3 Product Differentiation Tips from a Working Mom Maker Who Raised 800 Million Won with an Eye Cushion
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- Even in a market dominated by must-have items, Angel & Bee maker Kim Dong-eun—a working mom and former department store merchandiser—became a “SUPER MAKER” with cumulative funding of 800 million won and 9,000 supportersthrough product planning, Story, and News strategies.
- In the kids’ market—where it’s difficult to surpass “must-have” items— we’ve summarized three practical tips from the Angel & Bee maker, who succeedednot through fame but through the authenticity of her product development .
- If you’re curious about the secret behind achieving a perfect 5.0 satisfaction rating in the wadiz Kids category and successfully completing 16 funding campaigns, read on now.
Even a little-known kids’ brand can raise 20 million won in its first wadiz funding and reach a cumulative total of 800 million won over 16 campaigns. The secret wasn’t the brand name—it was the product’s story.
“There are already so many popular products out there—is there even room for me?”
If you’re a maker launching a brand in a market with well-established products—like baby goods—you’ve probably paused to consider this at least once. With no brand recognition, no reviews, and a tight advertising budget, breaking into the market through traditional e-commerce platforms can be challenging.
Kim Dong-eun, CEO of Angel & Bee—who has experience as a merchandiser at H Department Store and Company C’s platform—launched her first product on wadiz, where supporters gather to genuinely listen to the story behind “why every single snap button was chosen this way,” rather than just the brand name.
By reading this article to the end, you’ll learn the Story and know-how behind how an unknown kids’ brand built its first fanbase and achieved growth that led to 16 successful funding campaigns.
The Kids’ Market, Where It’s Hard to Surpass “Must-Have” Items: Why the First Product Received Perfect Satisfaction Scores
Q. You’ve worked as a merchandiser for a long time. What prompted you to start your own brand?
My career began at H Department Store. While working as a manager for about 60 brands, I was introduced to the role of a merchandiser, and wanting to learn more online, I switched to an e-commerce platform. There, I saw many cases where small brands grew into huge brands through overseas exports. Then, when I became pregnant, I became very interested in baby products, and I gained the confidence to think, “I can make something like this well,” so I decided to launch my own brand.
Q. What was your biggest concern when you first set out to launch a kids’ brand?
Even when I first launched the brand Angel & Bee, the so-called “must-have items” were firmly established in the market.
The kids’ market tends to be quite polarized.Sales were dominated by thesealready well-known “national favorites.”
Q. Even though it was a market dominated by “must-have items,” your first productbecame a bestsellerthanks to your relentless product development process. How did you come up with the idea for that product?
The anti-reflux pillow was a product our first child used very effectively. But the child would sleep on it for 8 to 10 hours at a time. I was very worried about whether it was okay for them to sleep like that, but since existing products were made of cotton batting, I didn’t think they would provide proper support for the child’s neck and lower back. I had originally used that cotton batting myself, and I noticed my child’s lower back was curving.
Also, since I had to lift my child and move them to the bed every time, I thought it would be great if there were a cushion that provided straight support for their lower back and allowed for angle adjustment so they could sleep there for long periods—that’s why I decided to develop it.
The Development Process of Angel & Bee’s Anti-Reflux Pillow
Q. Improving on the Inconveniences Seen Through a Mother’s Eyeswas a key factor. In fact, this kids’ product received a perfect 5.0 satisfaction rating from the discerning wadiz supporters. Do you have any unique know-how as a maker?
I “worry.’ I ’m the kind of person who worries a lot— like a ‘worry doll.’ If I launch something and it doesn’t sit right with me, I won’t release it. I’ll put it off for a while. (Laughs)
And I really do overthink things.I keep looking for ways to improve the parts I’m not satisfied with, and once I find a solution, I get new samples. It’s through this process of deep deliberation that I finally create the product. In fact, it took about two years to bring the anti-reflux cushion to market.
When I was developing a body pillow for pregnant women, I sought out only expectant mothers. If I heard that someone I knew was pregnant, I’d go to their house and ask them. Since I hadn’t been pregnant myself, I didn’t know whether the product would actually be comfortable for them. So I’d bring it over, have them lie down on it, and ask for their comments on where it felt uncomfortable.
3 Key Points for Crafting Angel N.B.’s Unique Kids’ Story and News Updates
Q. While creating unique products is important, it’s also crucial to present them in a way that supporters can easily understand. You mentioned that you “visualized the product story.”
If you just list a product’s benefits in sentences, it’s hard for consumers to grasp them right away. I think it’s incredibly important to visualize the key points of our products rather than just listing them in sentences.
For example, I imagine there might be a question like, “How many kilograms can it support, depending on the child’s weight?” So we took dumbbells with us and added weights one by one to demonstrate, saying, “It can support up to this much weight.”
Tip. Wondering how to best convey your product’s unique selling proposition (USP) when writing a Story? Ask WAi! (➡️ Ask WAi)
Q. It seems like writing Stories for the Kids category is a little different from other categories!
Yes, in most other categories, stories often start by highlighting the product’s USPs right at the top. But in the Kids category, rather than starting with the USPs, you should first address the concerns, questions, and frustrations that moms and caregivers face . Then, it would be great if you could clearly demonstrate the solutions—which are your USPs—one by one in the video. Following that, if you include existing brand reviews or reviews of previous products, it helps build the trust needed for customers to make a purchase with confidence, so I think structuring it this way would be ideal.
Q. Looking at your “News” section, I could tell you wrote it very thoroughly. I’m curious if you have any tips or know-how for writing these updates.
At first, I jumped into wadiz without really knowing much about the platform, so I wasn’t very good at writing News posts. Looking back now, it’s actually pretty embarrassing. But now I understand the importance of News. I know full well that communicating with supporters is key on wadiz. So, when it comes to how to write News posts, I Before starting funding, I tend to plan everything out in advance.
By clearly explaining in the Newshow to best usethe productand how to maintain it afterward, supportersget a more complete experience—not just with the product, but with the brand as well.
Tip. 3 Strategies for Kids’ Brands to Write News on wadiz
- Show how we solved the pain points of popular parenting brands
- Writing authentic stories with a genuine parenting mindset
- Feature the heartfelt reviews customers have written in our News and Stories
3. Why Angel & Bee Launched on wadiz
Q. Since this was your first product after two years of development, I imagine you carefully considered your distribution channels. Was there a specific reason you chose wadiz?
We needed a space where we could fully explain the product’s Story.
We didn’t want to just launch it anywhere. I needed a place where I could explain the Story behind how I selected each and every snap button, and an acquaintance suggested that wadiz would be a good fit, so that’s why we chose it. Since wadiz is a platform where anyone can take on a challenge—even sole proprietors can get started—I think it makes it easy for anyone to give it a try.
Q. What was it actually like when you ran your funding campaign on wadiz?
When I first launched the anti-reflux cushion, there weren’t many kids’ brands around yet. So people around me often asked, “This platform is full of tech projects—is it really okay to do a kids’ product here?”
But even though people didn’t know the brand “Angel & Bee,” our first funding campaign still raised about 20 million won. I realized that wadiz has supporters who will recognize a brand as long as it’s genuine, so I feel the market is very open right now.
Q. You’re now available on various platforms besides wadiz. Is there a reason you always launch new products on wadiz first?
Yes, although Angel & B is currently available on various platforms, we always launch new products first on wadiz. Wadiz supporters aren’t hesitant to try new products, and they seem to have a special affection for our products and provide great feedback.
In particular, there’s one thing I really liked about the wadiz Store. We have reviews from supporters that we collected during our funding campaigns, and we can transfer those reviews directly to the store.. I think the advantage is that we can consistently promote our products on the store by showcasing the reviews left by funding backers, which can lead to purchases. So, please check out our products
Q. Finally, do you have any advice for kids’ product makers considering funding or starting a business?
To makers considering wadiz, I’d say it’s a no-brainer. I sometimes wonder if we’d have attracted this many supporters to our “Angel & Bee” anti-reflux cushion if we’d launched it on a platform other than wadiz. I can honestly say that Angel & Bee exists thanks to wadiz.
Also, I’d like to say that “my life has entered a second act.” Before wadiz, I was simply a working mom raising a child, but since starting on wadiz, I’ve become a maker who creates products for children and mothers from a parent’s perspective—and I take that role much more seriously. So I can honestly say that my life has completely changed.
If a product is made with sincerity, it can gain recognition even without being famous. From product planning to Story and News—just like Angel & Bee, try creating content that reflects your sincerity in every detail, one piece at a time. On wadiz, there are supporters who recognize that sincerity, and those supporters help your brand grow even stronger. You, too, can meet such supporters right now.
Essential Things Kids’ Product Makers Should Know Before Launching on wadiz
Q. Why is it better to launch kids’ products on wadiz rather than through external e-commerce platforms?
A. External kids’ marketplaces are highly polarized. Sales are dominated by well-known, popular items, making it difficult for new brands to gain attention. On the other hand, on wadiz, you can succeed based on a single product even without brand recognition. Angel & Bee raised approximately 20 million won in its first funding campaign even though the brand was completely unknown at the time.
Q. What are the benefits of launching a kids’ project on wadiz?
A. You can test the market’s response without the burden of inventory, and you can immediately improve your product based on supporter feedback. The biggest asset is the reviews. The supporter reviews accumulated during the funding can be directly leveraged in the wadiz Store, leading to steady sales even after the funding ends. Additionally, if you launch your first funding campaign on wadiz, you’ll receive benefits such as a 30% commission discount, as well as guides and educational materials.
Q. Where do I start when launching my first project?
A. Simply create an account on wadiz Maker Studio and apply to launch a project. You can get started even if you’re just a sole proprietor. If you’re worried because this is your first funding campaign, a dedicated project manager will work with you one-on-one—from story planning through review and launch—so even first-time makers can prepare step by step.
Are you ready to launch your first funding campaign, maker?
Wadiz is currently offering a commission discount to cheer you on as you get started.
As Maker Kim Dong-eun of Angel & Bee said, anyone can create new opportunities on wadiz.
It’s not brand recognition or flashy advertising—it’s your genuine desire to solve problems and your sincerity that will make you stand out on wadiz.
Right now, get a 30% discount on fees and take your first steps on wadiz with us!
New to wadiz? Get a 30% discount on fees to ensure the success of your first funding campaign
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