< Back

Entrepreneur Fridays: Pea Soup

peasoupIn 1999 Marcy Cohen started making hair clips for her daughter for fun. Today, Cohen and her sister Lori Rockoff are partners in Pea Soup, a line of children’s clothing and accessories. Read on to see how they turned their hobby into a half-million dollar a year business.

Who: Marcy Cohen and Lori Rockoff

What: Pea Soup Accessories for Kids; a manufacturer of handcrafted children’s hair clips, bows and more. You might have seen their designs on the offspring such celebs as Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Garner.

When and Where: Ten years ago in Chicago, IL

How: In 1999 Marcy Cohen was working as a teacher. Her sister, Lori Rockoff was doing social work. For fun Marcy started making hair clips for her daughter and from there, Pea Soup was born. “I found myself going in my restaurants and people would stop me and say where did you get this bow…we didn’t start with a plan. We were buying materials, going to craft stores. Our first customer was a children’s hair cutting salon. We brought our items in and they placed an order.” That first order may have only $150 but the satisfaction they got from this taste of success was enough to spur them on. “We were so excited. It’s still exciting,” said Cohen.

From there, the orders only got larger. “When we first started we were the ones making the clips. We were in LA a year and a half into it when we got our first big order. It was about $1,200.” After a weekend spent on the floor of Lori’s apartment assembling the clips, Cohen and Rockoff decided it was time to enlist some help. “That’s when we started hiring people to work with us,” said Cohen. Today Pea Soup Accessories employs a total of eight people.

After two years Pea Soup began to turn a profit. “We were really lucky. We learned as we went. When we first started we were going to the craft stores for supplies. We moved from buying retail to buying from wholesalers, and doing our own designs. We were able to really grow.” Today their accessories are available in boutiques, hair salons and online. And as for their day jobs, when the orders started to pour in, Cohen and Rockoff left them behind to focus their attention solely on Pea Soup. “When we first started we were working when the kids were napping, or when Lori got off work. It just got to the point where we couldn’t sustain the business that way. It was growing too fast.”

peasoup2Their advice: “I would say first start with a business plan. We did not,” says Cohen who adds that the lack of plan prevented their business from taking off as quickly as it could have. “We didn’t budget for new samples and costs. We just bought what we liked. Which is part of what you want to do, but it helps to watch where you’re allocating your money.”

According to the sisters, uniqueness is also key. What sets Pea Soup apart from the rest? “A piece of Velcro inside each clip that helps it to stay in the child’s hair. We were definitely among the first to do that and it’s been a huge selling point,” says Cohen.

One final note:
We sometimes hear that friends — and relatives — or money don’t mix. How does this duo make it work? “Make a list of all the job requirements to seek the most qualified person. Look at each partner’s strengths and allocate potential tasks to each partner to see if the two people will complement each other,” advises Rockoff. In their business, the sisters work on designs together. Rockoff handles the marketing. Cohen manages orders and keeps the books for the business in check.

Want to win a Pea Soup outfit for your little one? Click here, and write “Pea Soup” in the message box.