Braincandy branches out after starting close to home

What: Braincandy, based in Seattle.

Who: Sam Reich-Dagnen, 42, co-founder and chief executive officer.

What it does: Creates products for infants and young children. Braincandy began with educational DVDs and music CDs, and is branching out to soft toys, puppets, games and possibly a book series.

Employees: 6, not including temporary employees and freelancers.

How it began: Reich-Dagnen and her husband, Johnny Dagnen, had dreamed of being entrepreneurs for years but didn't know where to start. A light bulb went off when they had trouble finding high-quality educational products for their toddler twins. They formed Braincandy in 2004 and used their filmmaking and marketing experience to launch their first DVD by the next year. Their twins continued their support of the business by acting in the videos, all filmed in the Seattle area.

Between spin cycles: The juggling of personal and professional life began in Reich-Dagnen's laundry room, Braincandy's first office. They had to put a hold on laundry while editing the shows. "With two kids, it piled up," she said.

Three years later: Since 2004, Braincandy's products have won 19 awards. Gymboree and Nordstrom stores play its videos, which have had nearly half a million viewers on Comcast's on-demand service.

Financials: Profit is a "blip" right now, Reich-Dagnen said. But launching Braincandy's products with a national retailer this fall may soon remedy that. Reich-Dagnen declined to name the retailer but said it has 550 stores nationwide. The company said in late July that it had raised $1 million from investors.

The vision: Reich-Dagnen hopes Braincandy's products will provide fun for kids and build creativity and independence. "If we're always telling kids what to think, we're not teaching them how to think," she said.

— Bibeka Shrestha