My passion has always been making a difference for young children. A decade ago, I invented my first toy – RC Color Bug. With the Color Bug, children can create art by using a radio controlled bug with a marker snapped into place. I obtained the patent for radio controlled art and was a featured guest on Oprah’s Next Big Idea in 2007. It was a great experience but my real passion is to make an even bigger impact.
Since then, I launched Saving Soup, an animated show for 3-6 year olds. Saving Soup is the imaginary origin stories of inventions we use every day set in a mythical world. My intention in building this brand is to teach children that failure is not a bad thing but just a part of the creative process and that everything we use was born to solve a problem.
In June 2020, I founded a group for entrepreneur women on facebook – Entrepreneur Women Unified – that offers an inclusive place for all women to speak freely and feel safe. This group has inspired me to help women who need the support system they need that I was lucky enough to have.
Now, I’m working my way into the world of publishing. Coming September 2023, Gwen Austin Studios will launch our first book, Scarback, written by my dad.
As always with entrepreneurs, there are many darts in the air. Let’s see which one of them are going to stick!
WHAT’S BEHIND THE NAME OF THE COMPANY?
While it is no surprise that the founder of Gwen Austin Studios is… Gwen Austin. What very few people know is that the company is not exactly named after the founder. The company was named in honor of the woman who shared her name, Gwen’s Grandmother, Gwen Austin. During her childhood, Gwen lived in the same home with her Grandma. While her Grandmother was mistakenly invited to play dates and Gwen managed to crash more than one ice cream date with Grandpa, the one thing that stood true is that they loved sharing the name.
Those were the days of Publishers Clearing House Mailers. When the mailers arrived, Grandma would hand it to Gwen to open with the promise that they would split the million dollar prize. They never did win but Gwen promised that one day their name would be “up in lights”.
Gwen Austin Studios was named to keep Gwen’s promise to her Grandma and to keep her legacy alive.
