Even with so many baby proofing tools in the market, there seems to be no end to the number of things toddlers can bump their tiny heads into. The Table Tyke gives parents one less thing to worry about with its silicone placemat that features a table edge bumper. Berlyn Haughton pitched her product on Shark Tank but didn’t get a deal. Currently, the Table Tyke is worth an estimated $1 million.
Berlyn Haughton
It was apparent on the show that The Table Tyke was made with the thoughtfulness of a mother. The product was designed to protect babies from teething accidents and table edge bumps. The material also shields surfaces from the inevitable mess infants leave after eating.
Berlyn Haughton came up with The Table Tyke after taking care of two little mealtime rascals. When her kids were six months old, it was common for them to hit their mouths on countertops and spill just about any food or drink placed in front of them.
During this time, Berlyn was working full-time as a remote program manager at AT&T. She held similar roles while working for Direct TV, Erin Condren Design, and, most prominently, Walt Disney.
Establishing The Table Tyke
The mother of two was moved to create a teething aid placement mat after noticing there was none available. Because her entire resume comprised only corporate gigs, she needed a lot of help getting the business off the ground.
Haughton reached out to a friend’s company to finalize her design. Berlyn hooked up with the owner of Big Bee Little Bee, a fellow Shark Tank alum, to get leads on where to find the best manufacturer for silicone products.
The aspiring entrepreneur got her first samples in 2020 and launched a website. She also made a TikTok account, expecting nothing big out of it. However, her first video received over 300,000 views, which was just the start of her viral success.
After Shark Tank
Since her episode aired on Shark Tank, Haughton revealed to The Business Journal that she made two urgent orders from manufacturers the week after the show. She’s received 100’s of kind messages from fans and expects the business to make $200,000 in revenue in 2024. This would double last year’s sales of $100,000.
Apart from TheTableTyke.com and their TikTok shop, the products can now be found on Amazon and Etsy. The regular price of one placemat is $24.99. and the baby proofing tool rocks an average of 4.3 stars from 151 customer ratings on Amazon. However, some reviews suggest the item needs better suction as it slips on some surfaces.
In 2022, Berlyn Haughton aimed to double her company’s annual revenue. But by the end of that year, she achieved over four times the initial goal. The global market for baby safety products is worth over $255 billion according to Precedence Research, and North America is the biggest segment. Also, Haughton could sell her product to convalescent care facilities, not just parents.
If the patent-pending Table Tyke continues to deliver and maybe introduce new products, it could become subject to acquisition by a household name in the baby products niche. Even if the business fails, licensing the product could be a lucrative opportunity.
