after appearing on Shark Tank. Pully Palz had great potential and received hundreds of positive reviews online.
