Finding a perfect Little Fish for us takes a lot of work. We often have friends send us ideas and, believe us, we look into them. But what exactly are we looking for? Well, we want something special that our customers will absolutely HAVE to have!
We do have some criteria. First, it can’t be sold in every Walmart or Target in the country. We also want them to be small enough that they actually need a bit of help. While there are some great products out there, if we see them in every single gift shop from Maine to California, they are doing fine without us. The product needs to appeal to more than just one region. Really, who has heard of an Irish potato candy if you aren’t from the New Jersey area?
We also love to find companies who have a good story to tell. We like to introduce the mom who was stuck at home during covid and came up with her new business after just having a baby. Or the guy who wanted to help his brother with chronic back pain. Maybe you’ve seen the artist who needed to pivot during covid or the woman who wants to help the environment. Their stories matter to us. We do like to have made in America to support small business at home. The products need to be special. Who wants to buy something from us that you can find 20 different version of at any store? Not a requirement, but we have also found that when you find a person who is passionate about their product, it helps get everyone excited. Honestly, haven’t found someone yet who isn’t making something they think is special. Of course, they must be able to ship all over the country in a fairly expedient way. We get that the same person is wearing all the hats, so you won’t be getting it the next day most of the time. But we do ask for reasonable times. No one plans 4 weeks in advance for something. Environmentally friendly or a company that gives back also get big thumbs up from the team.
Now that you know, get out there and start sending us great ideas for Little Fish! We’d love to see what you find!
