Meet Heidi Patchet of Squishy Dough in Monument

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi Patchet.

Heidi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Squishy Dough was incorporated in 2014, but really started nearly a decade ago when my son was little. This little bundle of snuggles, laughs and giggles was not so full of joy when it was time to eat. He whined and yelled at mealtime. Actually, he had a food aversion, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Partly, because when I grew up, fresh air and farm fresh food was just how we rolled. I hadn’t been prepared for this, and definitely didn’t know what to do to change it. And his pediatrician really wanted me to change it.

But necessity is the mother of all invention, right? So, I started to play. And research. I discovered that for some kiddos, there’s a relationship between messy play and a willingness to try new foods. What in the what?!?  So, Pinterest is great, but I wasn’t ready to break out the paints, rice, shaving cream and pasta every day. The amount of time it takes to setup, prep and cleanup is like 600 times longer than they actually play. #amiright So I found play dough. Something I can get out, minimal mess, and pack away for tomorrow. Winning! But the store-bought stuff is not my cup of tea. So, time to make my own. The rest is a really boring story about finding and tweaking recipes and our pre-school teachers and friends LOVING my dough and wanting to pay me to make it for them. I’ll spare you the details because this is long already. So yeah, with plenty of opportunities to experiment, my “picky eater” gradually transformed and was willing to try new foods. Hooray!

Has it been a smooth road?
It has generally been a smooth road. The biggest struggle is one I believe other moms experience, the work/home/family balance. Over the years I have tried selling in a few stores in Colorado Springs, lots of craft fairs around the state, markets and different websites. They have all had their successes and struggles, but have wound up sticking with selling on Etsy. Etsy has provided for the best experience overall, but the decision to limit business to one platform was tough. Putting family first was the deciding factor… being on Etsy really frees up a lot of time as they handle traffic, advertising, sales tax, etc.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I make Squishy Dough, scented play dough, in a wide variety of scents, colors, and fun activities to go with them. Galaxy Dough is a favorite because it smells like a grape lollipop and has just the right glitters to mimic the night sky. Busy Buckets are great sellers and are offered in a variety of themes as well as seasonal buckets that are great open-ended sensory play. Custom party favors really set me apart. They are so unique, and a great custom item at a good price. I’m most proud of the donations to organizations that support kids… Autism, human trafficking and kids with cancer are the top causes I believe in helping as often as possible. I’m quick to donate cash, products and offer special promotions whenever I can.

A close second is the focus to create a stress-free experience for parents and their kiddos. From purchasing, customer support and the end product being so fun! Parenting is tough enough… I love to keep the whole Squishy Dough experience as fun as possible.

Pricing:

• 10% off coupon code: SD10off. No expiration, good on Etsy and website.

Contact Info:

• Website: squishydough.etsy.com, squishydough.com
• Phone: 719-425-8985
• Email: squishydough@gmail.com
• Instagram: @squishydough
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/squishydough1

Image Credit:
Sally Dunn, Photography by Milana

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