Irish Independent (Jobs & Careers), October 2007
Entreprenurial mother of two Ann Marie Durkin has conquered the global market with the world’s first pre-sterilised soother – a simple idea that took off beyond all expectations. Karina Colgan reports.
Mother & Product
It is said that ‘from little acorns grow great oak trees’: the same principle can be applied to ideas and inspiration. Sometimes the simplest idea can produce the most astonishing results, and for Ann Marie Durkin this was certainly the case. While in hospital after giving birth to her first child Sam, who was born prematurely, Durkin went to give her son a soother she had purchased in the hospital shop.
‘The nurse stopped me giving it to Sam because it wasn’t sterilised. I had assumed that, because I had only taken it out of the packet, it was. I started thinking about it; it seemed absurd that I had to wait 15 minutes to sterilise a ‘new’ soother. When I got home I began researching it. I was amazed to discover that pre-sterilised soothers did not exist anywhere in the world and I started asking why this was.
“I contacted a company that manufactured soothers in Germany and also a company in Mayo that specialises in sterilising medical devices. They ran tests and said it was possible to pre-sterilise soothers. Then I knew the idea was a runner and decided to chase the dream.
It was full steam ahead then for Durkin, who sourced a packaging company in Galway that would package the product under stringent conditions. She then created the packaging with the help of a design company. The baby who fronts the packaging is her son Sam, making it a family affair. An economics and business teacher, Durkin always wanted to run her own business but knew she would need a viable product. She knew this idea was good and she believed in it.
To finance the research and development of the soother, Durkin took out a bank loan and used her own money. The local enterprise board gave her funding for a feasibility study and product testing to ensure the soother complied with EU safety standards. From conception to production took two years and, as it neared completion, Durkin employed the services of a public relations (PR) company.
“Most of my advertising budget went to employing the services of a PR company. The results have been amazing for a start-up company with a new product.The feedback from the company that distributes the Steri-Soother™ has been overwhelmingly positive. It is on sale in over 600 pharmacies and is distributed globally as well as online. Everything has gone like clockwork.”
Life has changed in many ways for this entrepreneurial mother, but the greatest change has been in terms of work-life balance. “It is a pleasure to be working for myself at last. It has given me confidence, but most importantly it has improved my quality of life. I can more or less choose my hours; with two small children, that’s great.”
The Steri-Soother™r has exceeded all expectations and Durkin is quick to point out that she considers herself very lucky. “I faced no obstacles, which I know is unusual for people starting off. I suppose I just kept motivated at all times and I passionately believed in my product and my ability ti bring it to fruition.”
The success of her product has enabled Durkin to give up her day job and concentrate fully on developing new products. She now gives talks in hospitals and to mother-and-baby classes and is almost finished developing her second product. “This product is very closely related to the Steri-Soother™ and it doesn’t exist anywhere in the world. I hope to launch it in the next few months- possibly in time for Christmas, but if not certainly very early in the New Year,” confirms Durkin, adding that her nine-month-old son Ben played a roll of official ‘tester’ of the product!
The support if her family and husband Patrick has been crucial for Durkin, so she is delighted things have gone well as much for them as for herself. “I suppose only for the kids I would never have come up with the idea of the Steri-Soother™ or the new product, so I have a lot to thank them for,” she laughs.
For Durkin, the determination has paid off and there is no doubt we will be seeing more of her products. “Being my own boss is the greatest feeling in the world,” she concludes.
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