Niki Pfeiffer of Niki Pfeiffer Designs
For awhile, Niki Pfeiffer had been searching for a stylish solution for carrying wine or bottles of spirits when heading out to a BYOB for a date night or a friend’s holiday party.
When she started digging in a bit, she learned a startling statistic – women buy 8 out of 10 bottles of wine in the U.S. and are responsible for throwing away at least 1.2 billion bags for wine annually.
That only emboldened Pfeiffer, a business strategist and business growth coach who grew up on a Montana ranch, on her quest. Before long she created the idea for the Wine Gabby, which is sold as the only 2-in-1 handbag that unfolds to carry a large bottle of wine and help the environment – no bag to throw away.
What was the inspiration behind Niki Pfeiffer Designs?
Inspiration for the company really came from the inspiration behind our product the Wine Gabby™, which came from necessity and observation. I was always looking for a more stylish solution to carry wine and bottles of spirits, but also one that solved the problem of what to do with the wine tote after the bottle is gone. I happened to notice a growing trend of women throwing away a lot of bags to carry wine so after doing some research I discovered that studies show women buy 8 out of 10 bottles of wine in the US and are responsible for throwing away at least 1.2 billion bags for wine per year. I utilized design to solve the problem and designed the Wine Gabby as the only 2-in-1 handbag that unfolds to also carry a large bottle of wine and help the environment.
What was the biggest challenge in getting Niki Pfeiffer Designs off the ground?
The biggest challenge was starting a new business and finding the right manufacturer to partner with.
What resources did you take advantage of to launch Niki Pfeiffer Designs?
I was fortunate that I had a large network to tap into and get some assistance, but I also utilized SCORE organization of retired executives, which provided some assistance in the early stages of launching my company
What's the biggest challenge you've overcome, personally or professionally?
Starting a company and starting a family at the same time
Talk about the moment where you knew you made the right decision in starting this company?
Within a week of one another I had two exciting opportunities happen. I talked to a very influential person in the wine industry and they shared how much they loved the Wine Gabby and wanted to carry within their shop and then also collaborating with a large California winery.
What's the big differentiator for Niki Pfeiffer Designs?
We have a focus on creating fun, modern, multi-purpose products that simplify lives. Our first product, the Wine Gabby, is the only 2-in-1 handbag that can be used for everyday use, but also unfolds (thus cleverly disguising within a small wristlet bag) to carry a large bottle of wine/spirits. . . and then folds back into a handbag for a fun night out!
What's next for Niki Pfeiffer Designs?
We have some really exciting partnerships that will be launching this year including one with a large California winery and a leading online wine lifestyle company that will sell the Wine Gabby. There are also plans to launch a completely new and different twist on the traditional picture frame by end of the year. Hopefully you will see us on "The Shark Tank" tv show really soon, too.
-- by Joe Petrucci