April 3, 2025

Annette Bentley-Smith: How Her Storytime Plush Tales Are Creating Comfort Through Connection

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When her granddaughter wished she could hear bedtime stories every night, Annette Bentley-Smith turned that heartfelt moment into Storytime Plush Tales. On this episode, Annette shares how she created Kobe—a cuddly, tech-enabled companion that lets loved ones record stories, songs, and messages to comfort children from afar.

From helping her mother during a cancer battle to connecting families facing deployment or illness, Kobe is more than a toy—it’s a bridge across distance and time. Throughout our conversation, Annette also opens up about her journey as a solopreneur, the challenges of bringing an innovative product to market - from manufacturing setbacks and funding constraints to the persistent belief in her vision.

Her mother's wisdom "persistence beats resistance" carries her forward as she continues expanding the Kobe universe with new designs, features, and applications.

Discover how one grandmother’s love sparked an invention bringing families closer—one story at a time.

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Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Dollpreneur & Annette

01:35 - Origins of Kobe Plush Doll

09:02 - Manufacturing Challenges for Solopreneurs

16:04 - Kobe's Features and Development Journey

21:17 - Expanding Uses Beyond Children

30:40 - Future Plans and Business Advice

38:40 - Closing Thoughts & Connections

Transcript

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Hello everyone, welcome to the Dollpreneur Podcast, where I get to chat and share with you the amazing doll creators and creatives from around the world.

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I am your host and creator of the Dollpreneur Podcast, georgette Taylor, and I'm so excited to highlight the inspiring stories from the people who keep the doll community buzzing with creativity and passion.

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So, whether you're a long-time doll lover or just curious, looking for something new and creative to listen to, join us for engaging powerful and insightful conversations that celebrate the heart and soul of the people within the doll community.

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So what do you say?

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Let's get this show started.

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Hello everybody, welcome to the Dollpreneur Podcast, where we celebrate the creativity, passion and entrepreneurship of dollpreneur Podcast, where we celebrate the creativity, passion and entrepreneurship of dollpreneurs around the world, those who bring dolls, toys and stories to life.

00:00:54.262 --> 00:00:56.088
I'm your host, georgette Taylor, and today I'm so excited to chat with Annette Bentley-Smith.

00:00:56.088 --> 00:01:06.152
She is the founder of Storytime Plush Tales and the creator of Kobe, a plush doll character with a powerful story to tell, and I want to welcome you, annette, to the Dollpreneur Podcast.

00:01:06.152 --> 00:01:07.275
Thank you so much for joining me.

00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:09.626
Well, thank you so much for having me.

00:01:10.019 --> 00:01:11.063
You're so welcome.

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I'm so excited to get into your journey about you creating this beautiful plush doll.

00:01:15.784 --> 00:01:21.343
Can you just share a little bit about what inspired you to do this and how did Kobe's story come to life?

00:01:21.625 --> 00:01:24.849
My journey actually started as a writer.

00:01:24.849 --> 00:01:34.293
I have self-published many, many, many books and that I published I self-published through Amazon back in 2015.

00:01:34.293 --> 00:01:39.888
So my journey started out as a children's book author Okay, nice.

00:01:39.888 --> 00:01:43.543
But then my grand doll came along.

00:01:43.543 --> 00:01:44.367
What did you call her?

00:01:44.367 --> 00:01:44.668
My grand doll?

00:01:44.668 --> 00:01:44.909
I love that.

00:01:44.909 --> 00:01:45.552
Your grand doll came along.

00:01:45.552 --> 00:01:46.055
What did you call her?

00:01:46.075 --> 00:01:46.498
what do you call her?

00:01:46.498 --> 00:01:47.381
My grand, my grand doll?

00:01:47.381 --> 00:01:54.153
I love that, your grand doll, that is so sweet yeah, um, so she came along.

00:01:54.234 --> 00:02:00.286
She is now 13, going on 30.

00:02:00.286 --> 00:02:07.495
I think she's my mama, um, but she came to me when she was around four years old.

00:02:07.495 --> 00:02:11.287
We were actually sitting amongst my plush toys.

00:02:11.287 --> 00:02:16.165
Because I love stuffed animals, I actually have about 100 of them.

00:02:16.340 --> 00:02:19.752
I know people say huh, wow, that's a cool collection.

00:02:21.342 --> 00:02:22.307
Cool collection, though.

00:02:22.307 --> 00:02:23.826
But we were sitting there.

00:02:23.826 --> 00:02:28.042
Cool collection, though.

00:02:28.042 --> 00:02:33.336
But we were sitting there and she um, being that we didn't get to see her often because, unfortunately, she's a product of divorce and so we didn't get to see her often.

00:02:33.336 --> 00:02:38.633
And so she looks at me, she says, nana, I wish you could be here to read to me every night.

00:02:38.633 --> 00:02:46.894
And, um, I looked at her and I said, maybe somebody will create something so that I can.

00:02:46.894 --> 00:02:52.391
Well, little did I know that someone was going to be me.

00:02:52.391 --> 00:03:06.808
Years went by I think she may have been around nine, I think eight or nine years old, and I came up with Kobe, hi Kobe.

00:03:06.808 --> 00:03:18.554
So Kobe doesn't actually have my voice, it has a voice of two other voice actors.

00:03:18.554 --> 00:03:19.235
Voiceovers.

00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:25.073
I think, but my voice is by way of the download.

00:03:25.073 --> 00:03:30.675
Kobe has a feature where you can download your own content.

00:03:30.675 --> 00:03:36.287
Nice, okay, so Hot Plush Kobe has my voice.

00:03:36.287 --> 00:03:49.872
As far as our favorite song is, you Are my Sunshine, that's cute, so I sang that to her on there and and I read um some stories to her.

00:03:50.562 --> 00:04:02.123
That deals with you know being away and right um, you know some stories that were that's relatable to both of us, and I think there's one other personal song on there.

00:04:02.123 --> 00:04:25.709
So Kobe has that wonderful feature and that's what a lot of people love about him is that a child can, when they are away from their loved ones for long periods of time, they can draw comfort and solace knowing that they can be close to that person by way of their, their voice and whatever stories they want to share with them through that.

00:04:25.709 --> 00:04:32.589
Yeah, any songs, any stories, any personal messages.

00:04:33.682 --> 00:04:42.005
And it has five pre-recorded stories on there that I've written and soothing music, volume button, headphone set.

00:04:42.005 --> 00:04:53.346
It actually holds a photograph book, oh can put their own, like a wallet size picture in there.

00:04:53.346 --> 00:04:57.915
It is detachable so you can lay on it as a pillow.

00:04:57.915 --> 00:04:59.341
Oh, that's so cool.

00:04:59.423 --> 00:04:59.923
I love it.

00:04:59.923 --> 00:05:00.725
I love it.

00:05:00.725 --> 00:05:14.232
The more you were talking about, the more I just got so sentimental about it, because you know my my, you know he lives in Texas and I'm here in Georgia and you know it's like you said, it's just really hard to constantly be there.

00:05:14.232 --> 00:05:22.627
I mean, yes, even with video, but still, you know everybody's lives are busy, so you can't assume, you know, that you're going to hear from them every single day, right?

00:05:22.627 --> 00:05:26.913
And of course, you know, when he was here, I, you know, I made him a little bed.

00:05:26.913 --> 00:05:34.802
You know I had a little pillow, all that stuff, and it'd been so cool to have something like that there.

00:05:34.802 --> 00:05:39.646
You know, even though he was here just to be able to still have him connect with me, you know, when he's in his room trying to go to sleep.

00:05:39.646 --> 00:05:41.329
So I love that, I think it's beautiful.

00:05:41.369 --> 00:05:46.913
I was going to ask you, you know how this story, how does the plush tales, blend storytelling with the, with the toys?

00:05:46.913 --> 00:05:53.370
But because you are a storyteller and you are an author, I understand how that works together seamlessly, you know.

00:05:53.370 --> 00:06:04.105
But I would like to ask you, um, as a creator of a, you know, plush doll character, what challenges have you faced in bringing a kobe uh, you know in the world that he's in to market.

00:06:04.105 --> 00:06:06.891
How challenging has that been for you.

00:06:07.699 --> 00:06:17.841
Well, it's been challenging because I'm a solopreneur so I had no idea how to get this started.

00:06:17.841 --> 00:06:33.230
When I did get it started how to run, how to start a business, how to run a business, how to go about having Kobe created the marketing side of it has been, oh my goodness, the hardest.

00:06:33.230 --> 00:06:48.665
Funding has been very hard, trying to get been able to get a couple of grants to get me started but I am in need of more grants, you know, because there's a lot of other things that I want to incorporate with Kobe.

00:06:48.826 --> 00:06:54.641
So that's been a challenge, just being a solopreneur and wearing all the hats.

00:06:54.641 --> 00:07:01.591
I'm just a creator, all I want to do is write and create.

00:07:01.591 --> 00:07:14.012
I want to hand the hats off to someone else, to another team, so it's just been really challenging trying to get a team you know together to build my brand.

00:07:14.862 --> 00:07:16.065
Yeah, I understand that.

00:07:16.065 --> 00:07:25.430
So I had a couple who was on the show, ricky and Kia Davis, and they do a doll called the affirmation early affirmation dog, and they were talking about the same thing.

00:07:25.430 --> 00:07:48.009
As far as you becoming being the creator and I think that is so true of most entrepreneurs right, they create, that's what they do, and when they have to switch that over to becoming more in the entrepreneurial business, part of that is the challenge, because that's not what they thrive on, right, they thrive on creating something, and not necessarily.

00:07:48.009 --> 00:07:54.129
You know numbers and budgets and and and everything else that goes with you being a entrepreneur marketing all those other things.

00:07:54.129 --> 00:07:54.990
So, yes, you do.

00:07:56.322 --> 00:07:59.449
As a creator, you do have to wear these multitude of hats.

00:07:59.449 --> 00:08:03.843
You know that sometimes it's just not as fun as creating.

00:08:03.843 --> 00:08:07.252
You know it's just not.

00:08:07.252 --> 00:08:08.521
You know, so I understand.

00:08:08.521 --> 00:08:13.442
So when you say you didn't have any experience in doing any of this, how did you start?

00:08:13.442 --> 00:08:17.444
I mean, when you, when you thought about creating this, what was the first thing that you did?

00:08:17.444 --> 00:08:19.850
To say, okay, I'm going to get this moving?

00:08:20.620 --> 00:08:38.614
The first thing I did to get this moving was start following other entrepreneurs and seeing what they were doing the ones that are that traveled the road that I'm traveling, and on the way back I stopped them and said how did?

00:08:38.614 --> 00:08:44.765
You do it and this really getting advice from them.

00:08:44.765 --> 00:08:50.576
Google became my friend on a lot of research and just really getting advice from them.

00:08:50.576 --> 00:09:01.840
Google became my friend doing a lot of research, hiring different toy creators to help me with the business side of it how to do different things.

00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:02.501
That's really how you got started.

00:09:02.501 --> 00:09:05.192
How was it for you finding manufacturing, because I know that's really, that's really how how you got started.

00:09:05.192 --> 00:09:21.524
How was it for you, uh, finding manufacturing because I know that's a big challenge and distribution, because, uh, the numbers that they usually require you to produce in your first run and sometimes it can be challenging for, for first time, yeah, you know entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs.

00:09:21.524 --> 00:09:24.692
So how was that manufacturing, distribution for you?

00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:33.461
Well, that was hard in itself.

00:09:33.461 --> 00:09:37.149
The first person I had took advantage of my lack of knowledge and I lost a lot of money with the first manufacturer.

00:09:37.149 --> 00:09:40.361
They didn't create my plus correctly.

00:09:40.361 --> 00:10:00.014
I couldn't get my money back, and so I found a lady that was making toys for McDonald's and different restaurants, so she gave me advice and helped me find another manufacturer that did a small run for me.

00:10:00.014 --> 00:10:14.774
I just wanted to see if Kobe would thrive or if there was a need for him, and I see the need, but now it's just a matter of it becoming making him a house name.

00:10:14.774 --> 00:10:21.125
So now I'm actually on my third manufacturer because that manufacturer.

00:10:21.164 --> 00:10:25.269
They made the plush properly, but they don't.

00:10:25.269 --> 00:10:28.053
What do you call it?

00:10:28.053 --> 00:10:30.620
Is it drop ship or send to stores?

00:10:30.620 --> 00:10:34.881
You know, yeah, you got to be able to send the place to store.

00:10:34.881 --> 00:10:38.221
They only sent to you, to you, Right, exactly.

00:10:38.221 --> 00:10:43.724
So I had to find another manufacturer, so that took some months.

00:10:44.711 --> 00:10:45.734
Yeah, yeah, it could take.

00:10:45.734 --> 00:10:53.315
It could take a long time back and forth, but you know, even with all the technology we have, still you have to deal with something that's probably overseas.

00:10:53.315 --> 00:10:56.822
So that does take a lot of time to do that, you know.

00:10:56.822 --> 00:10:59.614
Um, so when you said they did a small run, what was the?

00:10:59.614 --> 00:11:01.479
What was the first run that you did?

00:11:02.100 --> 00:11:10.138
the first run was only 200 wow, that's amazing, yeah they did 200 the manufacturer that I have.

00:11:10.258 --> 00:11:11.960
now theirs is 500.

00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:24.035
Okay, so I am working on because I made some changes to Kobe so he looks the same, however he has.

00:11:24.035 --> 00:11:27.341
Now he has a pouch in the back.

00:11:27.341 --> 00:11:30.465
Oh nice, that will hold a book.

00:11:30.465 --> 00:11:36.592
I am doing a series with Kobe going on from state to state um.

00:11:36.592 --> 00:11:38.716
He will come in different colors.

00:11:38.716 --> 00:11:49.337
Whatever the state color is, that's the color kobe will be, um, and it has the back strap so that kobe can go wherever the child goes.

00:11:49.337 --> 00:11:54.264
And the original Kobe is 16 inches and this one is 14.

00:11:54.804 --> 00:11:55.586
Oh, wow, okay.

00:11:55.586 --> 00:11:59.120
So he's smaller, but he carries more things.

00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:02.674
Right, I love the design on that.

00:12:02.695 --> 00:12:09.763
That's great, thank you so it kind of looks the same, but just got a couple of small changes.

00:12:09.763 --> 00:12:12.610
But their run starts at 500.

00:12:12.610 --> 00:12:23.755
I am juggling options here, like I'm trying to a sponsorship to get that, because I won't I can't place an order till I've reached that 500.

00:12:23.755 --> 00:12:33.932
So I'm trying to come up with different ways to be able to get that number, okay, and speaking of speaking of that, how, how have you been marketing him?

00:12:33.991 --> 00:12:43.691
Like, what have what has been the, the um, the areas that have done really well for you and what have been the areas that haven't or have you not been able to do enough to know, to know what that is?

00:12:44.211 --> 00:13:26.961
I haven't been able to do enough to know, um, right now I'm I'm across all social media Facebook, instagram, tiktok, linkedin which is how I found you on LinkedIn how plushes are effective for children, you know, like for autistic children, children in the hospital, for children whose parents are incarcerated, who are deployed just just trying to show how Kobe is effective in all those different areas.

00:13:27.322 --> 00:13:28.144
That's, that's really good.

00:13:28.144 --> 00:13:45.323
It's so funny Like you literally led into my next question, which I think is brilliant, cause I was literally going to ask you, you know, how do you see plush dolls, or you know, like Kobe, fitting into the larger toy and doll industry, and and and what unique role does he play in a child's development?

00:13:45.323 --> 00:13:48.336
And I kind of think you just mentioned a little bit about that.

00:13:48.336 --> 00:13:49.798
So can you expand on that?

00:13:49.798 --> 00:13:52.846
For me, that would be great, just mention a little bit about that.

00:13:52.865 --> 00:13:53.687
So can you expand on that?

00:13:53.687 --> 00:13:54.789
For me that would be great.

00:13:54.789 --> 00:13:59.793
Well, for one being that it has the stories on there.

00:13:59.793 --> 00:14:01.337
My stories are really the pre-recorded stories.

00:14:01.337 --> 00:14:01.779
They're unique.

00:14:01.779 --> 00:14:06.393
They're not the C-spot run kind of stories, although those are great stories and kids learn from it.

00:14:07.153 --> 00:14:23.504
But my stories have, like I will say I don't know if I should say lessons, but values that they can learn from and, of course, if they have the book, they're learning to read along with the book.

00:14:23.504 --> 00:14:35.285
So they're building their vocabulary, their language along, you know, along with learning the different values that each of the books have?

00:14:35.750 --> 00:14:40.842
Okay, and you mentioned something about children with their parents in the service and things like that.

00:14:40.842 --> 00:14:43.359
How does that really help in their development?

00:14:43.359 --> 00:14:49.743
You know, how does having something like what you offer, you know, to the parent help them when their parents are away?

00:14:53.850 --> 00:14:55.133
know, to the parent, help them when their parents away.

00:14:55.133 --> 00:15:01.149
This comfort, by way of comfort, hearing their parents voice, um, depending on what that parent puts on there, will go a long way with that child.

00:15:01.149 --> 00:15:06.797
You know, because it has the the module has.

00:15:06.797 --> 00:15:13.525
It's not like your typical 30 second like some plush have, like only 30 seconds.

00:15:13.525 --> 00:15:15.011
This is large.

00:15:15.011 --> 00:15:18.422
You could put a large amount of content on there.

00:15:18.789 --> 00:15:22.474
So, like one parent put Bible stories, I was able.

00:15:22.474 --> 00:15:28.620
She purchased two of my cobies and I put 50 Bible stories between the two, 22.

00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:43.755
You know, depending on the content that the parent puts on there when they're deployed really depends on how much they can benefit from it.

00:15:43.755 --> 00:15:53.783
Along with the soothing music and being able to look at a picture of their parent while they're listening to soothing music or listening to their voice, will bring about comfort, will relieve stress right, I love that.

00:15:54.071 --> 00:15:56.134
So how does how do they go about doing that?

00:15:56.134 --> 00:16:01.131
When they get kobe they they just download their voice to the to the toy.

00:16:01.131 --> 00:16:02.013
How does that work?

00:16:02.553 --> 00:16:14.456
And it comes with a USB cord so they can.

00:16:14.456 --> 00:16:29.660
Either there are a lot of sites on the computer that you can use to record your voice, or you can use your phone and save it to your computer, okay, and just download it and he has.

00:16:29.660 --> 00:16:31.009
There you go.

00:16:31.009 --> 00:16:33.792
Oh, that's cute, that's the download button.

00:16:33.792 --> 00:16:42.164
So that signifies which hand to use to match the button to play the content that they put on there.

00:16:42.570 --> 00:16:43.451
That is so cool.

00:16:43.451 --> 00:16:44.131
I love it.

00:16:44.131 --> 00:17:05.251
I mean, okay, coming up with a plush doll is one thing, right, we're coming up with something like that that really is very interactive and allows the person who's getting the plush toy like their parent or grandparent or whatever to utilize it and then put everything together and give it to their child, I think is just really phenomenal.

00:17:05.251 --> 00:17:12.334
I mean, I'm listening to you talk about it and I'm like, really, okay, I'm thinking you know, I just like, wow, that's so cool.

00:17:12.334 --> 00:17:18.643
So how did you decide what was really needed for this idea that you had?

00:17:19.144 --> 00:17:31.200
The statement that she made then I wish you could be here to reach me every night was like I need to come up with a way so that that can happen, so that she can hear my voice.

00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:37.314
And but as I was creating, just different things started coming to mind.

00:17:37.314 --> 00:17:46.291
Well, they're gonna need a way to hear their loved one voice, that the volume needs to be there.

00:17:46.291 --> 00:17:48.595
Um, I was, I don't know.

00:17:48.595 --> 00:17:51.157
I'm just, I'm very creative like that.

00:17:51.157 --> 00:17:56.943
So as I added one thing, another thing came into mind, and it was just.

00:17:56.943 --> 00:18:01.835
At first I thought maybe I was putting too much, and then I said, well, maybe not enough.

00:18:01.875 --> 00:18:08.151
So, until it all came together, OK, so now that your granddaughter is not six or nine or she's 13.

00:18:08.151 --> 00:18:11.772
Okay, so, now that your granddaughter is not six or nine or she's 13,.

00:18:11.772 --> 00:18:14.414
But when you created it, was she still nine.

00:18:14.414 --> 00:18:17.856
Was she still about nine when you actually got a prototype?

00:18:17.856 --> 00:18:19.077
How old was she then?

00:18:20.038 --> 00:18:24.701
When I got my first prototype I think she was eight or nine- Eight or nine?

00:18:24.800 --> 00:18:29.124
okay, how did she respond to it when you presented it to her?

00:18:29.784 --> 00:18:41.031
She loved it, the fact that it had my voice on there and it had the songs on there, especially you are my sunshine.

00:18:41.031 --> 00:18:41.913
Yeah, she, she loved it.

00:18:41.913 --> 00:18:50.761
Now she's at 13, she's doing something totally different, but she knows Colby is always here for her with my voice on there.

00:18:50.761 --> 00:18:54.671
So she, you know she, she loves that.

00:18:54.891 --> 00:18:55.192
Yeah.

00:18:55.491 --> 00:19:02.243
That that idea came from that little one sentence that she said so.

00:19:02.544 --> 00:19:04.253
Yeah, that she must be really proud of that.

00:19:04.253 --> 00:19:05.718
So that's, that's wonderful.

00:19:05.718 --> 00:19:06.961
So what has been?

00:19:06.961 --> 00:19:20.395
I mean, I know you've had some of the challenges when it comes to, you know, manufacturing, distribution, and I just want to say, you know, I want to thank the people who have helped mentor you, because that's not easy either, you know, finding people who are willing to share information.

00:19:20.395 --> 00:19:35.775
You know, when it comes to manufacturing and distribution, it's sometimes, you know, it's just well-guarded secrets that people do keep, but, you know, I'm so thankful that they decided to share that with you and so you can bring you know Kobe to life.

00:19:36.576 --> 00:19:57.660
So let's talk about some of the costs that go involved, that are involved in this, because, being an entrepreneur, solopreneur, entrepreneur most of the time we are spending our own money to have this happen, for you know, for something to come out of our heads that we're passionate about, to have a physical representation of that.

00:19:57.660 --> 00:20:03.422
So what were the challenges when it came to, you know, creating it monetarily?

00:20:03.422 --> 00:20:05.067
You know, was it really?

00:20:05.067 --> 00:20:10.121
I mean, did you find yourself like thinking about, oh my God, I need to like, get a loan?

00:20:10.121 --> 00:20:12.016
I need to like, oh my God, mortgage my house?

00:20:12.016 --> 00:20:17.539
I mean, I've had those stories already, so I know it can be really challenging, you know, to keep that going.

00:20:18.102 --> 00:20:18.824
How was that for you?

00:20:18.824 --> 00:20:20.053
You said it.

00:20:20.053 --> 00:20:24.713
All the above my house has been.

00:20:24.713 --> 00:20:28.082
I said I'll never pay it off because it keeps funding me.

00:20:31.577 --> 00:20:34.818
That's so true, yes business loans.

00:20:35.551 --> 00:20:39.597
But the hardest thing is well, I guess I'm further.

00:20:39.597 --> 00:20:43.696
I guess I could say I'm further along than most people only have an idea.

00:20:43.696 --> 00:20:46.678
Yes, I actually have a product.

00:20:46.678 --> 00:20:51.682
Yes, but it's like I've spent so much to get where I am now and now it's like where?

00:20:51.682 --> 00:20:56.240
Spent so much to get where I am now and now it's like where do I go from here?

00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:57.151
How I can't.

00:20:57.151 --> 00:21:04.243
My house is going to take legs and leave if I keep, if it doesn't start.

00:21:05.250 --> 00:21:06.213
Bringing back money.

00:21:06.213 --> 00:21:09.221
Yes, yes, recouping all that money.

00:21:09.422 --> 00:21:10.992
Right, right, my husband is going to leave.

00:21:10.992 --> 00:21:12.882
If I don't do something, I think you'll be good Iouping all that money.

00:21:12.882 --> 00:21:14.328
Right, right, my husband's going to leave about something.

00:21:14.951 --> 00:21:18.474
I think he'll be good, I think he'll stay there, but it is.

00:21:18.474 --> 00:21:28.932
It is a challenge and it's really, you know, it's really not just time consuming but it takes a lot of money to do this you know it does a lot the more you know entrepreneurs.

00:21:28.952 --> 00:21:30.555
You know entrepreneurs I talk to.

00:21:30.555 --> 00:21:48.042
You know I really try to ask them those questions because I really want people to know that, yes, even though you're creating a doll or a plush toy or whatever that may be, it is still a business and it requires a lot of money going in and it requires a lot of money to sustain that.

00:21:48.042 --> 00:21:51.619
And again, like you said, you spend that money up front to create the doll.

00:21:51.619 --> 00:21:54.439
Now it's like I don't have no money for marketing, like, how does that work?

00:21:54.439 --> 00:21:57.634
Right, spend more money to market that.

00:21:57.634 --> 00:22:08.698
But again, that goes with part of being a business owner and I think a lot of times being a creative person, you don't think about those sides until now you have a product and you're like, oh crap, now I need to do something with this.

00:22:08.698 --> 00:22:19.675
You know I need to be able to figure out a way to, like you said, recoup some of that money and you know, and be able to yeah make money from my investment, you know, because it is an investment.

00:22:20.230 --> 00:22:22.839
Yeah, I'm looking for a return on my investment.

00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:25.457
That's the best what I was trying to say.

00:22:25.457 --> 00:22:28.651
Actually, I don't know.

00:22:28.651 --> 00:22:36.239
Well, I've been researching, trying to see if I can find someone that will work on commission.

00:22:36.239 --> 00:22:51.674
If they believe enough in their work and what they do, their expertise in selling and marketing, they will be willing to work on a commission basis.

00:22:51.694 --> 00:22:52.238
I've been looking at that.

00:22:52.238 --> 00:22:52.740
That's been challenging.

00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:53.301
Have you did a GoFundMe?

00:22:53.301 --> 00:22:54.385
Have you done that already?

00:22:54.890 --> 00:22:55.951
I've tried to do it.

00:22:55.951 --> 00:23:03.625
If you don't have a large following, a large backing, that's hard.

00:23:03.625 --> 00:23:17.280
People make it look easy and I tried to do a GoFundMe with when I first started my books Right and that I tried twice and that didn't go well.

00:23:17.280 --> 00:23:23.442
So I'm a little kind of you know, frustrated and scared to do it again.

00:23:23.609 --> 00:23:29.403
But, like you said, I think there are definitely always some other things that go into play that make that happen for people.

00:23:29.403 --> 00:23:39.117
Definitely, one is a huge following and I know some people will say, okay, you don't have to have a lot of people because I have dedicated 100 people to move your things forward.

00:23:39.117 --> 00:23:50.519
But the bottom line is people want to be part of things that are huge and I think a lot of times they don't think about where people started at or need to start at to make them huge.

00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:52.076
You don't just be huge.

00:23:52.076 --> 00:24:02.759
There's a process in that and I found that to be really, really challenging for other entrepreneurs, especially if you don't have your dolls on the shelf, if you're not in a toy store where people can actually see you.

00:24:02.759 --> 00:24:05.077
You know, how do they know that you're out there?

00:24:05.549 --> 00:24:20.849
So, but you know, I think what you've been doing has been really good yourself on shows, putting yourself on podcasts, just getting interviews, because I think that brings in a different, you know, brings in everybody else's subscribers, you know, listeners and viewers, so that that's definitely helpful.

00:24:20.849 --> 00:24:36.239
But, um, but I definitely understand the process of trying to make sure that you market it enough to, you know, generate some income for you, because mean, at the end of the day, it is still a product, regardless if it's a passionate product or not.

00:24:36.239 --> 00:24:42.721
You know it's still something that you want to sell and you want to find and to utilize.

00:24:42.721 --> 00:24:51.571
But through all of this, what has really been your most rewarding experience as a plush doll entrepreneur, and how has been?

00:24:51.571 --> 00:24:55.622
You know the response from the parents and children that have purchased Kofi.

00:24:56.109 --> 00:25:11.218
Well, what's been rewarding is just actually having the product itself when it came, when it finally came and it was in my hands and knowing what all I had gone through to get it.

00:25:11.218 --> 00:25:13.201
That's the most rewarding.

00:25:13.201 --> 00:25:25.513
And just being able to say I have a business and Corp Literary Works is my business name and Kobe Storytime Plush Tales is my product, is my brand.

00:25:26.013 --> 00:25:34.854
That's been rewarding, you know, by just having the product yeah, that's that, that's true, though that's driving me so funny.

00:25:34.854 --> 00:25:46.476
I remember when we did the the plus size fashion dolls, and I remember, after we had sent all the product to them, as you know, as far as the artwork and and all of that, and after they sculpted them, they sent it back.

00:25:46.476 --> 00:25:57.196
They sent back this wax mold for us to look at, and and I and I I understand what you're saying because when we saw the doll, she had no all, she was just wax.

00:25:57.196 --> 00:26:14.340
She had no eyebrows like no eyelashes, nothing, but it was the most beautiful thing that we saw Because, like you said, we it was something we thought about, thought about, you know, had all of these sketches back and forth, and then it's now, it's tangible, you know, and that is just.

00:26:15.061 --> 00:26:20.597
That is just like it's, it's so I don't know, it's just so amazing when that happens.

00:26:20.597 --> 00:26:23.771
I totally understand how you, how you felt about that.

00:26:23.771 --> 00:26:26.137
That that is, that is a great reward, you know.

00:26:26.137 --> 00:26:35.470
But I also think having the children experience what it is, that was in your head, beyond just your grand doll, it's got to be really amazing.

00:26:38.977 --> 00:26:39.818
My son, my baby boy.

00:26:39.818 --> 00:26:42.523
It was like a light bulb went off in my head.

00:26:42.523 --> 00:26:50.944
I saw this guy who put he put games on bed sheets.

00:26:50.944 --> 00:26:57.526
It actually started there because I was like, oh my goodness, if he can put, because I have bed sheets too.

00:26:57.526 --> 00:27:03.221
Um, I said, if he can put, uh, games on bed sheets, I could put my stories on bed sheets.

00:27:03.221 --> 00:27:06.768
True, and then, um, which I did, I put.

00:27:06.868 --> 00:27:10.901
One of my books is um, called Naira's Bully.

00:27:10.901 --> 00:27:13.650
Um, it's on a bed sheet.

00:27:13.650 --> 00:27:14.542
I felt like it was.

00:27:14.542 --> 00:27:22.911
You know, if a child goes to bed with that story on their mind, learning of bullying, learning whether they are a bully or not Great idea.

00:27:22.911 --> 00:27:40.467
And then it was like something was just went off in my head with Kobe and I ran upstairs and told my son I was like I got an idea and I ran it past him and he was all excited about it.

00:27:40.467 --> 00:27:41.890
And um.

00:27:41.890 --> 00:27:47.019
So, and my oldest son, um, is um, how old is my 35?

00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:50.565
And one is 35 and one is 25.

00:27:50.565 --> 00:27:59.155
He's always giving me business advice, sending me different places that I can go to to show Kobe off.

00:27:59.579 --> 00:28:05.693
And so my boys have been very I just have two boys they've been very supportive.

00:28:05.693 --> 00:28:15.788
My husband has been super supportive Like I say he's going to leave me if Kobe don't start doing something, but he's been super, super supportive.

00:28:15.788 --> 00:28:19.669
Actually, the pouch on the back of Kobe was his idea.

00:28:19.949 --> 00:28:20.590
Oh, nice.

00:28:20.590 --> 00:28:22.826
Okay, I was going to ask you where did that come from?

00:28:22.826 --> 00:28:24.887
Why did you think you needed that?

00:28:24.887 --> 00:28:28.349
Were you getting feedback or anything, or it's just okay.

00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:45.676
Well, because I have books and because I'm going to do a series, like I said, Kobe going from state to state with different situations, it will be nice for a child to choose a book that goes with Kobe.

00:28:45.676 --> 00:28:48.406
And of course, it doesn't have to be a book.

00:28:48.406 --> 00:28:52.799
They can put little trinkets in there that they travel with that.

00:28:52.820 --> 00:28:54.327
they travel with that, they travel with.

00:28:55.132 --> 00:29:00.145
Yeah, so my family, my, my, unfortunately, I lost my mom in july.

00:29:00.145 --> 00:29:01.509
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

00:29:01.509 --> 00:29:08.785
Yes, lost my dad in 2012, so, but my mom, um, she has a kobe.

00:29:08.785 --> 00:29:30.744
When we learned that she had cancer, all the siblings got together and each of us put different messages on there for her and her husband and we sat there and she just boohooed and listened to each one of us tell something that's so beautiful, I'm getting ready to cry.

00:29:30.744 --> 00:29:31.165
Yeah.

00:29:31.185 --> 00:29:32.209
That's so beautiful.

00:29:32.549 --> 00:29:37.231
Yeah, so, wow, I'm getting ready to cry.

00:29:37.231 --> 00:29:37.482
It's so beautiful.

00:29:37.482 --> 00:29:47.249
Yeah, so we use Kobe in that way, even though he has children's stories on there, that module still can be used, even for adults with Alzheimer's.

00:29:47.249 --> 00:29:54.989
Yes, their grown up children can put something on there, trigger a memory, right.

00:29:55.210 --> 00:30:21.467
Yeah, oh, that is so powerful because, you know, wow, I mean, I would also think too, people with Alzheimer's, you know, finding something that is comforting for them, you know, in a type of, like you said, a plush doll or character, you know, I think would allow them to feel more comfortable, you know, I think would would allow them to feel more comfortable, you know, and then hearing those stories and their children's voices, you know, hopefully bring back really beautiful memories for them, you know.

00:30:21.507 --> 00:30:38.967
So that is that is so, oh man, okay, maybe, okay, wait, give me a second really Wow, that's really powerful, because I, you know, I remember and not to go up on a tangent, everybody, but I just want to express how I'm feeling right now.

00:30:38.967 --> 00:30:48.196
I remember when my mom was sick, but she had a major stroke and she was that's probably the first time I'm sharing this on the show, this is crazy.

00:30:48.196 --> 00:30:57.972
She was paralyzed and but I went to see her in New York and I remember leaving and telling her that I would be back, you know, because I was going to bring my husband back with me.

00:30:57.972 --> 00:31:06.146
So, you know, because we knew that it was almost the end of her life, you know, so that we could say goodbye, and but after I left, she, you know, passed away.

00:31:06.146 --> 00:31:09.093
I guess she was waiting for me to leave, for her to do that.

00:31:09.373 --> 00:31:10.753
You know, things like that happen.

00:31:10.814 --> 00:31:33.325
You know, people don't want you around when things like that happen, and I'm just thinking about how it would have been so cool to have something like that, for me to have this conversation with her, because I think, because of the stroke, that was one of the things that we lost together was the conversations that we would have every day, and I found myself grieving that part much earlier than she actually left.

00:31:33.625 --> 00:31:45.997
You know what I mean Physically left, but just to be able to be able to have to say things to her, something that could lay next to her because she was bedridden, you know, I just think that would have been such a great connection.

00:31:45.997 --> 00:31:49.723
Wow, I mean really.

00:31:49.723 --> 00:31:51.068
Wow, you really touched something.

00:31:51.068 --> 00:31:57.445
But you know, hey, you do a show, this is what happens.

00:31:57.445 --> 00:32:01.441
You know, this is, this is all real stuff, and it's not just because it's a, a toy or doll or anything like that.

00:32:01.441 --> 00:32:14.748
It's what, it's what those connections bring to people when you create these amazing things that all you creators create out there, and I want to say thank you so much for doing that, you know, yeah, that's one of my slogans is about Kobe is.

00:32:15.770 --> 00:32:19.925
it brings about comfort, and the biggest word you said was connection.

00:32:20.287 --> 00:32:37.407
Yeah, and I love how you were able to, I love how you shared with us you know the different ways that that Kobe could be so helpful to people in different areas, because I think a lot of times people will see something like that and just assume or take for granted that can only be utilized in one space.

00:32:37.407 --> 00:32:38.991
Right, you know.

00:32:38.991 --> 00:32:51.848
But what you're, you know what Kobe does, you know for people in so many different places and so many different opportunities, such a wide range of opportunities to to connect with people.

00:32:51.848 --> 00:32:53.451
You know that is so cool.

00:32:54.232 --> 00:32:56.941
Eventually it won't be just my stories.

00:32:56.980 --> 00:33:11.982
I would like to bring other authors in nice and put their stories on there as well so, um, I know we got the story of kobe and how you started creating the plush doll, uh, so how did the name come about?

00:33:11.982 --> 00:33:14.540
What does the name Kobe mean, or is it does any?

00:33:14.540 --> 00:33:16.365
Does any meaning to that name?

00:33:16.965 --> 00:33:18.750
Not necessarily a meaning.

00:33:18.750 --> 00:33:33.294
A lot of people think it comes from the basketball player, but it doesn't, because even when I had to trademark the name, that was one of the things that I had to express that it was not after the basketball player.

00:33:33.294 --> 00:33:44.227
But Kobe came about because it's a koala and a lot of people will fight me on it being a bear, but it does have their features.

00:33:44.227 --> 00:33:49.092
So I took KO from koala and BE from bear.

00:33:49.092 --> 00:33:51.991
Oh, that's so cute.

00:34:01.079 --> 00:34:01.682
That is so cute, I love that.

00:34:01.682 --> 00:34:02.722
And, see, I would have never thought of that.

00:34:02.722 --> 00:34:03.384
It's so cute, I love it.

00:34:03.384 --> 00:34:04.326
And he has a sister.

00:34:04.326 --> 00:34:05.648
Uh, she's, she's in the making.

00:34:05.648 --> 00:34:16.755
Um, my, my granddaughter loves her, but it's not in the shape of a pillow that I wanted, so he is going to have a sister named Chloe.

00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:19.360
Okay, so Chloe and Kobe.

00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:20.684
So what other?

00:34:20.684 --> 00:34:29.472
Do you have other characters that you are well, that you're willing to share, you know, with what you're coming up with or any other expansions that you plan on doing?

00:34:31.342 --> 00:34:35.630
I do want other animals that I am going to use.

00:34:35.630 --> 00:34:37.621
Right now we're just focusing on.

00:34:37.621 --> 00:34:40.588
The koala was my granddaughter's favorite animal.

00:34:40.588 --> 00:34:51.168
She's changed it since then, but the koala started out being her favorite animal and that's how I came up with the koala.

00:34:51.168 --> 00:34:56.516
I will eventually expand to different animals.

00:34:56.516 --> 00:35:01.940
I have a whole list of things that I want to go along with Kobe.

00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:10.990
I want to brand them onto different products like clothes, jewelry and different things like that.

00:35:10.990 --> 00:35:15.411
Party supplies make it a party theme.

00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:17.306
Yeah, that would be cool.

00:35:17.306 --> 00:35:18.724
I think that would be really neat.

00:35:19.503 --> 00:35:30.612
I went to a meeting with the Board of Education on how to product in schools because I'm trying to get it in daycare centers and preschool and possibly kindergartners.

00:35:30.612 --> 00:35:33.246
Hopefully that will go well.

00:35:35.940 --> 00:35:36.541
Okay, yeah, I'm sure that will.

00:35:36.541 --> 00:35:36.722
That'd.

00:35:36.722 --> 00:35:47.384
That'd be great, I mean, if you told them about the connection and how that matters to not just the parents but to the children especially, especially ones who were in school, having a hard time because they're separated for the first time.

00:35:47.384 --> 00:35:48.126
It'll go well.

00:35:48.126 --> 00:35:50.894
It'll go well I hope so yeah, it really will.

00:35:51.476 --> 00:36:03.351
So, um, before you go, can you just share a little bit of like advice that you would give other entrepreneurs that are, you know, maybe want to turn their characters or stories into tangible products, like like the plush doll that you did?

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:10.672
I would just say I'm trying to think of that phrase that my mom used to tell me.

00:36:10.672 --> 00:36:11.353
Okay.

00:36:11.353 --> 00:36:13.733
So I remember the phrase that my mom said.

00:36:13.733 --> 00:36:15.260
That sticks with me.

00:36:15.260 --> 00:36:18.527
And she said persistence beats resistance.

00:36:18.527 --> 00:36:26.766
So be persistent, um, when, when you finally go from idea to a product, be persistent.

00:36:26.766 --> 00:36:31.541
Follow with other entrepreneurs, um, that have been there and done that.

00:36:31.541 --> 00:36:32.563
They're successful.

00:36:32.563 --> 00:36:33.565
They're in stores.

00:36:33.565 --> 00:36:36.211
You know, get much advice.

00:36:36.211 --> 00:36:40.010
Follow their posts, you know.

00:36:40.010 --> 00:36:41.646
Follow them, see what they're doing.

00:36:41.646 --> 00:36:42.208
Right.

00:36:43.704 --> 00:36:44.606
And go from there.

00:36:44.606 --> 00:36:45.688
That's very cool.

00:36:45.688 --> 00:36:46.411
Thank you so much.

00:36:46.411 --> 00:36:49.445
I love that phrase that you're that quote that your mother gave you.

00:36:49.445 --> 00:36:50.664
I think that is so true.

00:36:50.664 --> 00:36:55.708
Yeah, you have to be if you really have a passion, you know, for something that you really want to bring to life.

00:36:55.708 --> 00:37:04.983
Because, again, like I said this, you know this space is beautiful.

00:37:04.983 --> 00:37:10.057
So many people create amazing dolls and toys and products, but it is definitely financially challenging for a lot of solopreneurs.

00:37:10.057 --> 00:37:17.673
So I, but you know what, if you move forward and you constantly keep moving forward, I really, truly believe that people will show up to help you.

00:37:18.380 --> 00:37:19.320
I'm looking for that.

00:37:19.320 --> 00:37:24.365
Yes, I'm looking for that company that says, okay, she's in it to win it.

00:37:24.365 --> 00:37:25.867
Let's give her a chance.

00:37:25.867 --> 00:37:27.889
Yes, yes, it'll happen.

00:37:28.090 --> 00:37:29.452
It'll happen because you're still in it.

00:37:29.452 --> 00:37:43.025
The only way it's not going to happen is if you, when you decide to stop, but as long as you're still in it, somebody will see the vision and somebody will know your passion and somebody will know what you have created can help so many children and adults as well.

00:37:43.025 --> 00:37:45.608
So that's what I love about your product too.

00:37:45.608 --> 00:37:50.791
Can you just share with everybody how they can connect with you and how they can find Kobe?

00:37:51.942 --> 00:37:54.588
They can go to my website.

00:37:54.588 --> 00:37:58.344
It's storytimeplushtalescom.

00:37:58.344 --> 00:38:02.371
Facebook is Mrs Annie Books.

00:38:02.371 --> 00:38:04.295
Linkedin is Mrs Annie Books.

00:38:04.295 --> 00:38:12.753
Also on TikTok and Instagram is Kobe Storytime Plush Tales.

00:38:12.753 --> 00:38:14.414
You can find me on there as well.

00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:17.309
Thank you so much, annette, for reaching out to me.

00:38:17.309 --> 00:38:20.230
Thank you so much for saying yes to being on the Dolphino Podcast.

00:38:20.230 --> 00:38:22.003
I really appreciate you being here.

00:38:22.003 --> 00:38:36.045
I love your journey, I love your story and I love what you're doing with Kobe, as well as what you're doing for all the amazing people who have received Kobe to help to comfort them and connect them to people that they love.

00:38:36.045 --> 00:38:37.550
So thank you so much for doing that.

00:38:37.972 --> 00:38:39.639
Thank you, you're so welcome.

00:38:39.639 --> 00:38:41.503
Thank you for what you do.

00:38:41.503 --> 00:38:42.626
Oh, thank you so much, sweetie.

00:38:42.666 --> 00:38:43.530
I appreciate that.

00:38:43.530 --> 00:38:44.632
Thank you everybody.

00:38:44.632 --> 00:38:46.523
Thank you for watching the Dauphineau podcast.

00:38:46.523 --> 00:38:47.286
Bye.

00:38:47.286 --> 00:38:51.722
Thank you so much for joining us at the Dauphineau podcast.

00:38:51.722 --> 00:38:59.030

Annette Bentley-Smith: How Her Storytime Plush Tales Are Creating Comfort Through Connection

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