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Hybrid Stories: Jennifer Marchetti |
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Written by Hybrid Mom
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Page 1 of 2
Jennifer Marchetti started her business, Goosie Cards, in June 2006 after she stumbled upon a segment of the education market that was previously untapped -- custom flash cards. Here is her story.
Tell us more about your business and when you started it.
Goosie Cards® was inspired by my son Zach, then 6-months-old, after we spent some time looking at generic flash cards and family photos during his lunch time. I liked to keep his hands busy during feedings so I would give him flash cards and photos to hold. I started thinking about the photos on the flash cards and realized that they really didn't hold a meaning in his life. And that's when the idea hit me: What if I could teach my son about people and things that were familiar to him with personalized flash cards? I put him down for a nap and started to research the concept that afternoon and realized that there was not another company or service creating custom flash cards. I named the company Goosie, which is my son's nickname, and began my journey.
I tested out my concept with my playgroup that consisted of four other moms and toddlers. I created a bunch of cards with photos of all the children in our group. My idea was a hit! All the children loved the cards and the moms thought they were a great way to be proactive in their child's early learning by creating their own personalized learning tools. I turned my passion into a business and Goosie Cards was launched a year later in June 2006.
Since launching Goosie Cards, I have had an overwhelming response from teachers and professionals regarding how my cards are wonderful teaching tools for children, especially those that have special needs and autism. Many of these children learn to communicate through the use of a picture system. Goosie Cards offers a new teaching approach by using personal, real life photos. This feature empowers these parents and provides them with the flexibility to teach their child about their world around them, exactly as it is. This direct connection to real visual objects enables these children to easily associate words with the corresponding object. This is a powerful vehicle for teaching children with special communication needs, especially children with autism.
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Itty Bitty Picasso was thought of as a hybrid between my work, my
educational background, and my talents not only as an artist but as a
saleswoman. At Itty Bitty Picasso we take a child's artwork and create
a superior quality reproduction on canvas known as a giclee. We use top
of the line archival inks and apply a protective coating to ensure a
piece of fine art that will last a lifetime.
