Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Testa LeMaster.
Hi Emily, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to Georgia from Toronto in 2010 and worked as a speechwriter, media producer, and magazine editor for 10 years. My son was born just before the pandemic hit, and I soon found myself working from home with a newborn and no childcare. I searched high and low for a hands-free baby wrap that felt good, looked good, and was simple to use … and when I couldn’t find it, I made it. In September 2022, Cub Wrap won the Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards for top transport gear, beating out established brands just a few months after our launch. Ultimately, Cub Wrap is a testament to the steep learning curve of first-time parenthood and proof that necessity really is the mother of invention.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Building this business is the second-hardest thing I’ve ever done — parenting comes in first place! I think one of the hardest parts of this journey has been letting go of expectations and perfectionistic tendencies and learning to celebrate the process and the product for what it is. In previous jobs, I’d worked to support media campaigns, startups, and product launches, and I think I assumed more of that experience would be immediately relevant to Cub Wrap or that it would prepare me to navigate building my own company. The truth is every company and product is different, and the landscape changes so quickly that you’re always on your toes. I’m still new, and it’s important for me to remember that. Also, no matter how perfect their Instagram looks every entrepreneur stumbles, pivots, and tries again. It’s all just part of the process.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Cub Wrap is an award-winning hybrid baby carrier that feels good, looks good, and is easy to use. Launched in 2020 to solve a real-time need, Cub Wrap takes the guesswork out of getting yourself and your baby from point A to point B… even if that’s just from the living room to the front porch. I designed Cub Wrap to improve upon the myriad issues I had when trying other wraps and carriers, and it shows — the wrap is lightweight and flexible, it’s super simple to get on and off without an extra set of hands, it’s machine washable, and dare I say, it’s flattering! And last but not least, our premium performance fabric is made from recycled materials, with the equivalent of 15 plastic bottles in every wrap. My biggest point of pride is texts and tagged social media posts from moms who love the way they look and feel carrying their babies. Since we launched, I’ve also made it a practice to FaceTime and text with new moms who purchase a wrap, answering their questions and cheering them on. It truly does take a village, and it’s the least I can do to support new moms who trust us enough to try our product with their little ones.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Beyond privilege like race and education, entrepreneurship is fueled by so many epic tales about hard work and perseverance, and while those things are important, I tend to believe luck or magic has something to do with it, too. Yes, every company or product experiences setbacks, but when you think about it, so much has to go right for an idea to ever get off the ground. Here’s one example — in 2019, I had drinks with a friend of a friend who’d just moved to Georgia from New York, and she runs a product development studio (Blank Canvas Development, check them out!) When I had the idea for Cub Wrap a year later and needed to source materials and make samples, I knew just who to call. The fact is, any entrepreneurial effort requires an almost delusional belief in something other people can’t see yet. There are little moments along the way when the stars align, and you can feel the wind at your back and the flowers bending in your direction, and those moments propel you forward.
Pricing:
- Cub Wrap, $135
Contact Info:
- Website: cubwrap.com
- Instagram: @cubwrap
Image Credits
Colin Douglas Gray – credit on portrait and all product photos (@colindouglasgray on Instagram)
