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262 | Invest in Community-Driven Success with Callie Christensen & Kelly Oriard

Honest Ecommerce
Honest Ecommerce
Episode • Jan 29, 2024 • 34m

Kelly Oriard is the co-founder and Chief Therapeutic Officer at Slumberkins, a children’s education and emotional health brand. She holds a dual master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and School Counseling. 

As a therapist, school counselor, and mother, Oriard is passionate about changing how we support mental and emotional wellbeing for children and families. 

As the author behind the character storylines at Slumberkins, Kelly is changing the way children and families can access the content and strategies, usually found in a family therapy session, in a fun, easy-to-use way that creates healing and brings meaningful moments of connection that make a lifelong impact on the emotional health of children. 

Callie Christensen is the co-founder and Chief Community Officer at Slumberkins, a children’s education and emotional wellness brand. Callie holds a master’s in teaching elementary education and special education. 

As a mother and educator turned entrepreneur, she’s on a mission to use her educational background to create an accessible, meaningful, and purposeful brand that is useful in every home and school to help support families and communities on their journeys of emotional health. 

Slumberkins is at the forefront of brand building online as they expand into children’s entertainment by bringing the characters to life in a preschool television series produced by The Jim Henson Company. 

They just launched the first-ever music album for kids & families: Together We Shine, Vol. 1. Debuted as #1 kids album on iTunes https://orcd.co/slumberkinstws 

They also just launched a New Affirmation App on iTunes that's free for kids and families https://apps.apple.com/us/app/slumberkins/id1627118113 

Slumberkins children's show streaming now on Apple TV+ https://tv.apple.com/us/show/slumberkins/umc.cmc.4r9fjly8gp831gqkfe8ft1xrb 

They are making as many tools and resources available to families so they can easily integrate moments of connection and social emotional learning into every day.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

  • [00:45] Intro
  • [01:53] A business idea for children’s mental health
  • [03:00] From side hustle to full-time success
  • [04:02] Continuing the momentum online
  • [04:53] Doing your best in research and storytelling
  • [05:30] Experiencing organic growth from social media
  • [06:15] Achieving BHAG with the right manufacturer
  • [07:21] Building good relationships with business partners
  • [09:21] Establishing Slumberkins' online presence
  • [11:00] The Shark Tank push to be full-time entrepreneurs
  • [12:46] Low salaries for long-term business hains
  • [15:04] A transformative experience with Shark Tank
  • [16:40] Connecting authentically with your community
  • [18:22] Episode sponsors
  • [23:36] Bringing Slumberkins to the screen
  • [25:37] Authentic relationships do the magic
  • [26:16] The sales surge post-Slumberkins TV debut
  • [27:22] Community feedback is marketing itself
  • [28:20] How landing a TV series elevates a business
  • [29:08] Seizing omni-channel opportunities
  • [29:46] Extending parent-child connection with an app
  • [31:12] Navigating the continuous evolution of Ecomm
  • [33:19] Embracing the endless rollercoaster ride

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