Bootstrapper marries maternity to fashion (Part 4)

Filed in archive Bootstrapper Profile on July 24, 2006

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Instead, in true bootstrapper fashion, O'Callaghan paid for increasing advertising of her product in magazines and on the Internet out of revenue from the business which was in the black within six months and has doubled every year since.

She began simply with four prototypes designed by husband Michael Hagler, a graphic artist and art director for artehouse.com including "Lovin' My Buddha Belly" and "Sexy 'n Showing".

Prototypes also included two slogan shirts that have since been discontinued, "Proud to be pooching" and "This baby's beachin'.

"I didn't really do much planning at all," O'Callaghan said.

Instead, she made copies of her prototypes at a local Kinko's and wore them around town to gauge comments.

Then O'Callaghan had an epiphany.

Sending one of her new T-shirts to actress Kate Hudson, she was shocked when three weeks later she spotted a photo of the star wearing the shirt in a photo in People Magazine.

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