When Natalia Ortiz left the corporate world to become a stay-at-home mom, she admits it wasn’t an easy decision.
Natalia Ortiz, owner of Two Hippos: “My life was work at an ad agency and eventually own one, one day.”
However, a new career path was paved after she discovered her daughter kept jumping out of her crib. She moved her into a bed but had to come up with a way to prevent her from falling out.
Natalia Ortiz: “That’s when my creative juices started flowing.”
Natalia created a bumper that fit between the bed and the wall.
Natalia Ortiz: “So, I put a nice cover on the bumper to make it match the bedding and low and behold it worked!”
When friends started asking her to make one for them, Natalia made another big decision.
Natalia Ortiz: “I’m going to open up my own company and it’s going to be called Two Hippos. I want us to stand for quality, stylish solutions to everyday problems that parents face.”
Her first product became the “wall bumpee,” which now comes in several colors with a big side pocket.
Natalia Ortiz: “So, it fits just about anything a child sleeps with, from books to blankets to pacifiers.”
Then came the “cot buddy” with a built-in pillow.
Natalia Ortiz: “It’s easy for the child to take to school and it’s got a convenient luggage tag for naming.”
When her son started having nightmares, she wanted to create something that would make him feel protected.
Natalia Ortiz: “He kept saying, ‘I want something that makes me feel tough. I want something that’s going to make me feel safe.'”
She had him draw pictures and the “monster buddy” was born. It’s a memory foam pillow for kids.
Natalia Ortiz: “Here in the back, we have a nice, little yummy blanket.”
The boys love it and they don’t go anywhere without theirs.
Parent Maria Parra Loughlin: “Really, they can’t go to bed without their monster buddies.”
Moms say it gives them a sense of security and they even use the zipper in back.
Cristina Gonzalaz: “He loves hiding things and stuff inside where the blanket goes.”
Natalia admits running her own business is a challenge but she encourages creative moms to follow their dreams.
Natalia Ortiz: “At the end of the day, it is about finding that balance and finding that happiness in your life.”
Lynn Martinez: “Natalia has won several awards for her products, which are all made by hand.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Two Hippos
www.twohipposstore.com