I find inspiration in other mom’s stories of turning their passion (or their problem) into success. Each week I will post a Q&A about a mom entrepreneur about her business.Â
The Paci Pixie is the first book written by Amy Perrault & Cheryl Hajjar as part of a company called Indigo Magic to help fill a critical gap in the children’s book market and overcome a deeply personal and shared parenting struggle. The Indigo Pixies are a family of magical multicultural fairies that help children build the confidence they need to overcome developmental milestones. We asked Cheryl Hajjar, founder of Indigo Pixies a few questions about her business:
Q: When did you first come up with your business idea?
A:Â We came up with our business idea sort of by accident. My son Dylan was struggling to give up his pacifier when he was a toddler. I tried everything. Hiding it, cutting pieces off of it but to no avail he was addicted. Since I was a songwriter (spent some time in Nashville writing ) I decided to try and write a nursery rhyme. I created a character “The Paci Pixie” who came to the child’s home while they were sleeping, took their pacifiers and gave them to the new babies in the hospital. I explained to Dylan that he needed to help the new babies. So when “The Paci Pixie” came, she left a toy for him and when he woke up her never asked for the pacifier again. The nursery rhyme came first. When I played the song to my cousin Amy Hajjar Perreault, a Day care provider, she suggested we write a book. Her husband Steve, a graphic artist designed the first character. It was then that the Indigo Pixies were born…..
 Q: What does the future hold for your idea?
 A: Early in our career, we were advised to obtain all of the intellectual property rights of The Indigo Pixies brand. We decided after developing The Paci Pixie that children also have other developmental milestones to reach such as potty training and bedtime issues. We created a series of multi-cultural characters with their own individual personalities that help children. Our other Pixies are: The Potty Pixie, The Bedtime Pixie, The Bubba Pixie, The Blanket Pixie…..Our goal is to not only publish our books but to license out the characters individually in the form of toys, dolls, games and the like. We are an exhibitor at this year’s LIMA (licensing international merchandiser’s association) Expo in Las Vegas in June 2011 to make this dream a reality. Our mission is to make the Indigo Pixies a household name.
 Q: Any advice for other mom owned businesses?
 A: Find a reputable law firm that specializes in intellectual property. Your idea or business is only as good as the protection that you have on it. Any idea can be recreated so you must make sure to properly protect your interest. Develop an idea that poses a solution for your particular audience. Something that after a consumer tries your product, becomes a necessity. If your idea helps a parent or a child, that is key.
