Small Biz Spotlight - Dawne Eisenberg, Pop! Toy and Part Services

By Stefanie Neyland, Small Business Content Developer at BizLaunch.com

Ever wondered what it takes to go it alone and start your own business? Wonder no more, as today we chat to Dawne Eisenberg, co-founder of Pop! Toy and Party Services

 

Founded in 2005, Pop! Toy and Party Services was the brainchild of first-time entrepreneurs Jodi Lieff and Dawne Eisenberg. With backgrounds in corporate events, the innovative duo quickly recognized their clients’ growing need for unique and current event products and services. Mere months later, Pop! was born.

 

Since launching nine years ago, they’ve outgrown their facility twice and have occupied three different locations to facilitate the company’s rapid growth. They’ve also gone from having no employees to employing ten full-time staff. So what’s the key to their continued success? Today Dawne Eisenberg, co-founder of Pop! shares her entrepreneurial journey with us.

 

So Dawne, what inspired you to start your own business?
It was never really a question of whether or not I would start my own company as I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. I just needed to find the right opportunity.

 

How did you get your business off the ground?
It took almost a year to finish the business plan and convince my business partner to quit her (well-paid) job and start Pop! Toy and Party Services. Once we opened the office we got straight to work—she brought in the sales, I handled the operations. Years later we reversed roles.

 

How long have you been in business?
We’ve been in business nine years now.

 

Who is your ideal customer?
An ideal customer trusts you to do your job, is loyal, and pays on time!

 

What makes your business unique?
I would say the mix of products and services that we provide, combined with amazing customer service and fierce attention to detail, is what makes our business unique.

 

What has been your greatest achievement so far?
Gaining almost half of our market share has been a huge milestone for us.

 

What marketing channels have worked best for getting word out about your business?
Direct sales had been our best (and only) source of marketing to date.

 

How has your business evolved over time?
At first it was just my business partner and I doing everything—and I mean everything! That meant many hours, several late nights, and a great deal of stress. Now we have a staff of ten, and although it's stressful at times, things pretty much run like clockwork.

 

Is running your business harder than you thought it would be?
No, I don’t think so. I saw what my father went through running his own business while I was growing up so I had a good understanding of what it takes to make a business work. It's hard but it sure is fun!

 

To what do you attribute your success so far?
The people. My business partner and I are a magical mix of power and ingenuity. She has an unstoppable confidence and great instincts, and I am always looking for an angle—new ways to improve our service, new ways to market ourselves, new products and services, etc.

 

What are your goals for the future?
Our main goals are to expand into more territories and streamline our operations further.

 

What is your best time management tip?
It really depends on the business and one’s role in the business. As an owner, I would say that it’s important to take time off from working in the business in order to work on the business.