February 12, 2009 Issue
Yo! Show Me The Dough!
Banner Elk Family Makes and Markets Very Own Brand of Organic Molding Dough
YoHoHo Dough is an organic molding dough kit that was developed by the Palm Family of Banner Elk. The product is now on sale throughout the High Country and online at www.yohohodough.com.
The Palm family of Banner Elk is becoming local celebrities of sorts, thanks to their giving spirit and their new product called YoHoHo Dough that’s been hitting shelves all over the High Country and beyond.
Last Valentine’s Day, the family decided to make gifts for all their classmates by concocting a homemade play version of Play-Doh. Using a recipe they found online, the family made dough hearts and passed them out at school with the message, “Have a heart, from Chase and Preston.”
Then Holly Palm’s phone started ringing off the hook and the mother of two was astonished.
“The dough ended up being a huge success among not only his classmates, but their parents too,” said Palm on her blog. “We were soon bombarded with calls for the recipe. I was delighted to share and even more encouraged that parents still want to do fun activities with their kids.”
Parents were amazed at the quality of the dough and wanted to know where they could find it. Palm happily passed on the recipe and joked with her son about selling the dough. Chase loved the idea of having their very own product and started pondering the possibilities.
A few days later on the way to soccer practice, Chase told his mother the plan: the product would be a do-it-yourself kit called YoHoHo Dough and the logo would feature he and his brother Preston on the label dressed as pirates. He also informed his mother during their first impromptu business meeting that making the dough was just as much as actually playing with it, thus the idea of a kit.
“My eldest son, Chase, has always had a very strong entrepreneurial and generous spirit,” said Palm.
In a matter of weeks, the Palm family’s Valentine activity turned into a business venture with a 10 year old at the helm. Holly, who had recently sold her advertising business in the family’s former home of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, poured herself into the business of getting YoHoHo Dough on shelves and in homes.
“It’s so unique and different that it’s never been on shelves,” said Palm. “As far as we know, after lots of research, this is the only kit on the market.”
According to Palm, YoHoHo Dough kits, which contain enough ingredients for four pounds of dough, are certified organic. The ingredients have been chosen specifically for their lack of chemical preservatives, additives, pesticides and other things that would make the dough unsafe for children.
Palm also contends that the product has a smoother feel than that of other similar products and will stay hydrated longer, and won’t ruin your carpet.
“It’s really a very versatile product,” said Palm. “I’m real happy about the way it’s taken off.”
After months of developing packaging, trade marking the product, setting up the website and blog and ironing out various other new business wrinkles, the first finished kits of YoHoHo Dough hit stores in December. The kits are available in several locations in Banner Elk and can also be found at Green Mother Goods in Boone. Palm said that Mast General Store agreed to begin carrying the product this spring.
In recent weeks, the Palms have hit the road with their product, attending trade shows, knocking on the doors of local businesses and trying to develop a buzz through their website. While she planned to go by herself to one of the recent shows, Chase, now 11, put his foot down just before one of his mother’s recent trips.
“He got in the car and said, ‘I’m going to this trade show. It’s my product,’” said Palm.
Palm said that her son has proven to be a natural salesman, chatting up customers and making sales. Regardless of whether or not their product takes off and becomes a widespread success, the mother of two is just thrilled that a fun family activity has proven to be far more educational than she ever expected.
“If nothing else comes of it, he’s learned a lot about what it takes [to start a business],” said Palm.
To learn more about YoHoHo Dough, read the Palm’s blog or purchase a kit, click to www.yohohodough.com.
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