There was something in the water, as the saying goes.
Lots of women were pregnant in Midland, Texas during the 80’s. It was… er …fertile ground for my entrepreneurial business , Rent a Bear Signs.
There was a similar business in town that used the shape of a stork, but sporting language to which I took exception. The other baby announcements signs proclaimed that “It’s a Boy”, or “It’s a Girl”.
I didn’t like that. I adapted my signs accordingly.
It was a grand little business, low on overhead, high on profit, and lots of smiles all around. I no longer do the business, Tucson being too large a city and spread out to be conducive to efficiency, but it’s such a great idea that I wanted to put it out there for people who might be in the right place to do it effectively.
I still think it was something in the water…
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Here is the premise for the business:
A lady is in the hospital having a baby. Friends decide to do something special and festive for when baby and new mommy arrive home. They call Rent a Bear.
The excited friends tell me the gender of the baby, I pop an appropriate Bear in the trunk of my car, and drive to the given address where the new baby will soon arrive.
I hammer the stakes in the ground in the front yard, making sure to miss the sprinkler systems*, and place the appropriate bear on the stakes for all to see.
I dodge excited neighbors** who are asking questions and drive home.
A check comes in the mail the following day.
One week later, I return to the address to collect the Rent a Bear.
They tell their pregnant friends how cute the Bear was on the lawn the day they came home from the hospital.
Their friends call me.
I make money.
*Important Note… Make sure to miss the sprinkler system.
**Very Important Note… Make sure the sign is in the correct yard.
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Creating the business:
If you can paint a flat piece of wood, aren’t afraid of power tools, and can drive, this is an easy business to start up. After the initial cash outlay for the wood and paint and hardware, the business proves a big profit margin, and very little labor.
I bought a jigsaw ( I wanted a jigsaw, and the Bears were the excuse ) and 2 sheets of 3/4 inch veneered plywood. I bought white, pink, blue, and dark grey paint.
The biggest challenge for me was figuring how to make the bears stand up. The best solution seemed to be metal stakes hammered into the ground, and each bear attached to the stakes with four big U bolts. If you click on the Girl Bear and make the picture bigger, you can see the shadow of the ends of the U bolt on the leg on the left, camouflaged in the gray paint spots. There were 4 bolts on each Bear, 2 for each stake, top and bottom.
Living in oilfield country, I used sucker rod for the stakes. I started with wooden stakes, but they disintegrated quickly, trying to hammer them into west Texas caliche . I had a welder friend cut 3 foot lengths of rod for the stakes, and I painted them white to match the Bears.
I made 4 bears to start, two of each gender, just in case somebody had twins. I drew the bears to fit two on a sheet of plywood, and made each bear a size that would fit in my car trunk, which was how I was going to deliver them.
I cut the outline of the bear shapes with the jigsaw, sanded, primed and painted the Bears front and back, two coats and extra around the edges. Then I painted on the grey and pink and blue ‘arty’ parts and the lettering. The backsides of the bears are equally as cute as the front, with their little tails, and chubby arms slung over the heart.
I advertised with single sheet fliers with drawings of the Bears, price and a phone number. I put the fliers on bulletin boards in local stores, and asked at the local baby store if I could display a flier there. After a few rentals, word of mouth took over.
I charged $15. for three days. Girlfriends would often go in together on the price, so it was a fun few dollars for them to spend for a welcome home surprise for the new parents. They would often embellish the bears with balloons and ribbons.
I kept an accurate calendar of when and where I delivered a bear, and when it was to be picked up.
Contact information for the people paying for the rental was essential. Renters would put a check in the mail the day they called me. In Midland, when people said they put a check in the mail, it meant a check was in the mail. I was only stiffed once in many, many years. I can’t say I recommend allowing payment after the fact now. Payment upon delivery seems the best way.
It was very important that I be able to deliver the Bears on a moments notice. People didn’t often plan for a Bear sign ahead of time, and my ability and willingness to be spontaneous really assured that I could get a bear out and working for me.
I had plans for Birthday Bears, using the same shape and format, but with a birthday cake drawn in place of the heart. This business idea has lots of room for creativity.
It was a fun way to make a few extra dollars every week, and I always had a bear or two out doing their job.
This link, Flamingoed, gives a good idea of how this type business is operating today. In my opinion, the prices being charged are prohibitive and excessive. Underpricing your competition in this business would be easy.
Leslie
PS And don’t forget to figure into your price point for my Good Idea, 2% Net To Me. 
