We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sabina Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sabina , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
My husband Steve, and I were planning our wedding and how to make it look elegant on a budget. We were doing all the planning, decorating and serving the dishes ourselves. With all of guest coming I know I needed something quick when replacing the food like using disposable foil pans, but I didn’t like the look. I wanted to use casserole dishes but could not afford buying new one and I didn’t want the clean up. I went online to see if I could find a sleeve to dress up the foil pan and could not find anything so I invented it! I went to a patent attorney and he did a patent research and there was nothing out there. I now have 4 patents.
I thought how many other people use flimsy, not attractive hard to transport foil pans? I did my research and wow it is a billion dollar industry. I was solving the problem using the convenient disposable foil pans but giving it a look of a casserole dish.
I have hung wallpaper for over 35 years and I had no clue on where to start. I started with an engineer which gave me a 3D prototype and from there I created molds and had my first small run of product to see if everyone else loved the idea. I sold out! I have repeat customers and that is what helps giving me the drive to keep going.
Sabina , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am mother of 3 boys from VA and a business owner for wallpapering and design for 3 plus decades. Turned entrepreneur/inventor, manufacturing a useful product. Creating Foil Decor is a tasteful and decorative way to use and transport your foil pans. I wanted to serve in an elegant dish without the cleanup. What I am most proud of that I patent to original foil pan carrier offering solutions to multiple problems people experience with foil pans alone. I want people to know that your idea can become a reality.
I’m a mom that solved a problem and with a little bit of hard work and grit I created a business that is thriving today.
While Foil Decor answered a number of issues, I’ve got a few things I am working on that I can’t disclose at this time. For my customers and supporters, I’ve got some new products you are going to like.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I learned to embrace challenges and choose to view them as small hills to climb. I walked into the unknown (finances, partners, investors, contract, distribution) and navigated my way through. Without of already having the connection I had to knock on a lot of closed doors to get them to open. When they said “NO”, I heard “Not Right Now” in my pursuit. My advice to new entrepreneurs to allow the positive experience to drive you forward and don’t allow the negative energy to stop you or slow you down.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
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Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.foildecor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foildecor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foildecor/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabina-miller-051238100/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAE6h2E8_kK0jurDzQA9l3Q