The Story Behind The Whizzer

Hello, I'm Zoë. Ready for a back-story?

I designed the Whizzer™ when my son Mayson was a toddler with a constant need for the loo!

We were constantly on the move and drove a lot so I carried around an empty takeaway cup from my morning coffee (my treat of the day) then used it for my son to pee into.

It meant that I could cover his private area with the cup, and stop any spray from getting on our shoes and clothes.

By collecting it in the cup it also stopped us from creating a yucky wee river that would trickle towards us and anyone walking through its path. Surely there had to be a solution to this common embarrassing inconvenience?!

Here is my son at the zoo beautifully demonstrating the only other portable option available to parents that didn't involve a suitcase or huge awkward shaped lump of plastic. Carrying a potty around is not ideal, feasible or dignified!

I couldn't believe that there wasn't a product that could solve my problem.

From Problem To Solution

So, in 2014 I designed the first Whizzer™. At the time I was also nursing my terminally ill Father who was bed bound. I'd spent years in the back-breaking carer role where a lack of disabled loos meant restricted wheelchair travels and situations a parent would never want their child to be assisting them in. I therefore knew my invention could be used for so much more than toilet training toddlers.

Determined Single Mum's Whizzer™ Dream

As a single mum managing numerous responsibilities, I found myself unable to allocate the necessary time, financial resources, or support to bring the Whizzer™ to life. Regrettably, I had to set aside the idea for the time being, but I promised myself that I would revisit it in the future. Despite the challenges I faced, I remained determined to find a solution to my problem.

Determination Will Prevail

  • 2020 was full of stress and unpredictability, especially for parents juggling homeschooling on top of everything else! Following a miraculous recovery thanks to life-changing spinal surgery in 2019, I decided to make this the year that would be significant for all the right reasons.

  • By October 2020, I held the first Whizzer™ sample, and by Christmas, I took on the daunting task of handling all aspects of the project alone. From designing packaging to mastering business essentials like legal protection and marketing, I pushed myself to launch the product for pre-sale in 2021.

  • The launch date of the Kiddiwhizz website was 17th February 2021 to honour the 6th anniversary of losing my incredible Dad who gave me the entrepreneurial flair, unstoppable determination and kind spirited dedication.

It Takes A Village...

Behind the launch of this product, there is no hidden team or corporate funding. It is driven solely by a determined Single Mum with ambitious dreams, supported by a community she built on social media. The incredible Mums who became Whizzer™ champions have provided unwavering support, carrying me through setbacks and fuelling my perseverance. The kindness and connections experienced online have showcased the positive power of social media, leaving me eternally grateful.

Kiddiwhizz Instagram

Launching a product as an unknown female inventor from the living room of a council flat was only one step of the virtually impossible task I was setting out to achieve. Making sure I could raise the funds to have the Whizzer™ manufactured and finding people to buy it was all part of the journey against the odds...

The Quick Path to Success

Although as a business my growth seems quick it’s because I’ve worked an average of 75 hours-a-week and knocked on every door with constant rejections until one opened.

When I reflect on my first year in business there were so many pinch-me moments that I often forget to acknowledge them. From meeting my local mayor to promote small business potential in my borough of Camden to a year later when Google asked me to meet the current Prime Minster, Rishi Sunak to discuss the Importance of Entrepreneurship for the growth of the UK economy.

But my dream had always been to see my invention on the shelves of Boots so when I got a chance to host a pop-up at the front of one of their flagship stores it was such an exciting moment.

7 intense days of talking to passersby (well, the ones that stopped intrigued instead of laughing and hurrying past me!) which mainly involved discussing the moments they've experienced the need for a whizzer! Yup, 'wee chats' from truck drivers to carers of disabled children, with the number one question being 'have you thought of going on Dragons' Den?'

However, I couldn't share the big secret that just days later I would be travelling up to Manchester to do just that! I just kept saying "You never know!"

Although I'd not made a permanent home for the Whizzer on the shop floor of Boots, I had just launched in 87 JoJo Maman Bebe Stores.

So for a business that had only had a product in-hand for a year, I guess I was doing pretty well on reflection!

Well that's how the start of this crazy back story went and the second part starts with how I ended up pitching in the BBC Studios to 5 formidable Dragon Investors!

Which you can read HERE

Whatever stage of the journey I'm on when you read this, I'll no doubt still be working tirelessly day and night to make this little idea a big success!

You'll also find me on Instagram, so I can hang out and share as much of this rollercoaster as possible with those who are cheering me on!

So be sure to subscribe and follow to keep up to date.

Lastly, if you have a dream, let this be your push to go for it!

Hugs and high fives,

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