2020 Earnie Awards Winner – Gifts: Mud Pie

Gifts

Mud Pie

Est. 1988

Marcia Miller, CEO

First paying job: Junior executive program at Jordan Marsh

Pet peeve: Negativity

Most coveted dinner guest: Oprah Winfrey

Hobbies: Playing with my grandson, growing flowers, anything related to dogs, shopping, entertaining, hiking and Pilates

Go-to quarantine snack: Skinny Pop and PB2

Last book you read: The Wheels on the Bus—my grandson’s favorite!

Last movie you watched: Fauda

Personal motto: Failure is not an option. Put on your big girl panties and deal with it!

One fact few people know about you: I have a permanently disabled arm as the result of being hit by a dump truck in 2017.

The Pivot We came into the season with fresh, new products that resonated with retailers and their customers. We were disciplined in getting inventory in early, so we would be ready to ship. When COVID-19 hit, we were determined to remain open. Our senior leadership team was in the office daily, our warehouse remained functional, and we transitioned the balance of our workforce to a work-from-home model.  Our ability to support our retailers and ship fresh new goods was essential for the stores that needed to replenish their inventory.

The Dream Team Our main focus has been employee health and safety, so our HR team devised creative solutions for safety and cleaning protocols. We continue to do daily temperature checks and health screenings for all teammates. In addition, to help spark joy around the office, our team members started bringing their fur babies to work this year. We had several new quarantine puppies join the team, and they continue to lift our spirits each day!

It’s Personal Our Kids Gift category stood out to retailers because of the ingenuity we put into all of our products. With many young mothers and new grandparents at Mud Pie, we have a true connection to what resonates with children. Our interactive books harness the power of reading to a child. They are all written and illustrated by our in-house author and design team. Our plush play sets and wooden toys are designed with specialty retailers in mind, offering them unique options that are not available elsewhere. The amount of newness that our design team brought to the table in 2020 is truly remarkable, and I am even more excited about our 2021 launches.