Wash. It. Later.: 2020 Takeoff Baby Cohort company

This content is the ninth installment in an interview series with the 2020 Target Takeoff Baby cohort. Participating companies are sharing, in their own words, details about their innovative companies. All interviews have been conducted by the Target Takeoff Program Management team. 

Meet Wash. It. Later. 

Takeoff: When meeting someone new, how do you explain what Wash. It. Later. does? 

Hannah: This is tricky for us because when it comes to explaining what we do, we are never more than a few degrees away from talking about poop. This isn’t always ideal but since our customers are mainly parents, there’s no better group equipped to talk about shared blowouts experiences! In fact, relating to those extreme moments that no parent can avoid, and almost no parents are ever prepared for, is exactly how we best explain what we do. We give parents a lifeline in a crisis, by providing a complete solution for tackling any mess no matter where they are! 

Takeoff: What inspired you to start Wash. It. Later.? 

Hannah: Honestly…and this won’t make me look good, well, I was putting my daughter to bed when I suddenly remembered the pee soaked undies and leggings I had buried in a pocket of my diaper bag from my 3-year old’s potty accident earlier that morning. I had forgotten about them ALL DAY! I was so grossed out thinking about how they were just festering in there and felt so defeated that now, at the end of the day, when I’m usually some version of the walking dead, I was going to have to scrub and spray-treat not only her clothes but my diaper bag too.  

Also, it should be noted that I was not a first–time offender at forgetting about messes for a day (or maybe two) so you can presume at this point good chunk of my child’s wardrobe has been wastefully thrown away or bares the mark of whatever mess was left to stain it for good. 

After she fell asleep, I walked out and jokingly (read: angrily) pitched the early stage idea of our Soak & Save Bags to my husband whose immediate response was, “That’s it!” 

Takeoff: What has surprised you about yourself as your Wash. It. Later. has grown?  

Hannah: Everything! Having no experience in consumer-packaged goods or how to bring a product to market, I keep surprising myself at what I’m willing to try even when it feels really vulnerable and even when I feel really stuck. Building and running a business is more challenging than I ever imagined but I think the challenge is a little addicting. I’ve seen it quoted a lot of different places but a mantra in our family is “everything if figure–out–able” and that phrase has really been a lifeline through challenging times. 

Takeoff: What makes you most excited about working with Target Takeoff? 

Hannah: I am most excited about working with Target Takeoff because of the opportunity to learn from the best in the biz, especially when it comes to everything and anything baby! It is amazing as a small business to get firsthand knowledge and real–time advice from industry experts and I know the things I learn through this programming will help shape our future! 

Takeoff: As a founder, how are you functioning today that is different than how you were functioning at the beginning of 2020? What keeps you motivated? 

Hannah: A snapshot of our business today verses when 2020 started looks a lot more like we’ve reverted to our early startup days. We’ve given up a majority our office space and sucked things back in. Our conversations are a lot about what else we can try, and how to be more creative and outside the box. Predictions are hard to make and certainty (about anything) seem foreign. All of it feels a little scary, and while yes, uncomfortable, I feel more confident that in this start up-ish form we can have the agility to become anything, change, even grow bigger and better than before! 

For more information about Wash. It. Later., check out washitlater.com.

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