the business

I spent 4 years developing Silicandy, a 100% remote company. During that time, I managed a diverse team that spanned almost every time zone in the world. It was through my experience running Silicandy that I started my journey into UX Design. A business-driven curiosity to create a better digital experience for my customers made me search for the answers that led me to UX.

Growing Silicandy required management of several e-commerce and software platforms. These included Shopify, Amazon, and Zulily, an e-commerce SaaS solution for independent sellers.

Catering to big-box retailers constituted the need to create a stellar digital wholesale buyer experience.

The designers I was working with didn’t have UX knowledge. I knew that there had to be a better way. Every business I’ve been involved in has always been all about the customer and the customer experience. I eagerly started learning how to translate that into digital design.

During my work with Silicandy, I learned a lot about silicone and plastic molding and 3D printing. I also learned about Chinese culture, and how different people from different parts of the world work. Patent and trademark laws worldwide were a big part of the business. This was both to protect Silicandy’s designs and to defend a false copyright accusation against us.

the customer:

PRIMARY CUSTOMERS

At time of Silicandy user research (2015), millennials made up the largest demographic in the country. Millennial moms accounted for almost 90% of the 1.5 million new mothers in the year 2014.

Millennial moms, in particular, have a set of specific buying needs. They want personalization and a relationship with the brands they support.

While observing and talking to Millenial Moms, I learned a lot about the perfectionsim they strive for. Unfortunately, they carry a lot of guilt. Although over 70% of moms we interviewed held a part-time or full-time job, they still wanted to give their kids all the homemade experiences and memories they had as children from their mother, who was a full-time homemaker.

Moms told us how much community and peer support is important to them when deciding which brand to purchase.

We learned that the reason the majority of moms don’t bake with their kids is because current product offerings aren’t accesible or family-friendly. Glass measuring cups and expensive stainless steel cookery can break, dent, and take up a lot of space.

secondary customers

We developed a following of customers that buy for the edlerly. There are nursing homes that are really commited to enriching their resident’s lives, and our silicone products were perfect for them. We were asked to change some visuals to reflect the needs of an older crowd.

Crafters use silicone molds to make DIY projects like soap and candles. At first, we discovered this following through keywords used to find our products on Amazon.

87%

of moms asked were willing to economize in other areas to spend more on higher-quality niche products.

90%

of moms asked said they would not hesitate to pay more money for a premium quality product for their children.

94%

of moms asked admitted to spending more on their children’s clothes and toys than they do on themselves.

$1 trillion

The amount parents in the U.S. spent on their children, ages 0–17, in 2014.