Who is Brent?

Meet Brent Kruithof, Co-Owner of Yeah Baby Goods!

About Yeah Baby Goods

Yeah Baby Goods was started to make the best-selling IKEA highchair cuter, safer, and more unique. Founded in 2016 by Katie Kruithof (husband Brent joined in 2019), the company’s highchair accessories include cushion covers, placemats, footrests, leg wraps, floor mats, and more. Most recently, the Yeah Baby Goods collection has expanded to include feeding products such as silicone bibs, dinnerware sets, and utensils.

Brent’s Journey

In 2015, Brent and his wife, Katie, were preparing for their first child. “Countless friends had recommended the IKEA highchair. It was $20 and easy to clean,” Brent recalls. While happy with the highchair once put to the test, Katie saw room for improvement, believing it could be “easier to clean, look a little cuter, and be safer.” Their pediatrician also recommended a footrest, which the IKEA model did not have. They looked for products addressing these concerns only to find that none existed.

They say necessity is the mother of invention – Katie decided to take matters into her own hands. In 2016, she designed the product and began selling it through her Etsy Shop, Yeah Baby Goods. Business grew, eventually the shop was converted to Shopify, and in 2019, Brent quit his job to work for Yeah Baby Goods full-time. The E-Commerce company took off during Covid with significant sales and growth in 2020-2021.”It’s been great to see Yeah Baby Goods expand and take shape, Brent says. “Since then, we’ve launched other feeding accessories.”

The Team Structure at Yeah Baby Goods

Up until 2019, Katie ran the company entirely by herself from their basement. Brent credits her as the visionary behind the brand and says, “she comes up with the product ideas and does all the social media, which is our main form of marketing.” Formerly a CPA, he takes care of accounting – their varying backgrounds are “a good combination to run a business together.”

In 2020, they hired their first employee to help run fulfillment (2 more have since been added to manage customer service and provide additional fulfillment support). Brent reveals that they have 8 people on payroll, which includes 3 of their own kids. “Honestly, they can be great little helpers,” he exclaims. “They love to help fulfill orders and assist around the warehouse.”

The CX Philosophy at Yeah Baby Goods

The CX philosophy at Yeah Baby Goods is rooted in personal brand connection. Brent explains, “When people shop at Yeah Baby Goods, we want them to know the family behind the business.” By sharing glimpses of their personal life, customers, in turn, feel like part of the Yeah Baby Goods family. To make customers feel valued and heard, they ask for thoughts about products and design. “We say ‘we want your input. Here are the different colors and patterns that we are thinking of. You have a say here, tell us what you like.’ Then we would hold regular votes before going to launch,” Brent says.

The CX Journey: Personal Touch Followed by Automation

Yeah Baby Goods prioritizes personal touch throughout the CX Journey. Retaining that intimate connection that first drew people to the brand, each order includes a thank you note telling their story about being a family-grown small business. Brent points out, “We invest heavily in customer service and have a full-time team member just devoted to supporting our customers.” Being available and open lets customers know that if there is an issue, they are going to quickly help and find a resolution.

Incorporating automation into CX has been especially useful for communication as the company scales. Customers can sign up to receive automated emails and texts about orders and delivery status along with links to videos on how to install products. “Automation has been incredibly helpful for us in maintaining relationships with customers post-purchase,” Brent adds.

Fostering Innovation: Ask the Customer

Trends in the baby market are customer driven. To innovate their product line, Yeah Baby Goods looks to their customer base, most often on social media, for ideas. “We look at holes in the market,” Brent says. “And then ask, ‘What do you need and how can we help create something that you’re going to enjoy?” For example, after parents complained about the one-size-fits-all silicone bibs being too big for their babies 12 months and younger, the company worked with engineers and feeding therapists (both are consulted in all product development) to make a slimmed down version that provides better mobility and comfort.

Using Word of Mouth to Drive Revenue

Word of mouth has been a key driver taking Yeah Baby Goods from a small Etsy shop to an E-Commerce company featured in Today’s Parent and Domino. “When you’re transitioning into this new phase of life of being a parent, everything is new. Moms love to create forums, give feedback, and share what’s working for them during this exciting time,” Brent explains. Yeah Baby Goods’ design driven accessories such as cushion covers, placemats, and footrest, touched a pulse – people weren’t just sharing these products with their friends, but they were also showing off their highchair ‘makeover’ on social media. This resulted in UGC (user generated content) that increased the brand’s visibility and audience reach. They also collaborate with influencers in the parenting space and Brent notes that “it helps to have a product that looks organic when people are sharing it.” Mentioning a highchair cover comes across as natural when you’re feeding your baby.

Product Options, Connection Leads to Customer Retention

Since the beginning, customer retention has played a major role in Yeah Baby Goods’ growth. Asked what keeps customers coming back, Brent credits the brand’s wide product selection and the strong relationships they’ve cultivated with parent-customers. “In addition to families having a second or third kid, we get a lot of repeat customers who like how the cushion cover fits with their home décor, then order more patterns so they can style it in different ways and for the holidays. And some parents, after having girls, want a gender-neutral design for their new son,” he says.

To stay connected with customers, they focus on creating authentic social media content that encourages people to follow, get to know their family, and share their own stories with Yeah Baby Goods. Additionally, customers can sign up to receive regular emails and SMS texts to receive news and updates about the company.

Preparing for Peak Season (Holidays)

Yeah Baby Goods’ peak season is Black Friday/Cyber Monday when the company hosts a 10-day sale. Planning for the busy period starts months before when orders are submitted to suppliers to make sure they have enough inventory. Marketing promotions highlight their products as cute, thoughtful, and useful gifts for the holiday season. Additionally, seasonal help is brought in for order fulfillment. “We also target customer retention at this time and do an early access sale for Black Friday, which is only offered to customers who have signed up for SMS text,” Brent reveals. 

Leveraging Communication Channels

Social media is the company’s primary communication channel – Instagram is the most popular platform for customer engagement. To meet customers where they are at, Yeah Baby Goods relies on SMS text. “I’ve found that SMS is a great tool for our customers and for building lasting relationships. Not only is it quick and easy, but we can get personal with our customers through texts,” Brent notes. They also have a subscriber list for anyone who prefers email.

Resolution and Giving the Customer Options

Regarding customer service performance, Brent’s main concern is quick response rate and making sure the customer is 100% satisfied with the resolution. When issues arise, giving the customer options results in the best outcome. “During COVID, we had problems with inventory shortage, shipping, and orders being held up,” Brent recalls. “Our goal was to give customers a good experience by explaining all their options and letting them choose the solution best suited for them.” The customer, as a result, feels they have a sense of control over the situation.

Looking Ahead: Expanding the Yeah Baby Goods Product Line

Expanding the selection of Yeah Baby Goods products is a primary goal for the company right now. They’ve started to sell utensils, plates, and bowls – feeding products a child can use once they age out of the highchair. “When we began, no one else was selling anything similar. As we’ve grown, we’ve seen more competition. So, we just want to make our products better and make the customer experience as best as possible,” Brent adds.

Advice for Aspiring E-Commerce Entrepreneurs

Brent’s advice for anyone looking to break into E-Commerce is find a product that you really believe in and enjoy working with. Selling highchair accessories has not just allowed him to spend time with kids – he also finds fulfillment connecting with a target audience made up of families going through the same parenting experiences. “Finding something you’re passionate about will set you up for success,” he maintains.