Episode 86: Lori Kranczer
Join Lori as Mara Patti will interview her about a product designed specifically for children with special needs or sensory issues. Lori Kranczer, the Founder of Raising Junior, will delve into the inspiration behind her innovative product, born out of her own experiences and challenges in ensuring the safety of her children. When consumers make a purchase, they contribute to a larger cause because a portion of the sales' profits goes to support nonprofits. This initiative helps families with special needs and allows individuals to make a positive impact through their buying choices!
Here are the things to expect in this episode:
What is Raising Junior, and where can people buy this product?
Lori's reason as to why she decided to launch this product.
The product's unique features aim to provide a safe and comfortable experience for both children and their parents or caregivers.
How Raising Junior plans to contribute to the community and create meaningful change.
And much more!
Raising Junior Website: https://raisingjunior.co/
Raising Junior Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisingjuniorco/
Raising Junior Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raisingjuniorco
Connect with Lori Kranczer!
Website: https://www.linkphilanthropic.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorikranczer/
Episode Transcript
00:14
Hi everyone, you are listening to the positive impact philanthropy podcast where we share the journeys of everyday Philanthropists as they incorporate philanthropy into their lives. Philanthropy is a personal journey and we have shared lots of stories here about everyday philanthropist making an impact in the world and so you know me I'm your host, Lori Kranczer attorney, philanthropic advisor and legacy was strategist and today we're gonna do something a little different, because many of you do not know but I have also created product based businesses and I've launched one recently that is also a social venture, which means that it is it has a social impact component to it that we are giving all at the net profits to nonprofits. So everything is going to be, it's going to be self sustaining business and I'm excited to share more about it with you here because we just launched and I'm excited to share that my very close friend Mara Patty is joining me and we met each other well. We have a whole backstory that we're going to go through but she's also on my advisory committee for this business. So I asked her to join me today and interview me on the philanthropic impact that we are doing here. So welcome, Mara.
01:28
Thank you so much for having me. I'm super excited to be here today.
01:35
I'm excited to have you. Okay, so you take it away.
01:39
So since we're flipping a little bit today, and I'm so honored that Lori is asking me to do this. I met Lori in the Goldman Sachs 10K SB program and immediately was drawn to her as she is the most amazing woman. She is really a problem solver and when something is going on in her community, she's the person you want to go to to solve that problem. So we were talking and we were just going back and forth and I learned a little bit about Lori and this product called Raising Junior came up and my eyes lit up and I just was so excited and I wanted to hear more about it. So Lori, can you tell us what Raising Junior is?
02:28
Yeah, so the backstory of this is that Raising Junior is a personal care product line for kids who have sensitivities and what that means and who that includes are really kids with special needs, allergies neurodiversity and the our value system for this product is that we want to make everything accessible to everybody. My little founder story is that it was a creative when years ago I was using natural kids shampoo products on my children. And my son broke out in head to toe hives like covering his entire body from a shampoo that had you know is one of these kids natural shampoos. I won't say which one but I called the doctor and he said you know just because it says natural doesn't mean that children aren't going to have reactions to it. There's lots of allergies like there's a lot of additives in many of these products that were united weren't aware of. And it could be the essential oil or something that's in it because it's not really clean product. So I set out to find a clean product for him and could not find anything that really would do the trick so I decided to create it so I hired a chemist, cosmetic chemist to create a formula that would be a shampoo body wash for children with allergies and sensory issues. You know for kids with sensory processing disorder or neurodiversity that would really just get your kid clean without all the other stuff that they don't need. So it's a stripped down clean formula. And it's great and it was launched to family and friends. We used it and we let our family and friends have it and then just wound up being, wow, this is a great product, we should bring it to the public.
04:17
So when you first told me about this product, and you said sensory issues, I, you know, was sort of not familiar with the term and I didn't really know what it meant. So I had to do some research to look it up myself but I was in awe, what a huge marketplace this really is. Today parents are having, I mean just in general, there's more allergies, there's more gluten sensitivities, there's a whole host of new mean allergens out there and I was blown away with how many parents there were out there who had children who really did have some of these concerns and issues and maybe they're not even aware that they have them like we say, you know, you tried something at home and your son had a reaction. So can you just talk a little bit about how common this really is and how important it is for us to really be aware of this so more and more people can start using this product.
05:11
Yeah, so my son was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder, which is not necessarily a medical term at this point. But it is a thing and it usually goes along with other neurodiversity, such as ADHD or autism. A lot of kids have several of these things and how it came out with our son is that when he was young, we just noticed that he didn't like loud music at birthday parties. You know, put his hand over his ears or certain smells. He can eat in the same room as us if there was a banana or eggs or things like that and certain certain sensory things really would set him off. He you know, he loves to spin so like he's big on like a you know, the playground the swings like that was calming to his sensory body. So we did a lot of research back then to understand this better and to really adapt what not only do we provide to him that he uses on his body but also in his environment and to make him more comfortable. So when you see the kids with the fidgets and things like that, that a lot of that is a sensory thing or you're biting at the shirts and we have lots of shirts with holes in them, just the tearing of the shirt. You know, it's a sensory thing. So, this product really made for him to be as much as sensory neutral as you possibly could. So we really tested it out for a long time. It was years and testing for the scent, for the feel of it. How you know whether it you know, not too runny, not too thick. You know all these different factors went into testing for ourselves and for the to make sure that the project was efficient and worked really well but also as least offensive as possible to kids that have these concerns I would say and as well as allergies
07:11
So just to get our listeners to hear how exciting this is. I definitely have used the product. As you mentioned, I'm on the board and I feel such, I'm inspired to be a part of this because I think this is gonna lead to many more products in the future. But I want to get these people excited about what the product feels like as somebody who has tried it. And I've used it in the kitchen just to wash my hands and have everybody who comes in the house try it. I've used it in the shower. I was just recently sharing with Lori that I had some eczema doing hot yoga and it's been itchy and it's driving me crazy. And I started to use the soap and no joke. It has literally stopped the itching. The eczema has gone down and I'm just, it's so warming to actually hear and have a product that actually works and you see the results. And it's not dewy, it's not you know foamy. It's just really calming and soothing and I just love it and I can't wait to see what's next. And I'm just going to put you on the spot Lori because that's what I do. What is next for Raising Junior?
08:33
So we are thanks, thanks for that and so I'm glad you're enjoying using it. It is really an all purpose product. So we say it's two in one because it's shampoo and body wash or in the shower and when you feel the texture of it. We made it purposely that it glides over the skin and in the hair so it's not going to stick in one area so that you need a lot more product, so now we’re saving people money because you don't need as much product. So it does have this really nice glide to it and it does make your skin feel very silky afterwards because you want to make sure it was super moisturizing because many of these kids, do have skin sensitivities and allergies and issues. So we want to make sure that their skin felt really comfortable for them. Products that are coming up we have we're going to be expanding the line this like I said it's multi purpose so it's shampoo body wash us as liquid handsoap, facial soap and you know anytime you’re in a pinch and you run out of product and this can do it all, you can even use it as a bubble bath. It is a natural product and it's a stripped down formula. So there are no chemicals in it so it's not going to foam as you would when it gets that you know have those types of chemicals in to get that foaming. So you have to work a little bit to get that lather, but we're going to be doing some other products like conditioner and detangler. We're getting a lot of requests for a moisturizer that goes along with as a companion soap, so there's a lot of things that are in the works. We're really excited and with you. We want to start with one and build you know our audience around this product. There are people that are in this community that really need this type of product. Of course, it's for everybody. Everyone can use it but we want to make sure that these kids and their parents or caregivers get a very, you know really high end type of product that is accessible for them. It's made for them. You know, we really thoughtfully designed it for this community and we want to give them something special.
10:30
I echo that I definitely can't have seen you know, just by sharing what I had is my experience and I've given some friends and it's just gotten positive reviews, but where do people go to buy their products? Lori?
10:46
Yeah, so right now it's available through our website, which is raising junior.co And we'll add the links in the show notes. Everyone can check it out there. We are also launching it on Amazon and by the time you hear this and may already be there so it will be Amazon as well. And we look to you know is hopefully compliant. It is such a stripped down clean formula so we can branch out and sell into different retail stores that they have the inventory and they're selling to people that are interested in natural products and so we haven't decided where we're going to do that just yet but that is also in the works.
11:26
So also just for our audience and for everyone who is like this product. Can they follow you on social media? Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, any of those and maybe drop a review, maybe request some product ideas that they may have, like where can people go and share their reviews and their questions?
11:53
Absolutely, so, review certainly if you try the product you can simply put a review on our website or on Amazon if you get us through there. We are also, we do have an Instagram account and we'll add the link at the bottom of the show notes as well. So you can check out it's raisingjuniorco we have a Facebook account as well. We're not as active on that but I think there's a little overlap with the Instagram. And if I can get my 13 year old to do some TikTok videos maybe we'll go on to TikTok.
12:22
I think that would be awesome to have her do that especially because I think once you visit the website you can see a picture of Lori and her two kids. I think the one thing that's really special about that Lori is the personal brand and how personal it is and that brings me to the entrepreneurial side which is this business. I'd love for you to share a little bit about that journey and where and how that has stemmed from and what's next in that in your in your journey with being surrounded by women and in giving back to your community. What can we all expect to see Raising Junior do?
12:57
Yeah, thanks for that. So women owned and led business and as well as our advisory committee and and the people that we work with all our vendors so we're excited to support the community in that respect and you know a lot of the people that we're working with and also they're interested in our product our moms themselves so we have some influencers that are interested in also supporting this product that are also moms and it's it's been a really great journey so far and everyone that knows me and is very supportive women, philanthropists, and and this is just part of me said yeah, I'm putting my money where my mouth is and so I'm creating my own. It's, you know, not a charity, but it's a philanthropic venture that goes it's all social impact for a underrepresented community and this is what we want to do to partner with also nonprofit though, one of the things that we are going to be working on later this year is to partner with a local nonprofit and also a national nonprofit and to be given the proceeds, the our net profits from this business to these different ventures. So we're really looking forward to supporting that community that way.
14:12
That is awesome. I mean, just your background in philanthropy and giving and always helping and solving problems. I am so proud to be a part of this process and this journey with you and I am looking forward to what's next. And I also was thinking I know you said there are some influences coming up, would you be able to share any of that or is that just to be on the lookout for all of us.
14:40
I would say be on the lookout. But it's really exciting. And we love to have influencers because they have an audience that can reach more people that are affected by this and can benefit from the product line. But of course anyone that is interested in the product and we would just love their feedback, want to hear about different ideas about other products that you'd like in the line. You know we're getting a lot of interesting feedback from people and we're really are taking it all because we're it's like we say we're there for the conscientious mom or you know father and caregiver that wants a product line that is best for their children. And so we are really taking all the feedback that we get and are being very thoughtful about the product for launching.
15:25
Just to confirm if people would like to become an influencer for Raising Junior, what would be the best way to contact you to get that process?
15:33
You can contact us through our website, there are links on the website, we'll link it in the show notes as well. And yeah, we're happy to have people join us and we'll send product and so you can test it and we can get your feedback and any type of assets that you would need to post we're happy to do that. Also we have a lot of people that are volunteering their time and their services towards this product. I have saved not only Mara as well, but there are others that are joining this venture and it's you know, it makes me just so happy for people to pay attention to this and see how important it is. So anyone that wants to get involved, we're happy to have them join us.
16:18
And also you did mention to your team that there also will be some pop ups coming up so places where people can meet you, test the product and be able to buy it and do you want to share with the community maybe where your first pop up might be or there anything lined up yet.
16:36
We are planning a few pop ups in the New York City area and one of the reasons that we're not only to get it out there so people that see but see the customer we want to get to them and to get their ideas and what they want to see next. Anything from feedback on the label on the bottle and the delivery of the product through the pump and everything about it. We want to know and so we decided not just to have an E-commerce business, but to really get in front of people and to hear their feedback.
17:08
One thing I really have to say is the product bottle and the logo is amazing. It's just like oh my god, just check it out. I mean, get an ever like go to the website, check out the bottle. It's so colorful. It's just so happy. And I mean with these types of kids having these issues. We really can't stress the importance of how much time we don't have as women right most of us were most of us are working the house time. To maintain everything, balance, time management. I feel like we're running out of time every day and just to have a product that you came out with from your personal situation is just going to streamline the process of your everyday living and making it so much more manageable. I remember you telling me a story where like bath time used to be painful. How many people can relate to that? I mean, it's like, yeah, take a bath. Come on, you know and like, I mean, what a great way to just really like, make it much more manageable and effective. So people really need to know the importance of how bath time can be so unmanageable, but now like that jump in yeah.
18:29
Oh yeah. Well with you know, just kids in general, it could be a nightmare. No. But um, especially with kids that have special needs or certainly sensory issues. So I found this with my children, no, the bathroom, it's cold, they’re taking off their clothes, you're getting into water. The lights are really bright. There's a lot of sensory issues or concerns going on depending on your children. And we wanted to make it as quick as possible in the bath. My daughter also didn't like a lot of foam in the water. And so that's one of the reasons that we wanted to make it less or lighter foam, rather than the thick covering of the water. She wanted to be able to see through it. So we really thought about a lot of different things for these kids. But also one of the reasons why we made sure that the formula glides over the skin and the hair that it moves through that hair so it's not getting stuck on one place and you need to apply more product is that the bathtime can be quicker and your kids can then either enjoy the rest of the bathtime and they want or they're clean and they can get out with us, you know, a hard time to come home from work and get them ready and we you know sometimes didn't really enjoy it so much and let's you know get a glass of wine afterwards. That is, that was our experience and it was just worked out much better with a product like this.
19:50
It just comes to mind I'm thinking painful experience, but now it's painless. I look at your website, it says more fun equals less fuss, right. So let me just kind of circle back a little bit to the beginning here and I'm going to bring it back to our 10K SB platform for just a minute and give Rod a little bit of a shout out. I'm going to mention EEC so efficient, effective and compelling. And Lori you have developed product that is efficient, effective and compelling. Ang we talked about time and we don't have so much time we're always on a hamster wheel. So I really want to let people know. Try this product. It's amazing and it really will manage and take some of that painful and make it painless and make it more fun for everyone. And I really think that that's just an amazing, you know, contribution for all of us.
20:53
Thank you. Yeah, and it's about I love that, you know, bring you back to that was Goldman Sachs days. It's an efficient product that's incredibly effective. And the compelling part of it is for this community and that we're giving all net profits to nonprofits, we really want to make a difference and different communities that we're just seeking to serve. And it really is as much as I say for this community. It really is for everyone like you Mara who mentioned that you had some eczema and you know that was another thing that we experienced in our house eczema psoriasis, things like that the allergies and reducing certain ingredients in your products will help alleviate those issues potentially and we are approved by dermatologists and pediatricians. So we have those. We went through that testing and rigorous testing and we are it's a very safe and gentle product for everybody.
21:50
I really think that's important to echo. As far as safety concerns go and today with all the testing that you have done for this product, you stand behind it and you will continue to do more testing, I know you, you will always go to the end of the world to make it as clean as possible. And you really stand behind that. The other thing I wanted to just also just kind of bring up for all the mommies out there or the caretakers. I shouldn't just say women because today you know there are many, many people who are taking care of children. I think it's also good that you have a personal brand behind you, but maybe you could share with everybody. Maybe what comes to mind other than the personal feeling you get when you use this product and you see it with grown children. So maybe you could share a little bit about that.
22:44
Well, you know, one of the things I think that strikes me so much is that my children so, she, my daughter sees her mom, me as a business owner and also philanthropist and I do also serve on the board of a nonprofit and we are going our own way. Many different ways I should say we have a lot of nonprofits. But this is something that is a personal product and business and venture I should say and for it's very important for me for my children, especially my daughter to see someone doing something like this relate to and model and, and it you know, I see it in our heart and it's a very important thing I think for for many parents out there for their children to and to represent it can do later on into these values for them as well. So that has been the most sense to me.
23:41
I would say personally, I couldn't agree more. I've been watching you and your daughter and I've been on countless FaceTime guys and I've seen how beautiful the story and the narrative plays and she's such a big part of it too. I mean, they're in it and that generation is so giving with things that maybe we couldn't see as older adults. Not that we're old. But the fact that she can carry this on and even make it better and bring it to a different audience is just so rewarding and the values you're instilling in her at such an early age. And what to think about because again, it's thinking about other people and what problems they're incurring in their home with skin and aller
24:32
Yeah, absolutely. Because there's so many products out there so many different internet, we're all guilty of using them they you know they have these lovely scents and they you know all these different things and it's really not the best thing for our skin so you know if there could be a balance of using some products that are super clean like this one, and you're going to then use another one on top of it. Like a perfume that she loves, you know, then yeah, is balanced it out with something also that's good for her skin. And that's, you know, that's very important to me.
25:02
Yeah, and you're educating a whole community out there that there are options. There are clean products, and we're going to continue to keep coming out with more and more people who use this product and can share with us what they think and see how great the product is firsthand. I mean, the sky's the limit with just it's like you are what you eat. I was saying as to when we talk and it's just really we all are mindful about what we put in our body. So we should be really mindful about what we put in our skin because our skin and just everything it's a living breathing I mean I'm just really glad about the education component of it too and really being like you went the mile that testing and everything like that.
25:46
Yeah and you know, especially new I think, also this generation is very of healthier products and healthier eating and they would just you know also one of the things that we are doing, we have sustainability on our board as well and you know, we are just embracing that and we're just really excited as we expand to really cover everything philanthropic and sustainability with this brand. So things are very important thing for obviously for us. In particular we're serving our customers but our community and really the world. So that's why I say that we gave a lot of thought to the questions and product itself and also the way that we're delivering it.
26:33
Wow, I did ask you what was coming next but before we end our conversation, is there something you want to leave us off? With that maybe we can look forward to or just, you know, anything you want to share before we finish this?
26:48
So I think you know I'm so excited as a person who is philanthropic advisor and legacy strategist and I work with so many wonderful, incredible individuals and nonprofits and I'm so happy to bring this to the world to be able to also impact a community and work with nonprofits and incredible individuals as well. So for that, I would say try the product. I think it's great. If you want to share feedback, I'd love to have feedback. And if you're a nonprofit that is serving these communities that we are looking to help, certainly be in touch and with you know, look into any kind of collaborations that we can do.
27:29
Lori, you are definitely making an impact that is for sure. And you are a complete legacy giver at its own house. It's starting there and you are leaving a legacy for your children. And hopefully this product and there's much more to give and come and I am honored to have met you and I am so excited about all the positive impacts that you leave on your own community. And the world at large. And I'm so happy and looking forward to being part of Raising Junior. Guys, I can't say personally enough about products and what's about to happen, but let's keep moving forward with sustainability. Let's keep moving forward with helping each other, supporting each other and giving back to one another. So thank you, Lori for having me and being part of this process and can't wait.
28:23
Thank you Mara. Thank you so much. This was so much fun to be interviewed, because I haven't done this before. Thank you so much. And thank you to all our listeners. We hope we provided some stories for you to take back and impact your own philanthropic journey. So until next time, thanks again. Thank you. Thank you for joining us, I hope we provided some insights and inspiration that you can use for your own philanthropic journey. You can tune in every week on Wednesdays when new episodes are dropped. We'd love to hear your feedback. So leave a comment and a rating about what you like and what you'd like to hear more about and if you liked the episode today, make sure to share it to raise awareness about the story to inspire other women to take action. I'm Lori Kranczer and until next time, you can make a positive impact through philanthropy every day. Thanks for listening.