Company Background
Tarragon Creative, Inc. was founded in San Diego, CA, by pediatric occupational therapist Margaret (Maggie) Teske to bring her invention — a handheld, breath-activated sensory toy — to children and families. Designed for children ages three and older, the product helps kids practice calm breathing in a fun, screen-free way.
Situation
When Maggie began working with Roadmap 4 Innovation (R4I) in May 2026, she had a promising prototype but lacked a clear path to manufacturing a sellable product. As a solo founder with a clinical background, she needed guidance on supplier selection, tooling, production costs, minimum order quantities, safety requirements, and design for manufacturing. Concerns about protecting her intellectual property and committing to a substantial initial order added to her hesitation. She needed a production strategy that balanced safety, quality, and affordability while supporting her goal of introducing the product at an occupational therapy conference in April 2027.
Solution
Through the California Roadmap for Small Manufacturers (CRSM) Program, R4I paired Maggie with a subject matter expert from their carefully curated Delivery Network for weekly coaching. R4I’s SME helped Maggie navigate the manufacturing process; identify potential manufacturers and sourcing partners; and compare domestic, nearshore, overseas, and hybrid production options. Together, they developed cost models to evaluate tooling, testing, production deposits, and per-unit costs, helping Maggie assess the financial trade-offs of different production volumes.
The R4I SME also helped Maggie explore product testing and safety requirements, design considerations for durability and cleanability, and steps to protect intellectual property when sharing product information. They prepared targeted questions and supplier communications to clarify pricing, packaging, payment terms, and production timelines. By breaking complex decisions into manageable next steps, the coaching helped Maggie communicate more confidently with engineers, factories, and testing labs and move toward an initial production commitment.
Results
With R4I’s support, Tarragon Creative, Inc. progressed from uncertainty about approaching manufacturers to obtaining quotes from four manufacturing partners and selecting a path for its first production run. Maggie identified a manufacturer to produce the first 1,000 units and established clear manufacturing priorities: safety, durability, cleanability, affordability, and a realistic initial production volume.
Maggie plans to have the units ready for the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) annual conference in April 2027, where she has reserved a table to introduce the product, sell inventory, and build demand among occupational therapists. While production and market launch remain ahead, Tarragon Creative now has a clearer manufacturing roadmap and a founder better equipped to make informed decisions as the business moves toward commercialization.
