Meet aimee danchise | Founder of Inklings Baby Toys

We had the good fortune of connecting with aimee danchise and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi aimee, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
To me, everything is all about integration. I integrate my personal and work lives together. Prior to launching our business, I worked in corporate fashion. And I worked a lot of long hours which I was proud of. Work hard, play hard. But then life takes its turns and you find yourself wanting a family, or burnt out or wondering what is the point of it all.
After the turns, I found myself with 2 kids, a goal to work for myself and limited time. So in order to make the most of both worlds, I have blended them together. My kids are part of our business. They inspired Inklings and grew up with our crazy toys. They are the product testers, the models, they visit baby stores with me. And thanks to cell phones, we have the freedom now to work whenever we can. I answer emails while waiting for daycare pickup or in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep. I work on marketing for social media on the couch while the kids watch Encanto. Finally I realize that it is not the hours you put into work, but the juice you squeeze. Some days you accomplish so much. And others, you have to take care of a sick kid and nothing gets done. There is always tomorrow.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Inklings Baby is a majority women, part LGBTQ owned brand that creates colorful, quirky baby toys and infant novels based on imaginary friends.

Our dream was to create a brand that supported our beliefs and helped to make the world a better place. Each infant novel tells the story of how a bored baby imagines her new best friend to go on amazing adventures with. Inklings are activity toy focused, unique and gender neutral. The babies in each of our infant novels are of a different race, gender and family dynamic.

Inspired by the wacky, cool toys and tv shows we watched as kids in the 80s, we wanted to bring back the idea that it is ok to be different, to be creative and to use your imagination to the fullest.

We launched with a Kickstarter to fund our 1st production of Ollie the Oddball Oddbird in 2018. Since then, we created 5 more characters, launched a new line of activity toys but most importantly, we have hundreds of pictures of random kids who have an Inkling as their favorite stuffed animal. We are proud to be the anti basic teddy bear.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
North Jersey- Essex/Morris County- Lil Kid Friendly Edition

– Fairy Trail- Milburn, NJ
– Burnt Mills- Bedminster, NJ – best cider you ever had + lawn games.
– SunHigh Orchard- Randolph, NJ -farm animals and homemade ice cream
– Turtle Back Zoo – West Orange, NJ
– Pizza Pub – Randolph, NJ
– NJ Battle Zone- Randolph, NJ
– Alfa Bagels – longest line

– White Birch- Flanders, NJ – (Parents Night out)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Jackie Granchamps of Cecile Bath & Body When the universe brings you together, magic happens.

Also, the Real Mama Bears is an organization that Supports, Educates and Empowers Parents of LGBTQ Kids & the LGBTQ Community. Inklings Baby is majority women, and part LGBTQ owned company and we try to champion their cause.

Website: https://www.inklingsbaby.com

Instagram: @inklingsbaby

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-monahan-danchise/

Facebook: @inklingsbaby

Image Credits
@paige_rigoglioso_photography