Think Global: Cush 'n Shade

It started with an idea in Sardinia, it’s made in China, its logistics are in Belgium, it’s sold around the world and with H.Q. in Kimmage. It still employs only two people, though that will change. We’re talking about Cush’n Shade®, just about the most innovative beach product since sea and sand.

Cush’n Shade is a portable, foldable, device that combines a cushion and a sunshade that provides neck support and protects the face from the direct rays of the sun while the rest of the body tans. It is ideal for those who love to read on the beach or by the pool. Cush’n Shade is the brainchild of Dublin interior designer, Joan Bree. The original thought occurred while Joan was sunning herself with friends on a Sardinian beach. The problem to be solved was this: how to tan in comfort but protect the neck, face and head from the harmful and ageing affects of the sun. The stimulus for a solution was the ready support of her sister sun worshippers who opined that if Joan found a solution, they would want it. That was in 2002. Joan knew she had a tigress by the tail, which promised a wild and risky journey. And she was comfortable in her Irish pub designing business, in fact more than comfortable, she was happy. But her grip on that tail was just too strong. As an interior designer, she was not too well versed in the details of industrial design and the learning curve was steep.

From her experience, there are many lessons of value for other entrepreneurs, no matter how different their area of operation. Lessons learned From the creative thought to the first unit of Cush’n Shade coming off the production line took four long years and great effort to overcome the many difficulties encountered. “My greatest difficult was keeping myself motivated,” says Joan. “If you are working on your own you really need to keep focussed. In staying motivated and focussed, I had great support from by Mentor, Daire Coffey,” she recalls.

Further support came when her son Jamie Jenkinson, a marketing and business graduate, who believed in the product to such an extent that he gave up a high paying job as property manager of supermarket giant Lidl, to help drive the project forward. That was in October 2005. Coming from an interior design background, Joan has an affinity for natural materials and the original frame for the unit was made of wood. This proved too heavy and bulky. “Timber did not work and was unsuitable for a ratcheting system. Plastic was the answer, but I had little experience in working with this material,” she says. So she took her own advice. “Don’t wait to call in expert advice.” She appointed Spear International, a Dublin company whose expertise is in the engineering and supply of injection moulded products from overseas. “They really knew their business, she adds.”

Patenting

The extent of Joan Bree’s commitment can be measured in that she chose to invest her money, originally earmarked for a house purchase, into product development and patenting. “I spent a fortune of patenting. You really have to be very sure of your product and be aware that patenting is very expensive. Be sure you get the right professional advice and take your time. The year after the preliminary application goes like a flash and everything is then up for grabs if you are not fully protected. But the €50,000 she spent on patenting was money well spent. In the first quarter of 2006, product and manufacturing process development reached a point where large volume production was ready to proceed. The manufacturing company chosen is Chinese and is ISO international standards registered. It also operates to fair-trade standards, meaning that its workers have good wages and conditions, something that Joan Bree insists upon. The first 12,000 units came of the production line in May 2006 and July of that year, trading commenced with almost all the stock being sold via the company’s website, independent online stores and international catalogues in Italy.

Listen and learn

For Joan Bree, buyers are much more than just a source of orders; they are a valuable source of information and feedback that has informed the redesign of Cush’n Shade. “In response to feedback from buyers and as part of our ongoing product development, Cush’n Shade was modified to make it more attractive to the high volume market,” she says. “Without compromising the functionality of the design the new ‘fold & roll’ Cush’n Shade is much less bulky and more portable. The whole of the supply chain benefits from the reduced size as it takes up a third of the shelf space formerly required and transportation capacity has increased from 5,000 units to 14,000 units per container.” These improvements were not without cost, requiring a further €40,000 investment .

In just a year since launch, Cush’n Shade is now on sale in eleven countries. Apart from Ireland, markets have been opened in Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. The German market, the biggest tourism market in the world, will be opened next year. It is hardly surprising that Joan admits to considerable pleasure when she puts another pin in a new country on the wall map in her office. The main approach to selling has been direct sales generated by the internet and indirect sales through national and international agents and distributors. Attendance at trade shows is important and Jamie got a great reaction when showing the product on their U.S. distributors stand at the National Hardware Show in Orlando in May. With the volume sales steadily growing and Cush’n Shades becoming more visible on beaches around the world, negotiations to sell logo space to major consumer brands has now commenced. With a little help from your friends For Joan Bree, a business plan is a fundamental tool that should be revised regularly for different purposes and circumstances. “I wrote my first business plan when applying for a Feasibility Study grant from Dublin City Enterprise Board. “It is particularly good for creative people, helping them to focus on the path forward. The discipline it provides is also very good.”

In receipt of Feasibility, Employment, Commercial Website and Export grants and Preference shares, Joan appreciates the continued commitment of Dublin City Enterprise Board to the success of her company. She is also appreciative of the mentoring service and, in particular of her Mentor, Daire Coffey. “Having the right person to talk to is so important to keep yourself motivated and focussed,” she says. She is also a strong supporter of networking and is an active member of the Dublin City Enterprise Network for Women.

The future

With project sales of more than 500,000 units in 2009, Cush’n Shade is in the process of becoming an international brand, one from which the local economy is likely to benefit soon. Logistics are currently carried out by a Belgian company, but this activity will soon be relocated to Dublin with ensuing revenues and jobs for the local economy. Even without a crystal ball, it is hard to see other than a bright future for the portable sunshade. Within a year of its launch, Joan Bree received a phone call from her daughter-in-law: “I’m lying on a beach in Portugal counting the Cush’n Shades around me. Thought you’d like to know!”

Cush’n Shade T: 353 1 490 7885. E: joan@cushnshade.com W: www.cushnshade.com

© 2007 Dublin City Enterprise Board. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the permission from the D.C.E.B.

• Back to Index