A creative entrepreneur who turned his talent into a business. Learn about the originative Kidlandia.com, how it works and how it all began. Enjoy the insight and great tips. Have a great week everyone!
Can you begin by introducing yourself and giving us some background?
Hi, my name is Brian Backus. I live in San Francisco and have twin sons who are four years old. I’ve always loved children’s animation and illustration, particularly maps and monsters. I grew up in San Diego, and my aunt lived next to Dr. Seuss. I was drawing fantasy creatures by four and had a whole bestiary of clay characters by seven. I also had this obsession with maps, which might have been why I traveled a lot as a young man.
I went to film school at USC, then became a Producer at Disney Interactive. I’d tried to start the first interactive greeting card company, but failed for lack of business knowledge, so I went to business school and then started a small software company. I continued my art as a hobby though, and in 2004 received a commission to paint a personalized kingdom for a child. It was fun to do and the child liked it, so word got out and I couldn’t keep up with demand. They were labor intensive and expensive though, up to $2,000, so there was no way to scale it. Fortunately many of my clients were technology experts, who encouraged me to figure out how to make the maps more widely available.
Kidlandia.com has a very interesting concept. Can you briefly give us a rundown of what it is all about and how it works?
Thank you! Kidlandia.com lets you personalize a kingdom for a favorite child in your life. You name the kingdom after the kid, such as Lucyland or Tuckertopia, then name all cities, islands, and mountains after grandparents, siblings, yourself, pets, you name it! Anyone and anything important to the child. The kingdoms are inhabited by playful fantasy characters, which you can also name. The maps are a festive way to display a family tree and turn it into quality home décor. Making the maps is really fun too, and it’s a great activity to do with a kid if they’re old enough.
When you’re happy with your kingdom, you can order it as a fine art on canvas, to give as a gift and hang in the child’s room. They’re the best quality prints on canvas on the market, called giclée. They’re protected against UV and will last 200 years if you take care of them, so they’re instant heirlooms.
Why do you believe Kidlandia.com is successful and how have you continued to do well during this “economy?”
Kidlandia.com is brand new, so it’s too early to know whether it will truly succeed. I will say though that the early response has been wonderful. I think the way we’re standing out in this economy is by having a unique offering that provides real long-term value to families. Also, we have a talented team and several great strategic advisors who are making a big impact.
You’ve been making these interesting drawings since you were a kid. What inspired you later on in life to use these and form a business around them?
Opportunity came knocking. I made them as a labor of love and a refuge from business for many years. At a certain point I realized that my passion could also be a business, and there was an opportunity worth exploring. A lot of people had to push me first though.
Were you ever worried about people taking your ideas? If so, how did you overcome that?
Absolutely, like anyone doing a startup. After a few startups though, you realize that turning an idea into a functioning business is such an enormous task that chances are that anyone else working as hard as you is probably working on their own passionate idea. Also, no two executions of the same idea will ever be the same. Finally, competition is a reality in our lives, and fearing it only leads to paralysis – you have more to gain by acting than not – and by sharing your idea judiciously.
In the beginning, how did you go about getting these maps sold to people? Was it difficult at first?
It was all word of mouth. Selling new things is always hard, even when it happens on its own.
Do you have any goals for Kidlandia?
If I said Disney for the 21st century, I’d be accused of hubris. So I won’t.
Do you have any future projects planned? Any more exciting art to bring to the world?
I will be focused on Kidlandia until I’m dragged kicking from my kingdom.
What advice can you give to creative individuals like yourself who want to do more with their designs and drawings?
The business models for distributing designs and drawings are undergoing a revolution, especially with print-on-demand. If you can figure out how your art fits into an emerging pattern of buying, you’ll be in good shape. It’s the old “sell into a growing market.”
Any last words, insight or tips?
An upside to the downturn for many people is the rare opportunity to deepen their understanding of what drives them and what they can contribute to the world. Take it if you can.
Thank you for doing this wonderful interview Brian!
Thanks for checking out GetYourBizSavvy.com
Come by next Monday for another exciting interview!
