Entrepreneur Friday

Entrepreneur Friday: Knock Knock

Posted by Jean

WHO: Jen Bilik

WHAT: Knock Knock – fun and functional gifts.

WHERE: Venice, California

WHEN: 2002

HOW: It took a belated Christmas card, a blindside of a breakup, and a lack of motivation for Jen Bilik to launch a business. An odd combination, but for a passionate writer who suddenly found herself dabbling in graphic design, having an unexpected inspiration to try something new wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling. After leaving her in-house publishing career to freelance on her own, Bilik tried her hand in a few different projects for about six years (a period she refers to as “the abyss”). One of her projects, a children’s book, was simply not coming together. “I would procrastinate by doing these side projects,” Bilik says – including the “January Card” for those who missed the December holidays, and the “How to Find Love” poster, a tangled flowchart she developed after a bad breakup. “People started to say, ‘you should sell that’ about the things I made, but business didn’t interest me.”

It took a few more months of making little progress on her book – but a lot on her side projects, for Bilik to realize that starting a business had potential. “Despite my best intentions, I wasn’t working on the book, and I was working on Knock Knock,” says Bilik, “so I shelved the book. I created a business plan without a single number — more a manifesto than a business plan — and jumped right in.” She sold her apartment in New York for $700,000, rented an office space and hired a team, and soon after, launched 13 products that were an immediate hit.

With gifts categorized by recipient – everyone from your family and coworkers to “annoying people” – Bilik’s plan to launch “a creative business of interesting, smart, paper (mostly) products united by an irreverent, truthful sensibility” has shown a great deal of promise. Whether it’s the “Enemy Spitball Dartpad” or the “When Pigs Fly” sticky notes, Bilik’s fun, witty collection serves as a reminder that sometimes stepping out on your own can be incredibly rewarding. “Just as there are too many struggles to itemize, so are there too many achievements,” says Bilik. “That’s the thing about entrepreneurship — and, I hear, about parenting — it’s the hardest and most rewarding endeavor.”

Since the launch, one of the business’ struggles has been the ability to maintain profitability. “With a manufacturing business, cash flow can be a challenge when you have to stock up long before you can sell product,” says Bilik, “and our products sell for an average of about $3, so you can imagine how many of them we have to make and sell!” As it was for many small business owners, 2009 was a difficult year, but thanks to new investors, they’re on track to be profitable again in 2010. A recent feature in the New York Times didn’t hurt either. Despite any struggles Bilik is an advocate for positivity. “You need to come back every day, with a new smile on your face, and a new commitment to get through and learn from the challenges.”

HER ADVICE: “Be frugal and resilient,” says Bilik. “The first one I have had to learn the hard way, and the second one… I have had to learn the hard way.”

Want to win one of three prize packages from Knock Knock ($20 value)? Click here – write “KNOCK KNOCK” in the message window – and I’ll let you know if you’ve won!