Made in Ireland: BubbleBum Inflatable Car Booster Seat

BubbleBum, Derry

UK regulations require children between 3 and 12 to use a booster seat when traveling by car. Unfortunately booster seats are cumbersome and uncomfortable plastic contraptions that neither kids nor parents like.

Derry-based mother of two, Grainne Kelly, knew all too well exactly what this meant in practice – booster seats were often left out, particularly when traveling abroad.

“I am from the travel industry and have had lots of clients (myself included!!!!) arriving at car hire desks who have not had the booster seat that was ordered at the time of booking. The car hire firms claim that the seats are on request which is not much use when you are standing in an airport with tired kids and no seat available.”

So she invented the BubbleBum, the world’s first inflatable car booster seat.

Not only does it conform to all relevant safety standards but it also folds away neatly when deflated, can fit three across the back seat of the car and is actually nice to sit on.

Problem solved.

Idea vs. Implementation

Which would be great in itself. But Grainne has taken hold of her idea with both hands and run with it.

Taking what she call a ‘calculated risk’, she arranged manufacturing in China, safety testing and patenting, developed BubbleBum’s branding and website and launched the product – all in a little under a year and funded entirely through her own savings.

What’s more she managed to do it without any experience in manufacturing, “Everything was new so I had to be willing to say, ‘I know nothing about this, please help.’”

Since releasing the product in late 2009, BubbleBum has already attracted likely deals from distributors and big name retailers in the UK, Ireland and North America – not to mention racking up impressive sales through the site.

In fact, the interest has been such that Grainne is in the process of moving the entire family (pet pooch included) to the US in order to make the most of the opportunities that are presenting themselves.

It’s a move that’s very much in keeping with Grainne’s attitude towards risk, namely “If you don’t invest, you can’t expect any return.” Of course, that’s not to say that she’s leaving her success to luck. In fact, her approach would seem to be exactly the opposite:

“It’s like Lego. You have to start with a plan and add the pieces 1 by 1. Otherwise your spaceship turns out looking like a dinosaur.”

“You’re never going to learn if you don’t make mistakes, but I live in a house where negativity is just not allowed and I’m cool with that.”

So an impressive product, launched by an impressive entrepreneur – expect to see big things from BubbleBum on both sides of the Atlantic in the very near future.

Site: www.bubblebum.co.uk

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Tagged as: bubble bum, bubblebum, derry, grainne kelly, inflatable car seat, ireland