This is part of our #SmileABCs series, highlighting and going in-depth with small businesses and ecommerce brands. Check out the full series here.
There are few things in the world that new parents care more about than their newborns. They want nothing but the best for them, from the food they eat, right down to the diapers they wear. And this was exactly the case for Rochelle BaRoss, founder and solopreneur behind Henry and Howie.
Henry and Howie is a family-run company with a mission to make cloth diapering easy, accessible, and fun for eco-conscious parents. “Cloth diapering can save money as well as up to 6000 diapers per kid from the landfill,” Rochelle explains. And with easy-to-use snaps, a pocket diaper design consisting of a water-resistant shell with a pocket to stuff an absorbent insert into, and cute patterns, it seemed like a win-win-win for Rochelle.
“In an age where parenting is more public than ever thanks to social media, cuteness matters!”
- Rochelle, founder of Henry and Howie
We live in a society where social media is everywhere, which means parents want their babies to wear outfits as cute as they are! “More and more parents are realizing that ‘cloth diapering’ doesn’t have to mean white cloth and safety pins.”
With Henry and Howie’s uber cute products, parents can make more sustainable choices–all while keeping their little ones fashionable and fresh!
Bringing more than diapers to the (changing) table
As a new mom herself, Rochelle understands the struggles first-hand that come along with cloth diapering. Since it’s not as common as mainstream disposable diapers, new parents looking to give cloth diapering a go have a lot of questions. Where do you store the dirty diapers? How do you remember which snaps to use to give the best fit? What’s the best way to wash the diapers?
Well, Henry and Howie has all the answers and more available for their customers on their social media channels. Not only do they post helpful tips and tricks, but they reward customers with points for liking them on Facebook or following them on Instagram. Need any more incentive to check them out?
Along with great value-added social content, Henry and Howie actually sells helpful cloth diapering accessories like wet bags, inserts, and snap guide key chains. Wet bags are a great way to keep the dirty cloth diapers separate from the rest of the items inside your diaper bag.
It can be especially difficult for someone else to change and diaper your baby when using a cloth diaper. Since they are designed to grow with the baby, there are multiple snap options to offer different sizes. Other people may not know which snaps to use to get the perfect fit. This is where Henry and Howie’s snap guide key chain comes in handy!
@henryandhowie Our snap guide keychains make cloth diapering easier and less intimidating for babysitters, daycares, and grandparents! Compatible with Henry & Howie diapers or any brand that has the same snap configuration. #clothdiapers #clothdiapermama #clothdiaper #clothdiapertiktok #clothdiapering #makelaundrynotlandfill ♬ Cartoon-style piano solo jazz(853970) - motofuji
With over 425K views, 18K likes, and 142 comments on this TikTok explaining their snap guide key chains, it’s clear that their customers are loving this tool.
Henry and Howie Perks
Henry and Howie launched their loyalty program, H&H Perks, in July 2022 as an additional way to appreciate their customers. With both a points and referral program, customers have multiple ways to get extra perks.
“It’s a fun way to give back to customers to thank them for spreading the word.”
- Rochelle
“Customers earn points by signing up for the program, placing an order, liking us on Facebook, following us on Instagram, and for celebrating a birthday. My favorite part is the referral program—if a customer refers someone, they each get $5 to spend. It’s a win for everyone!” Rochelle shares.
As you might have guessed, the diapering community is strong. Rochelle describes her customers as, “eco- and money-conscious, passionate moms who truly want the best for their kids”. By understanding her customers’ values, she knows that the best rewards for them are monetary discounts. This is exactly why customers get $1 off for every 100 points they earn.
By constantly releasing new, cute designs, Henry and Howie keeps their customers coming back. “Many of my customers are stay-at-home parents and some collect cloth diaper prints like 90s kids collected Beanie Babies or Pokemon cards. I’ve had several repeat customers and I am proud to offer items that I am personally excited to use,” Rochelle tells us.
H&H Perks is a great way to reward loyal customers and invite new parents to the brand community through valuable referrals. With a $5 reward for new customers, they’re almost halfway to a new diaper (costing $11.45)! At that point, why not give it a go?
Advice for new business owners
As a dog mom, new mom, and business owner, Rochelle definitely has a lot on her plate. Thankfully, she’s received some helpful advice along the way and wanted to share it with other new business owners now.
“If the big picture is too stressful, break it down into manageable chunks.”
It’s easy to dream big when starting a new business, but remember to stay realistic or you’ll risk burning out before you really even start. “It’s much more fun to challenge myself to gain a hundred more TikTok followers than it is to dwell on how many diapers I need to sell to meet this year’s goal,” Rochelle puts it. “One task actually pushes the company into more growth, and the other has the potential to shove me into existential dread.”
Rochelle also encourages other solopreneurs to stay true to themselves! Her favorite thing about Henry & Howie is that her products are functional AND fun! “I don’t take myself too seriously in my personal life, and that extends to Henry & Howie. Pizza on a diaper? Why the heck not?!”
With a background in design and illustration, Rochelle also knows a thing or two about creative thinking. And her final piece of advice is to actually give yourself constraints when trying to think of new, creative ideas or problem-solving.
“Too much freedom and possibility can actually be limiting. Designing ‘three different diapers with animal motifs in a watercolor style’ is much easier than designing ‘three different diapers–any style, any color.’ Sometimes you need to narrow your options.”
So there you have it–stay realistic and start small, be authentic, and remember that sometimes you need to think inside of the box!
