Bringing Up the "Little One"

I'm the co-founder of P'kolino (pronounced: pee-ko-lee-no). In Italian, piccolino means "little one" and is often used to refer to a child. We changed the spelling and added graphic elements to the logo to make it our own. In August, we moved from our office in the Babson Business Development Hatchery to our new headquarters in Woburn, Mass., near Boston.

P'kolino is committed to improving play at home by developing and marketing innovative play products that are functional and stylish for both child and parent. We're currently manufacturing our first products for children ranging from 1- to 7-years-old and will be in the market before year's end.

HAPPY MIX.  I started P'kolino with Antonio Turco-Rivas, a Babson classmate. We were both looking for a better life for our families. We wanted work we felt passionate about. We also wanted to build a tangible brand. Perhaps it's a reaction to our technology backgrounds, but we really had a desire to make something we could touch. Finally, we wanted to involve our families and show our children that work can be fun.

I primarily focus on product development and marketing. My work day doesn't have a defined start and finish. When you run your own business, it's always with you. Some say this is a negative, but I don't. For the most part, I have control over my schedule, and I truly like what I do, so bringing it home (or bringing home to work) can be enjoyable.

Here's the timeline of a typical work day:

6:00 a.m. -- No need for an alarm clock when you have a 1-year-old.

7:00 a.m. -- I quickly check my e-mail and scan the paper while the children play.

7:45 a.m. -- Out the door to drop off two of the children at pre-school.

8:15 a.m. -- Hit the highway to the new office.

8:40 a.m. -- Arrive at the office with just enough time to write down mental notes I'd made during my drive and check my e-mail again before the first meeting of the day. A foam-fabricator sales rep and engineer are coming soon.

9:00 a.m. -- No foam people yet, so I quickly respond to the Rhode Island School of Design query about the photos of the products its students designed for P'kolino and the brochure documenting the design process.

9:15 a.m. -- Foam fabricators arrive. I tell them about our products and what we need done. I listen as they tell me what they can do and the ideas they have for alternative solutions.

9:45 a.m. -- "Antonio, got a minute? What do you think about this? They say they can use a more rigid foam to make this piece easier to assemble." We like the idea and confirm the direction we want them to take. We should have an estimate in a week if I can get them the revised specifications by the end of the day.

10:00 a.m. -- I review the legal documents sent the night before for our first financing round. This is where the MBA pays off. Suddenly, convertible debt, discount rates, and more and more financial and legal jargon makes sense. There are a few issues to discuss. Antonio and I agree on the changes, and we send the revisions to our law firm.

10:45 a.m. -- The shipping services arrive with packages. This is my favorite part of the day because they bring new material samples. Today, it's a natural composite material. Unfortunately, it isn't going to work for what I had envisioned, but it brings to mind some new ideas.

11:00 a.m. -- I quickly jot down those thoughts and sketch a few rough pictures. I'll have to come back to that idea after we finalize this current product.

11:30 a.m. -- I have to get those revised measurements for the foam fabricators. With measuring tape and paper in hand, I start breaking down the product. Got it. I update the technical specifications and e-mail them to the foam fabricator.

12:15 p.m. -- Another e-mail check and some quick replies. Networking, networking, networking.

12:30 p.m. -- Lunch with Antonio. This is a good time for us to talk. We discuss everything and anything. Today the subject is: How can we utilize our relationship with the Brazilian furniture manufacturers to create additional revenue opportunities?

1:30 p.m. -- In the afternoon, I put on my marketing hat. I have a meeting in 30 minutes with our Web developer, and I have some page layouts to prepare.

(left to right) My daugher, Thalia; my wife, Michele; me; my son, Konrad; Antonio; Antonio's daughter, Isabel; Antonio's wife, Luisa; and my daughter, Anna

2:00 p.m. -- The meeting with the Web developer begins right on time. We review the page layout I have prepared, and we consider what I was trying to achieve with the design. The developer, Antonio, and I talk about the usability, coding, and search pros and cons. We agree on a layout that the developer will finalize and send in a few days.

3:30 p.m. -- Call home to see how everyone is doing. They're just heading out to the park to play.

3:40 p.m. -- E-mail again, and hit the Web to research that Brazilian opportunity. Send my findings and product selections to Antonio.

4:00 p.m. -- Antonio and I move the conversation to PR. We have been reviewing a few PR agencies, and we told them we would make a decision today. We know who we want, but aren't sure when we should start the engagement because of some scheduling uncertainties. If we wait too long we could miss some critical placements. We decide, despite the uncertainties, to start next month.

4:30 p.m. -- I call the PR agency to give it the good news.

4:45 p.m. -- Wrapping up, checking my notes, and reviewing e-mail to make sure there are no urgent issues before the day ends.

5:00 p.m. -- We have a meeting with a retailer in the morning, so Antonio and I spend some time reviewing our agenda and preparing any materials we will need.

6:15 p.m. -- Time to go home. The drive is just long enough to listen to some sports radio and catch all the days' stories.

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. -- This is dedicated family time: Dinner, play, and children in bed by 8:30.

9:00 p.m. -- Check e-mail for the last time and pick up a book. Just because the MBA coursework is over doesn't mean the learning stops. Tonight, I'm reading up on plastics.

The Babson MBA was the first step in reaching my goals. It has provided me with the diverse knowledge required to run a business. My role in P'kolino varies every day. I primarily focus on product development and marketing, but at this stage in the business we do whatever has to be done -- including finance, business law, and accounting, about which I knew little to nothing before going to B-school.

The MBA has also opened up a whole new network. A network can be your most powerful tool, but it takes time. We were working on P'kolino a year before we graduated. My best advice is to start early.