Start a business with your baby

Shawn Hazen is a Chicago-based designer whom I’ve never met, but I have been emailing with his wife Lisa ever since she became a rookie mom. When she told me last month that her husband and their rookie baby Finn, now three, started a t-shirt company, I developed a crush on him. I think this creative family business is totally awesome, and I would like my husband to start a rock band with Julian, stat.

Three-year old Finn Hazen loves robots, and came up with the name for the company, Robotcha. He also comes up with many of the ideas for new robot designs. “That explains why many of them involve ice cream,” Shawn says.

They sent us two t shirts to show off their new stuff. Julian got to keep one and gave one to Holden for his birthday. Here Julian is, ready to go to Holden’s party, gift in hand.

“Doesn’t it ruin the gift, if Julian is wearing the shirt already?” my husband asked. “Holden is turning four,” I said. “I doubt he’ll notice what Julian is wearing, and if he does admire it, all the better when he opens his gift.”

Julian LOVES his Robotcha shirt because it’s glittery and it sparkles, and he is a glittery type of guy. I caught him admiring his tshirt’s reflection in the side of the car the other day. He was transfixed. I wish I could have videotaped it for the Hazens.

If you have a preschooler in your house, know that you have a fountain of creativity just waiting to be exploited. Make some money off your kid’s fresh ideas before they get watered down by reality.

To see Finn and Shawn’s entire collection, including some girl-friendly designs, visit Robotcha-Co.com.