The birth of Vonu is a tale of empathy, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of a solution to a common parental challenge. Brittany Harvey and Davante Rowe, co-founders of the Charlotte, N.C.-based startup, were inspired by their own experiences as new parents. Their journey from exhausted parents to successful entrepreneurs is a testament to their creativity, determination, and love for their daughter.
It was about three weeks after their daughter was born that Davante and Brittany knew they had to find an easier way to get rid of her gas. The traditional methods were proving to be time-consuming and exhausting, and ineffective. “Always trying to find the quick way to do things, I started putting her over the pregnancy pillow Brittany used to stay comfortable,” recalls Davante. “It took me about a week before I looked over to Brittany and said, ‘This would be a really cool product concept.’”
Driven by this epiphany, the duo spent about 90 days creating a rough prototype based on a sketch Brittany had made. They used Memory Foam mattress toppers ordered from Amazon, which they cut up to bring their vision to life. Balancing their day jobs with their new venture, Brittany returned to her role in public relations while Davante, a law school graduate, delivered pizzas at night to devote more time to developing their business.
Today, Vonu, formerly known as Burplee, is a thriving startup projecting $2 million in sales for 2024 from its patented Vonu Lounger. The product, designed to simplify the burping process, resonated with many parents who remembered their own late-night struggles. The couple raised $60,000 in a friends-and-family financing round and used credit cards to cover initial costs like setting up their website, advertising on social media, and ordering their first batch of Loungers.
The baby products industry is a fast-growing market, projected to reach $320.7 billion globally with a compound annual growth rate of 5.9% from the current year to 2030, according to Grand View Research. Consumers are increasingly willing to spend on high-quality, utility-driven, and premium baby products, and Vonu’s innovative solution fits perfectly into this trend.
One of the most rewarding aspects of their business is the feedback from parents. They receive heartfelt messages from grateful parents, like a recent one from a mom with a premature baby who found the Vonu Lounger helpful for tummy time. “She sent us a video of her preemie son and said, ‘He’s not even supposed to be born yet, and we’re using this for tummy time. It’s helping with some of the delays his occupational therapist thought he would encounter from being premature,’” shares Brittany.
Despite some doubters who believe in traditional burping methods, Brittany and Davante remain confident in their product. “If you don’t get it, you don’t get it,” says Brittany. “For a big portion of parents who do encounter these issues and challenges, there should be options and they shouldn’t feel like they’re bad parents if they’re saying, ‘I need something more than the regular way [of burping a baby]—I need more help.’”
Brittany is the public face of the brand and personally responds to customer inquiries. “I’m still the person who responds to every single Facebook comment, to every single email,” she says. “These people are reaching out to us when they’re desperate. We get a lot of emails from 1 am to 4 am.” Though their daughter now sleeps through the night, Brittany remains committed to supporting their customers during their most challenging moments.
Vonu’s journey from a simple idea to a successful startup is an inspiring story of love, innovation, and resilience. Brittany and Davante’s commitment to improving the lives of parents everywhere reflects their deep empathy and understanding of the challenges of parenthood. As they continue to grow their business, they remain dedicated to providing the support and relief that every parent deserves.
Discover how the Vonu Lounger can make a difference in your baby’s life by visiting VonuBaby.com.
Published by: Nelly Chavez
