Lauren Shapiro and Matthew Mittleman know firsthand about the excitement and fears of parenthood. Now, the married couple – who are Baltimore natives and parents of almost 2-year-old Lexi — are hoping their new company, CollapseAndGo, alleviates some of those anxieties for parents.
“Parenting isn’t easy, especially when your child is screaming and you have to search through a bag of stuff,” says Shapiro, 31, a real estate agent who lives in Pikesville. “If we can make parents’ lives a little less stressful, we have done our job.”
CollapseAndGo will launch its 35-day Kickstarter campaign on April 16 featuring the company’s flagship products — the patented Collapsabottle and Collapsacup, baby bottles and sippy cups that collapse into the size of a hockey puck.
“Small is best,” says Shapiro, who is expecting her second child this summer. “These days, everything is compact. The idea behind the products is they take up less space and are just as useful without being as bulky. Having a young child, we are in the market to actually use the product we created.”
The Collapsabottle and Collapsacup hold 8 ounces of liquid yet are smaller than the 4-ounce bottles on the market. They are made of food-grade silicon to prevent cracking and staining, are tip-proof, dishwasher-safe and stack one on top of another for storage. Four stacked Collapsabottles equal the size of one standard-size bottle.
“Having a Collapsible bottle and sippy cup was the main idea, but then we sat down and looked at what other problems this product could solve,” Shapiro says. “I noticed that when buying a product for Lexi, different products had different benefits. We want to make this the best bottle and sippy cup on the market.”
Once a baby graduates from bottle to sippy cup, parents can purchase the sippy cup accessories, which include a new nipple and handle.
“Because you don’t have to buy a whole new sippy cup, you are really saving money,” Shapiro says. “Bottles and sippy cups range in price from about $7.99 to $24.99, and we will make this bottle competitive in the current market. We want to save parents money while making their lives easier with a bottle and sippy cup all in one.”
Another added benefit to the Collapsabottle is it’s shaped like mom, which can make the transition from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding that much easier. Additionally, the bottle can collapse as the baby is drinking, eliminating excess air consumption.
“From my experience, having less air intake helps with colic and gas,” says Shapiro. “Current bottles try and eliminate that issue with excess pieces and vents. Back in the day, bottles had plastic bags and parents would squeeze the air out that way. Collapsing the bottle while a baby is drinking essentially does that, without all the extra parts.”
Shapiro and Mittleman — who first met in nursery school at the Owings Mills Jewish Community Center and have been together for 10 years — came up with the concept for CollapseAndGo last May while vacationing in Europe with Lexi.
“During our trip, Lauren would ask me to get an item out of the diaper bag, and it would always be the smallest thing at the bottom of the bag,” recalls Mittleman, 31, a health care consultant. “I would have to dump everything out and noticed we had tons of empty bottles and sippy cups because Lexi would drink them throughout the day. That’s when I asked her why we didn’t bring collapsible bottles, and she said they didn’t exist.”
With that single question, as well as the help of a silent investor, CollapseAndGo was born.
“We are on-the-go parents and like to take Lexi everywhere,” says Mittleman. “Throughout our vacation, we really saw the need for this product and it was something we wished we had.”
For Mittleman, an added bonus is that when collapsed, the bottles and sippy cups fit right into his pocket, meaning he no longer needs to bring a bag going out with his daughter.
“I don’t like carrying diaper bags,” says Mittleman. “I can leave diapers and wipes in my car but I always have to have milk, water or food in case Lexi gets hungry. This bottle is something I can easily put in my pocket when she’s done drinking, and that’s why I’m so passionate about the idea. It feels no different than having my wallet in my pocket.”
Nearly a year after conception, the Collapsabottle and Collapsacup are about to become a reality. A Facebook video introduced last month has had more than 25,000 views and hundreds of shares, marking the start of the family’s entrepreneurial journey.
“If you truly believe in something, go for it,” says Mittleman. “Creating CollapseAndGo has been a lot of fun, but it’s hard work. It’s our days, nights and weekends. You have to do your due diligence by talking to as many people in the business and gathering as much information as possible. This product means the world to me, and the support of our community has been everything to us.”
For other entrepreneurs with a dream, Shapiro advises, “Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who own successful, multi-million dollar companies. They were once in your shoes, just starting out. They have a plethora of information, and we have found they get excited talking to people who come from similar backgrounds who are now just starting out.”
For information, visit collapseandgo.com.
Aliza Friedlander is a Baltimore-based freelance writer.
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