Former Bronxvillian Lauren Thierry-Watkins Puts Special Needs Clothing Company to the Test on TV
By Staff
Jun. 24, 2015: Independence Day Clothing Company and its wearable tech were put to the test on national television this week when former Bronxvillian Lauren Thierry-Watkins had just 60 seconds to hit up investors for $200,000 during MSNBC's Your Business elevator pitch segment.
Lauren stood before two business experts to explain why her special needs clothing line mantra of "no tags, no zippers, no buttons, no worries" with GPS options fills a void in the apparel and tech space.
How'd she do? Volition Venture Capital managing partner Larry Cheng gave Lauren his first-ever "perfect 10" for Independence Day's concept and product line. Cheng then gave her a 9 on her pitch.
"It's always the way great companies are started," said Cheng to Thierry-Watkins, the mother of a teenager with autism. "You know the problem and you know how to solve it."
Thierry-Watkins also went toe-to-toe on the program with USA Today small business columnist Rhonda Abrams, who offered up an almost perfect 9 on the concept and product--but only a 7 for her pitch. "I didn't hear how you'd use the $200k in your pitch," Abrams commented.
So how would Lauren spend that $200,000? "Make more clothes! We're already going back into our second round of production," she told MyhometownBronxville.
"We'd also spend $50,000 for an aggressive awareness campaign. We need to stop reading those missing-child headlines and give the 20-million-plus disabilities population the independence to dress themselves quickly, fashionably, and comfortably."
Independence Day Clothing Company is a Bronxville-based creation. "The idea for this line came while running up Masterton Road one morning," recalled Thierry-Watkins. "I saw all these nicely turned-out kids walking to school--many unaccompanied by an adult. Two thoughts came to mind: Why can't my son with autism look as well turned-out as these kids; and what can I do to make sure he is safe when a parent is not around?"
By the time her morning jog was over, Independence Day was born.
Pictured here: Lauren Thierry-Watkins being put to the test on MSNBC's Your Business.
Photo courtesy Lauren Thierry-Watkins
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Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
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