Kayla Cook and Janet Meier met on the soccer field in 5th grade, and have remained best friends in the 30 years since. Despite Meier living in Arizona and Cook based in the Bellevue area, the two continue to nurture their friendship, spending time together in Chelan in the summer, and giving their own young children the opportunity to develop relationships as well. It was on one of those trips where the idea for Wiggles & Giggles coloring books was born. Meier says, “Two summers ago, the kids needed to chill for a few minutes, so we got some crayons out and that spurred the idea. Kayla has the creative piece and I've always been into business and marketing. Together we had both pieces of the equation, so that's what started it; all the kids playing and moms drinking a glass of wine and thinking ‘Let’s do it!’ We got the computer out and set up an LLC right on the spot.” They released their first coloring book, Little Monsters, and last summer decided to ramp up their business and plan for profitability.
Meier and Cook look to their kids and kids’ friends for inspiration, as well as holidays and seasons. “It’s been a bit of a learning curve for both Janet and I, but something that's been a passion project in that it scratches that creativity itch for me,” says Cook. “It blends where we're at in life in terms of motherhood and allows our kids to be included. Mason, my oldest, will ask, ‘Where's the Wiggle & Giggles superhero coloring book? Can you make a LEGO one?’ Janet’s girls request princesses and mermaids.”
Coloring is a calming, screen-free activity that appeals to all ages - parents themselves can sit down and enjoy coloring with their child. A direct to consumer model gives Meier and Cook insights into what’s resonating with families, and their lean and nimble operations mean they’re well-positioned to respond to customer feedback. If there are product variations that customers want to see like subscriptions, multi-book sets, or opportunities for personalization; the partners can adapt to that.
A personal relationship allowed Cook and Meier to find their printer. “We needed a printer that could produce boutique quality coloring books at an accessible price point, and another dance mom told me about her friend starting a printing business. Working with someone locally here in Arizona has opened up a lot of possibilities, like the activity pages are printed in color, which is like such a unique feature and elevates our books,” Meier says. Wiggles & Giggles offers standard sized coloring books, as well as a travel size for on-the-go families.
Pop-up events at local shops offer a valuable venue to interact with kids and hear what they’re excited about. Says Cook, “Our most recent pop-up was at Village Maternity in University Village, they've been great supporters of our book and our business. The event was called Monsters and Bugs and a bunch of little kids got to come and enjoy music and our coloring books - the perfect audience.” In addition to partnering with local kids’ stores, Wiggles & Giggles seeks to build relationships with companies that cater to a similar audience, as well as with influencers and content creators. Both raised by single moms, Meier and Cook have made giving back a priority for their company, and they strive to contribute to organizations that support moms and families.
To learn more about this special company, and see the current books, visit wigglesngigglesco.com.
Parents themselves can sit down and enjoy coloring with their child.