This Mom's Side Hustle Selling a $600 Children's Toy Became a Business Making Over $1 Million a Year: 'There Is a Lot to Love' Shari Raymond, a mother of three, was looking for a specific toy — and was "shocked" when she couldn't find it.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Raymond was inspired to start her side hustle when her son was approaching his first birthday in 2015.
- A decade later, her children's toy brand has grown exponentially — to seven figures — and is on track for its biggest profit yet.
It's the era of the side hustle, and if you've ever considered starting one to earn some extra cash outside of your 9-5, you're in good company. These days, more than one-third of U.S. adults have side hustles, and their supplemental gigs make an average of $891 a month, according to recent research from Bankrate. Of course, the most successful side hustlers see much higher earnings, especially when they start a business that brings in nearly as much as — or significantly more than — their full-time sources of income.
New York City-based entrepreneur Shari Raymond, 39, is one of those side hustlers. Learn more about the business she built on the side, here.
Image Credit: Milton & Goose. Shari Raymond.
What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?
I was a freelance web consultant, working with a few different clients on various components of website strategy.
When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
I got the idea for Milton & Goose in 2015 when my first child was turning one. I wanted to buy him a play kitchen for his birthday, and since it was going to sit in the middle of our living room, I hoped it would blend in with our décor and be made from a high quality wood that would withstand the daily rigors of playtime. Honestly, I was shocked that I couldn't find what I was looking for. Play kitchens were such a popular children's toy, and yet, they were either outdated or made from poor-quality materials that I just knew would end up in the trash in a few years. There appeared to be space in the market for a play kitchen that was high-quality, environmentally friendly and aesthetically beautiful, so I started exploring what it might take to make it.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Milton & Goose
What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?
The very first step I took was picking up a pen and starting to sketch. I had some ideas swirling in my brain about what I wanted it to look like, so I needed to get it on paper. Then I started an exhaustive research phase. Since I was new to product design, I had a steep learning curve to even figure out how one goes about producing a children's toy. I visited the Toy Fair at the Javits Center in New York City, spoke with toy designers and woodworkers and got a really solid idea of what was out there to be sure my product was unique. It took months to find the right manufacturing partner and then a year of prototyping, testing and building to finally bring Milton & Goose to life in the summer of 2017.
Are there any free or paid resources that have been especially helpful for you in starting and running this business?
Absolutely! I'm a huge fan of taking advantage of the free resources available to entrepreneurs. One of the early pieces of advice I got was to connect with a mentor through SCORE. Ultimately, I ended up meeting with multiple mentors at SCORE, the Women's Business Development Center and, eventually, the Small Business Development Center, where I finally found my perfect match. My business mentor through the Connecticut SMDC is still a key advisor for me, and I meet with her weekly.
If you could go back in your side hustle journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you'd done it differently?
Hindsight is always 20/20, so of course there are now so many decisions that I wish I could take back; it's all part of the journey. Probably the one decision that took the biggest toll on my business was when I opened my own manufacturing facility in Connecticut in 2021. I closed it in early 2024 after three years of trying to get it to an efficient place. It turns out opening a manufacturing facility was like starting a second business while still working feverishly on the first one. I took my eye off my core competency. Luckily, I followed this one with a good decision, which was to return all of my manufacturing to my trusted domestic manufacturing partners. Lesson learned!
When it comes to this specific business, what is something you've found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this industry should be prepared for, but likely aren't?
Something I was incredibly naive about when I started was that I thought the toy industry, being an industry focused on children, would be a warm and friendly space. It's not. It's a cutthroat industry, with large players who have no qualms about swooping in to knock off designs and take advantage of smaller brands. There are some absolutely incredible brand leaders in this industry, but you still need to stay savvy and navigate through with a clear vision of what you want out of your products and business.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Milton & Goose
Can you recall a specific instance when something went very wrong — how did you fix it?
In business, as in life, things can go wrong all the time. A few years ago, we discovered that our manufacturer used the wrong measurements when drilling holes in our wooden play kitchen feet, which led to hundreds of feet that couldn't be installed on the base of the play kitchen. Once we identified the problem, we immediately got to work contacting every customer affected and shipped out replacement parts. We organized quickly to address the situation and communicate with each customer, which led to a "something went wrong" blueprint we could follow in the future.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? What does growth and revenue look like now?
Things started slow and steady until our very first holiday season in 2017 when we sold out our inventory multiple times. It was then that I learned that in the toy industry, the fourth quarter is king. We've grown since then: Milton & Goose is a seven-figure business. We have steady revenue through the year, but nothing hits like the fourth quarter, which we now plan for year-round.
Growth was steady before Covid and then really ballooned for us in 2020-2021. That was then followed by supply chain hiccups and shifting market conditions with our retailers, so it hasn't been linear. As our DTC business continues to grow, we're now on track to have one of our most profitable years yet.
What do you enjoy most about running this business?
My favorite part of this business is the creativity. I love getting the opportunity to create new products, solve problems and navigate each stage of the business. We have incredible customers and my team is fabulous, so really there is a lot to love!
Image Credit: Courtesy of Milton & Goose
What is your best piece of specific, actionable business advice?
There is a dizzying amount of advice out there, which on the one hand is amazing because there are so many answers at our fingertips, but it can be overwhelming. My advice, (which is actually advice that was given to me once, so I can't claim credit), would be to tune it all out…for now. Just focus on one thing at a time. At every stage, I've taken a bit of time to get a broad strokes scope of what I need to know, then dove in deep into my next step, putting the future steps on hold until I'm ready to learn more.
Looking for a profitable side hustle but not sure where to start? Money Makers is a free newsletter providing helpful tips, ideas and action items to build your own lucrative venture — delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.
