Passion & Tradition Combine for 72 Years of Sales

Passion & Tradition Combine for 72 Years of Sales

When I met Jill Burton via email after her purchase of Fodeez® Frames, I knew she had a story that needed to be shared with our Fodeez® Friends.

Just Take the Leap

Jill's advice to women considering making a career or business change?  "Have confidence - you have to just jump, and you can't be afraid.  Be confident in who you are and what your dream is," she advises.

She Walks the Walk

Owner of Patty-Cakes.com, Jill turned what some would see as a downfall into a major windfall.  A single mom of two boys ages 9 and 12, Jill's high-paying sales job was eliminated two weeks before Christmas in 2015 after 20 years of service to her healthcare finance company.  But fate had another plan for Jill .... a company she had her eye on for several years suddenly became available for purchase.  "I have always loved Patty-Cakes bronze heirlooms, and I had been following the company for some time.  This was the perfect opportunity for me," she says.

What Are Patty-Cakes?

Patty-Cakes are actual impressions of your baby's hand & foot cast in durable bronze or silver and then mounted in several stylish options.  "Our products are true heirloom pieces," says Jill.  "Most of my customers are Patty-Cakes babies themselves, and then they end up purchasing for their children and grandchildren.  We truly are a company based upon tradition." 

A Path Chosen

A Patty-Cake baby herself, Jill went looking for the product in 2007 after having her first child. "I couldn't find them - at the time, they didn't have any national marketing programs and definitely not a website," she says.  She adds that after she eventually found the owner of the company, Mr. Hill, he said he could send her a kit to make her first Patty-Cake mold or she could go into business for herself making molds for others.  She chose the business route as a side job.  "I loved the product so much that I thought it would be a fun way to help others preserve their memories," she says.  "I knew he had a gold mine, but it never occurred to me at the time that he would consider selling the company."  The company was sold in 2008, and that's when Jill let the current owner know she'd be interested if he ever considered selling.

Updating Marketing Makes Big Impact

When Jill purchased Patty-Cakes International, sales were made by cold calling after seeing birth announcements published in the newspaper.  "My background is sale and marketing, so I knew we needed to make some changes if we wanted to grow," says Jill.  Today, the company works with 45 reps nationwide and they are rapidly expanding.

Branching Out

While the foundation of the company is the "Traditional Ovals" of baby's hand and foot, Patty-Cakes is branching out to help preserve memories of pets and adults.  "Our pet line is now overtaking our baby line," she says.  "And we're also working with families of terminally ill spouses or grandparents to create memory boxes that can be passed on to future generations."

Work / Family Balance

So how does a single mom with a national company balance work and home life? By plowing full steam ahead!  "I just get up, and whatever needs to get done .... well, I get it done!" she says.  She adds that by leaning on her mom and two sisters that live nearby makes everything a bit easier.  "They're always there for me when I need to be pulled back together."

Fodeez Frames Fill Photo Gap

"I love these frames because I like family photos on the fridge, and there isn't anything else I've found that looks as nice and works so well," say Jill.  We are most certainly happy that Jill found our frames and that we were introduced to such an innovative thinker that believes heirlooms and tradition are highly valued.

 

 

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