Bridgeport High School Alumna Launches Unique Product on Amazon: Inspired by Son
By Trina Runner on August 23, 2019 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
There have been a lot of changes in Bridgeport High School Alumna Marissa Morphis Cwalina’s life in the past year. She has become a first-time mother to Chase, learned more than she ever thought possible about breastfeeding, and launched her very own brand on Amazon. The three major transitions happened simultaneously as Cwalina neared the end of her pregnancy one year ago this month.
“I started researching how to start an Amazon business about two or three years ago since it would give me access to millions of customers and third-party sellers,” said Cwalina. “I learned all about developing a private label and generating sales, but needed to find a product that would have limited competition and allow me to create a niche market.”
As her pregnancy progressed, she began to realize just how much went into breastfeeding and, since she wanted to be able to breastfeed for the first year of Chase’s life, she also discovered the struggles working moms face. After researching about twenty product line possibilities, she decided to create a bag that could hold the breast pump and all the parts. After searching the internet, she was unable to find an existing bag for this purpose that could be used at home, work or for travel and was also affordable and appropriate for mothers on the go.
Because she has worked in several roles within the operations and supply chain at DuPont, Cwalina knew how to reach out to suppliers and handle the logistics needed to launch a brand. She reached out to potential suppliers through Alibaba, with many of them located on the other side of the world. That worked out perfectly for her to work on the concept during 3 a.m. feedings.
She requested several generic diaper bags from suppliers to assess quality and customer service. After choosing her supplier, she worked with them on internal and external modifications needed to accommodate the pump and its parts. She chose the fabric, materials needed for the handle, and designed the finished product.
The design process started last August and Chase was born one month later. The Marigold Breast Pump Bag began to be manufactured early this year, with the first shipment in May. The bag is available on Amazon at
“The process made me really appreciate all that goes into designing, marketing and advertising in order to make a product successful, but I am so excited to see it on Amazon and know that Chase inspired the whole thing,” she said.
