Business idea from trying to get her child to read

When Margo Redfern’s mom was giving advice as to what it takes to run a successful business, “It really comes down to God and Oprah, and I’m going to contact both of them.” Margo started her company Flatten Me in August 2007. The product is a book that makes the child the star, featuring custom pictures and interjections of the child’s name. As a mother of four, Redfern was always looking for a way to get her children to read. Her husband shot some pictures of his daughter sucking on a gobstopper and turned it into a book. The child showed the book to everyone and took up reading. This inspired Redfern to start her homebased business creating custom books. She says she spent five times what she initially planned getting the company up and running – hiring graphics designers, creating her website, producing the book, getting PR in place so that you and I hear about her books. Looks like her Public Relations people are doing a fine job, Flatten Me hasn’t been in business for even a year, and they have had dozens of magazines and news journals review her product. Even celebrities like Marcia Gay Harden and Reese Witherspoon have her books. Did I mention this lady is a mother of FOUR???