How Two Tots became Tot Stuff

Just tiny tots ourselves when we met for the first time we, Liane Frank and Jodi Suissa could sense there was more in store for us. Reacquainted at nine years old we instantaneously became each other’s best friends and remain so to this day. Geographical distance and situational differences could not stand between us; our mutual respect for one another continued and strengthened as years went by and today we not only share a wonderfully supportive friendship, we now proudly call ourselves the two tots who became Tot Stuff.

Jodi: My husband Jeff and I have 3 tots to gush over: 9 year old daughter Romi, 7 year old daughter Raquel and 4 year old son Michael.
Liane:  My husband Scott and I have two tots to thrill over: 7 year old son Jesse and 4 year old son Jake.

Together, our five children inspire and motivate us to take this incredible line of products out of the warehouse and into the hands of loving parents. 

The Birthing of Tot Stuff Enterprises:

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
- Demosthenes

In March of 2003 Jodi, her great-aunt, Romi, Liane, her mother and then one year olds Raquel and Jesse were shopping and stopped for lunch in a nearby fast food restaurant. If the high chairs at this establishment were any indication of high chairs in other fast food restaurants they should have run for the nearest exit to never return. But they didn’t. Instead, they found opportunity in the face of the crumb-speckled, dried up ketchup that lay resting grotesquely on the high chairs they were about to set their precious and adorable toddlers in.  “We need to invent something portable to put on these trays so parents won’t have to worry about germs and bacteria and kids can eat off of a clean surface.” One Aha moment later and their entrepreneurial wheels were set in motion.

Liane: Immediately upon our return home I surfed the internet and discovered that such a product exists. It’s called the Table Topper, made by Neat Solutions Inc. I called the company, told them our story and presumptuously asked if we could be their Canadian sales representatives. Far less lengthy (and less painful!) than pregnancy and childbirth, Tot Stuff Enterprises was born to Canada through the power of the ‘ask’ and a company president willing to give us a try. We immediately registered our company “Tot Stuff Enterprises” and began to pound the pavement.

Baby’s First Steps:

We called stores all across the city and got our first break with a local pharmacy chain store manager. Along with our first order came a list of other contacts to approach, helpful hints and following that; a re-order! It wasn’t long before Neat Solutions Inc. products were filling retail shelves all over the city of Montreal. All this because we took an idea and ran with it.

Today, we sell directly to pharmacies and specialty stores as well direct to the public. Yes, that’s right. You can place your orders, re-orders and gift giving orders through us at this website and we will ship direct to you.

It was easy to launch Neat Solutions Inc into Tot Stuff Enterprises and we haven’t stopped making calls to companies whose products we love. We have since added to our collection the Family Treasure stickers which started a widespread trend in our neighbourhood (why not start one in yours?) and the Safety Tats which buy a little peace of mind while out with the little ones in crowded areas (malls, parks, amusement centres, etc).

We hope you never see a crumb-speckled, dried up ketchup high chair table like the one that changed the course of our careers forever (we had every intention to return to our jobs following maternity leave) but if you do… BE PREPARED.