Transcript

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:00)

Victoria, welcome to the podcast.

Victoria (00:02)

Hello Melanie, happy to see you, thank you so much for having me today.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:07)

It is a delight to talk with you, and it's great to have met in person before we have recorded.

Victoria (00:16)

Yeah.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:16)

You make a really interesting product. You make a product that I believe is so useful for so many reasons. How do you describe to people your your twisty sticks product?

Victoria (00:32)

Yeah, thank you for asking. In short, it is engaging toys for kids that help parents to reduce screen time and keep them busy for a long time. So it is colourful bug sticks that kids can bend, twist, shape into anything they can imagine. For example, animals, letters, numbers, so yeah, whatever, nd it's so good to develop fine motor skills and just keep them busy for a long time. Sometimes parents really need this quiet time.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (01:12)

Absolutely. We all need a break every so often, and for those who can't see, I don't know if you have some of the sticks around, but for those who are listening on audio, it's very thin sticks. If you got, say, a felt pen and drew a line, it's probably as thick as that. So very thin. And what are they made from?

Victoria (01:34)

It is yarn coated with wax. So yeah, it's safe and organic wax. So yeah, you're right. It's very tiny and thick. So yeah.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (01:53)

It's yarn, so is it basically wax covering string?

Victoria (01:59)

Yes. Correct.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (02:01)

So very durable. It won't just crumble. It's not like Play-Doh. It's a lot more steady than Play-Doh.

Victoria (02:10)

Absolutely yes, and it is mess-free, so they stick without glue, and you know, after Play-Doh, it could be some mess, especially when it dry out, so yeah, it is more than Play-Doh. Kids can create anything. Young kids can just wrap the sticks around fingers or follow lines, but older kids can create 3d figures, some animals or sculptures. So, endless way to use them and also in educational purpose as well.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (02:50)

What sorts of educational purposes can use this?

Victoria (02:53)

For preschoolers, they can learn numbers, shapes, so younger kids can follow line and shape like triangle or circle or whatever trace their names. For older kids, they can use sticks, reading, also they can follow text, or they can use it with instead of pen, for example, or create like a planet shape of planet so yeah, endless ways

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (03:42)

Endless ways. So it's very malleable, and it's a way to learn shapes, letters, anything. But it's also a fun thing to fidget with. We know so many people these days feel the need to fidget.

Victoria (03:55)

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (03:56)

Like just doing something with our hands.

Victoria (03:56)

Yeah, that's true. So we spent a lot of time on screens and really need something to do with our hands and especially kids. Some studies show that kids learn better if they do something using their hands, not only passive screen time. So

Yeah, that's why it's very important to give kids something real to play and learn. And I think adults learn and remember better if they use hands as well. For example, if you write down your idea on paper, you will remember it better.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (04:45)

We do, we do, and journaling is another version of that that really helps people to process. But the movement, I know some people say that grown-ups are say that an adult is sitting in an audience, for example, and just feeling a bit squirmy and we care about what we're listening to, but feeling the need to do something.

Victoria (04:52)

Yeah.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (05:13)

For a long time there was the option of maybe scribbling on a piece of paper, but this is something tidy to just fidget with to satisfy that need when we are trying to focus our attention on someone who's talking.

Victoria (05:22)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, yeah, I agree with you, yes.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (05:36)

So okay, let's look at the thing I'm really curious about is how the thing I'm curious about is how you even made this, because it's a great achievement to create a consumer product. How did you start? Did you make prototype at home? How did you get it manufactured? What happened?

Victoria (05:53)

Mmm.

Yeah, thank you for this question. So it started from my own frustration as a mom. So we love travelling and ⁓ we try to limit the screen time for kids when they were young and now. And I always was searching for activities that could help me to keep them busy on long flights, for example, or car ride.

And I know every parent who has a flight with kids, they carry this invisible weight. Like they're exhausted before they even board it. So you worry about disturbing other passengers, your child overstimulated by the air, the noise, the crowds. And there is nowhere for that energy to go.

So I always have some activity pack with me with crayons, colouring books, Lego, you name it. Yeah, but just in a minute, Lego become a whiny ribbons, crayons just throwing away and you just sit there and think, my goodness, it's just the beginning of the flight.

The easiest way just to give them a screen, which works for a while, but you know in the back of your mind that when you turn off it will be worse. I think screens like fast food for kids, it's convenient, satisfying in the moment, but not great in the long term.

On one particular flight, I tried something new. I found this little sticker, I even don't remember where I found it. And I decided to try. I just gave it to my kids. They were two and four. ⁓ And I was surprised how my kids went calm, focused. They started creating something. They showed me what they create and it...

So it was quiet, it's like a different quality of quiet because they were engaged, and it also helped to build a connection between us because the show was they create and they were happy and excited. Yeah, and I finish my coffee before it gets cold.

Yes, and after that, yes, sorry.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (08:46)

Giving the

You're saying that giving them something creative to do literally gives you the time back to even finish your coffee.

Victoria (08:57)

Yes, that's true. After that, I thought, so every parent should know about this stick. I believe all parents were in the same situation and we need this calm moment. So yeah.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (09:14)

Absolutely. Everybody has been in that situation, and it's mess-free. That's the crucial part. I'm just trying to figure out the light here. I keep getting the little bits of reflection, but that's okay. The anti-mess, I have so much compassion for that because you're right, crayons break, pencils have to be sharpened, and all of those things are great. The arts and crafts can be good, but

When you need something tidy, it has to be more simple than that. And that experience you had on a flight, it's so similar to the waiting and sitting and so on that people may experience when they need to be in a medical waiting room or sitting quietly in a religious setting in an audience or

Or some sort of other community space, or even waiting in a queue at the shops. And I trust that a lot of young people really struggle with waiting in general. So it can help with all sorts of things. Did you find that it transferred to other experiences beyond the flights?

Victoria (10:16)

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, sure. Honestly, I don't leave home without sticks if I know that we will go to a cafe, for example, with kids or long car ride.

Because it's just a lifesaver. I have another story. It's also about travelling but it was in a minibus. So last school holidays we had a family trip around Sri Lanka. So minibus, 10 of us, 3 kids from ages from 3 to 7, 3 grandparents and 5 hours ride. So of course kids were just crazy and they weren't being naughty; they just didn't know what to do with their energy they jumped, they cried so and I thought okay it's it's time to test and I gave all of them the sticks and so they started to create some ⁓ toys for their toys or complete a story on a paper. Then they said, okay, it's windows. Let's decorate the windows. And it was fun and it was easy to clean these windows, just wipe and that's all. So this last hour was completely different. And yeah, it's amazing.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (12:10)

That's so good. Did the sticks stick onto the windows?

Victoria (12:14)

Yes, it's easy to stick and easy to remove. It could leave some some heat, but it is just to wipe.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (12:24)

Wipe it off with just water.

Victoria (12:25)

Yes,

no, even dry wipe. yeah.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (12:33)

dry wipe you don't even need any any water or products at all it's that simple just wipe it off.

Victoria (12:39)

Yes.

Yes.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (12:42)

That's so easy. And it sounds really fun seeing all these things on the windows.

Victoria (12:47)

Yeah, it's true, especially for kids.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (12:54)

Absolutely. It's the creativity. You have talked about how it's somewhere to direct the energy. And I'm so fascinated by that because people can have all this energy built up and the ideal is we would go for a walk or do some sort of movement practice. But it seems as though your little ones have found that energetic outlet by creating something.

Victoria (13:21)

Yeah, of course if you have opportunity to walk and you give this opportunity to kids play outside for example this movement and it's very important but in situation like five hours, right? ⁓ We just cannot help kids and this is important to give them something real to do ⁓

So, yes, screens can help ⁓ if you need some quiet time, but what comes after the screens? ⁓ screens stimulate the nervous system ⁓ and they are already exhausted. ⁓ And screens just make the situation worse. And when you finish this right,

after five hours so kids will be more overstimulated and it comes meltdowns, bedtime battles, everything that all parents face up.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (14:36)

Absolutely, absolutely.

I am curious though about how you went from seeing this need to then creating your own product. How how did this actually get made?

Victoria (14:52)

⁓ So yeah, I tried these sticks with my ⁓ kids and found a manufacturer who can produce these sticks for me. But at the beginning I created ⁓ some packs for travel with kids and these rock sticks were just part of ⁓ my product collection.

but they become a hero product very quickly. so now I'm working on rebranding to build new brand twisty kits just around these sticks. So yeah, the production is overseas, but all designed here in Australia.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (15:43)

Absolutely. And it's

great to support local businesses here in Australia. A local small business where we know exactly who is creating and managing this. It makes a difference.

Victoria (15:58)

Yeah, thank you.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (16:01)

Absolutely.

This is it's a great opportunity. I'm I'm wondering how have you been sharing sharing this with other families? What has your experience been with telling people, helping people to discover this? Because you showed me these sticks recently and I'd never seen anything like that before.

So I'm curious, have you seen anyone discovering these for the first time and realizing the difference that it makes?

Victoria (16:28)

Mm-hmm.

⁓ Yeah, thank you for that question. ⁓ So yeah, I tried to show this product and tell about through social media and ⁓ we also attended some markets to show kids this product and gave opportunity to try and

I also attended Education Expo last year and it was fantastic experience. So I run a small workshop for kids and this workshop gave me more confidence in this product because I saw how kids engage. They didn't want to leave ⁓ the table. Parents were shocked. They played so long and

So it also gave me an idea that ⁓ we need to run workshop more. ⁓ It's very good opportunity to produce product for kids and for parents. shopping centers or libraries. Yeah, but at this moment, I tried to show more product demo on social media and give some ideas what...

they can create with sticks like butterfly, turtle, something like that.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (18:12)

It's fun, it's fun. The opportunities are endless. And I'll go back to what you said about screens. I feel so strongly about having an alternative to screens. I know some people assume it's odd, some people assume I'm against screens, even though I have a podcast. But but a screen can be useful for some things, but we can think practically and know that the battery can run out or

Victoria (18:18)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (18:43)

We can sadly it could go missing. Or it's at least something a a good device needs to be taken care of and kept safe. So there are all of these extra considerations. Keeping the battery charged and making sure it doesn't break, having the right cover, all of those things. But then also

There's more that we can do with our brains than looking at a screen. So I appreciate so much that you are providing something to at least give people a moment away from the screens.

Victoria (19:22)

Yeah, thank you. Yeah, agree. So the thing is not like what screens replace. Because it's so important for kids to play, to be bored, ⁓ to create something. And it also replace connection with parents and children.

So I read some studies that show that screens are like enemies. If it's a learning resource where it needs some engagement with kids, actually helps their learning. But if it is passive screen time, when they just watch YouTube for example, it is linked to their emotional regulation.

So, yeah, we all watch different, but it is good to have an option what we can offer to our kids to do.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (20:27)

Absolutely. I'd love to get a bit more context. What were you doing for a work before you made this product?

Victoria (20:37)

So yeah, I'm from Russia and I worked in a bank for eight years, but when we moved to Australia I was on maternity leave. and I had some difficulties to find a job after maternity leave. So I have almost no local experience.

and with limited English. After two kids the markets changed and so yeah, it was very difficult to find a job and I decided okay, I need to create this job for me, for myself.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (21:24)

Create your own job. I feel so inspired by that and I trust a lot of people could be inspired by this. You looked for the jobs and then you created your own job.

Victoria (21:37)

Yeah.

So yeah, first idea was like, what can I do? Yes, I need to create this job for me and my kids inspired me to create this brand.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (21:50)

That's so good. Do you find that you have more freedom for what times you put into your work because it is your own business?

Victoria (22:02)

⁓ This was in my mind like a running business give more ⁓ freedom or balance in your life. Now I think it's not balance it's like a juggling ⁓ especially with two young kids. but yes I had this opportunity to spend time with kids more or ⁓

pick them up after school, attend different activities and be with them before night. So yes, I walk during school time or when kids went to bed.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (22:48)

Amazing. Do you have any advice for someone who is considering creating a small business like this one?

Victoria (22:49)

and

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (22:57)

Anything.

Victoria (22:58)

yeah thanks about advice so if you have an idea and just try to make it alive and I know that most people have imposter syndrome or think about like I can't manage it I have a family and sorry I can I don't know how to

do everything but just try and see how it will work and you will find way how to organize your day and believe in your idea

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (23:45)

You'll find a way. And it's also about adapting. You started with different products before focusing on mainly the sticks. So you did evolve your business over time.

Victoria (23:46)

you.

Yeah, it was ⁓ hard for me to understand that my first idea ⁓ doesn't work. But on the other hand, I felt relief that I decided to close my first brand and focus on these sticks. It's like I open a new door and ⁓ I'm more excited.

about it. I know how amazing this takes. know that it is for fun and it also helps kids' I see on this new strategy more clear than it was before.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (24:44)

You see the strategy clearo now. I'm curious how long did that take for you to get that clarity? When did you make that switch to focus on the sticks and when did your previous brand start?

Victoria (24:59)

It took about two years. I had no experience in running ecommerce business before and I was like a kitten trying to everything. So yeah, I made a lot of mistakes of course, but it's a great experience that I learned.

After two years, I just look at numbers and understand that I need to focus on these ticks.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (25:30)

Let the numbers tell you something.

Victoria (25:33)

Yeah, so it is a good point to see your numbers, not only your feeling or how you love the product. ⁓ Yeah, numbers show.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (25:48)

I really understand where you are coming from there. I know that before my podcast even started, I wanted to just do events and I wanted it to look a particular way. But then after the podcast started, I was experimenting with online online solutions instead of just gathering in person and

Victoria (25:58)

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (26:15)

So I know what it feels like to say, okay, I wanted things to look this way, but actually what's working is something else. So what you're showing us is there's there's more opportunity in switching to something else. And when you know what's popular or when you know what people really want, give people what they want basically.

Victoria (26:38)

Yes, yeah, yeah, that's true.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (26:41)

Absolutely. So

what were the products? You mentioned some sort of box. What things did you have before the sticks?

Victoria (26:50) 

It was an activity backpack that includes coloring books, notebooks, crayons. So I wanted to offer parents ready-to-go solution for travel with kids. I love the search market and find new toys for my kids. But when I chat with my friends or just moms on the playground, I realized that most of them don't want to do that. They just want to buy something that they can just take on flight. And from these conversations, the idea was born. But also, I realised that if I create a pack with toys that I want, it will be very expensive. So that's why I decided to add to product line some different activities and parents can choose what they want to add to this basic pack. And so...

Yeah, this additional activity was the bug sticks.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (28:14)

Right.

The sticks, it's simplified things. It's it's definitely more a cost effective for you to do the sticks. And also they are compact. If someone doesn't want a big pack, when you mention this whole bundle, what it reminds me of to try to understand it, is a few times when I was very little, my late grandmother, Rest in Peace, did a box with a bunch of things to play with in the box. I think it might have been crafty just to anything. So I think I can imagine that working at home. But if there's this whole bunch of things and someone is on the go, people like something compact. And that's the great thing about these sticks. They are they are lightweight, again, they are tidy, but also it's something small that you can bring very easily. And also because people would get what a bunch of them. If you need to have a few in one bag, a few in another bag, that would be easy as well, right?

Victoria (29:17)

Yes, correct. parents look up to light and portable toys that they can bring on flights. And I also wanted to create backpacks that are lightweight that kids can carry on. So that's why I choose a material. It's very interesting material. It looks like paper.

But actually not paper it's called Taivek so it's recycled plastic and the backpacks 100 % recyclable so they're very lightweight, they're durable and we create very fun designs so kids love this design. I just was worried that as it looks like paper kids can draw on the backpacks. 

Yeah, but so yeah.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (30:23)

That's a great idea though. I know people want the sticks, but a bag that's truly light and it's also environmentally friendly, having recycled plastic. It's not adding more plastic into the world. I adore that so much because some of these bags are so big they seem more appropriate for a grown up. They're huge. So you have something lightweight, which means it's also easy to carry. That's genius.

Victoria (30:25)

Thank you.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, thank you.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (30:53)

So can people still get the bag if they wanted to?

Victoria (30:57)

Yes, I still have stock of backpacks, so they are available on our website.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (31:04)

That's awesome. That's awesome. So what do you what wisdom or lessons do you want everybody to know as they are thinking about how to bust the boredom in any part of life?

Victoria (31:25)

I think it is great to be bored as from boredom creativity alive and especially for kids it's it's just good to to give them to give them more time as they start to think what they can do so and don't give them solution

So they can create a house from sticks, paper or anything what they found. And this is real skills that they need for future. They don't just follow rules or instruction, they create them. And ⁓ the bottom helps for kids development, creativity, problem solving. Yeah. Give kids a opportunity to be involved.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (32:32)

Find the creativity and boredom. That's a great message. Any final words as we wind up this conversation and episode?

Victoria (32:43)

Yeah, so yeah, I would like to say that screens are not an enemy, but just think about what screens replace. 

It's okay to use screen, but limited time or some educational activity that helps kids to learn, don't afraid to of boredom. 

So, yeah, thank you.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (33:19)

Victoria, thank you so much for sharing your experience. I'm so glad you've done this. It's great talking.

Victoria (33:26)

Thank you so much, Valenia, for having me today. Yeah, it was great.