“Generations have grown up believing in the American Dream—that optimism and hard work will eventually pay off. That’s how author Adrienne Alitowski approached the invention and marketing of her product blankyclip—a cute, useful toy to keep stroller blankets in place. What began as a bright idea turned nightmarish in the face of corporate realities and a global recession. With winning humor and refreshing candor, Alitowski spins a universal cautionary tale about what is and what isn’t in our control. And ultimately, what really matters.”
-Sheri Holman, Best-Selling Author of The Dress Lodger and Screenwriter for Longmire.
When former actress turned momtrepreneur Adrienne Alitowski first ventured into motherhood, she had no idea the adventures it would come with. From sleepless nights with a newborn to inventing and launching a brand new baby product in stores across the nation, Alitowski knew her story as a new mom, and small business owner was unique.
In her bestselling memoir, Clipped: A mom invents a way to hold herself together just as the world is falling apart, Alitowski takes her readers on an emotional, humorous, and relatable journey through the most transformational moments in her life.
Clipped starts with the birth of Adrienne’s son, Eli. She explains that he was a baby who would “only sleep whenever he was on the go.” His eyes were covered, so needless to say; she was constantly pushing a stroller while attempting to keep a blanket expertly positioned over Eli’s stroller.
Alitowski expresses her frustration about the constant adjustments the blanket needed to stay over her son’s eyes to keep him asleep. Desperate for her baby to get some much-needed sleep and for her to get some sleep herself, Alitowski scoured the internet for something that would hold a blanket to a stroller to find nothing that met safety requirements and aesthetics.
“If I could buy so much of what I needed (and so much more that I didn’t) to make this mommy gig go smoothly, why couldn’t I buy a clip that was safe for babies and could keep the darn blanket from falling off the stroller,” she writes.
After searching for days, she realized that the product didn’t exist… yet.
On a Tuesday in February, while taking her son on a walk, Alitowski realized that just because she couldn’t find the product, that didn’t mean she couldn’t invent it.
From that mindset, the idea for blankyclip was born, and an expedition toward production kicked off. An expedition that would bring severe discussions of licensing, sales channels, utility patents, and business plans, spanning the United States and across the world in Hong Kong and China.
Alitowski recounts her experiences with trying to get blankyclip produced, rejection from potential buyers, and what it was like to be the “little guy” during the Great Recession of 2008. Her pain and frustration are palpable through the words she has carefully chosen to fill her memoir.
Clipped is an honest story filled with contagious passion and fierce determination to produce a product that will make parents’ lives easier. Throughout her memoir, Alitowski expresses her emotions, triumphs, and struggles candidly, which has drawn a diverse audience of all ages to the pages of Clipped.
Clipped: A mom invents a way to hold her life together just as the world falls apart is available to shop on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.