Fresno-based entrepreneur Berlyn Haughton is the inventor and CEO behind the innovative baby product, The Table Tyke. As a busy mother of two active young boys, Berlyn conceived of the idea for The Table Tyke over lunch with her mother and infant son. Frustrated by her baby constantly hitting his mouth on the table and putting his teething gums on dirty surfaces, Berlyn saw a need for a baby-safe placemat that could prevent these issues.
After extensive searching, she was unable to find any placemats on the market that solved this common problem for parents. Determined to create a solution, Berlyn used her experience as a project manager in the corporate world to develop a patented placemat with a clever bumper design that hooks over table edges. This prevents babies from bumping their mouths and contains messes, while also providing a clean surface for teething babies to gum.
Bringing The Table Tyke to Market
With her husband’s encouragement, Berlyn launched The Table Tyke in October 2020 after finding a manufacturer and finalizing the innovative bumper design. As a self-funded startup, Berlyn utilized an unconventional marketing approach focused heavily on TikTok to build brand awareness and an audience. She created fun, relatable videos showcasing The Table Tyke’s benefits. Her very first TikTok went viral overnight, garnering over 100,000 views. This explosion in interest resulted in hundreds of orders flooding in within days.
Since then, Berlyn has continued leveraging TikTok to market her product, with 1 in 10 videos gaining millions of views and attention. The Table Tyke’s social media presence has been crucial for growing a loyal customer base extending far beyond Berlyn’s local Fresno community. The brand now ships orders nationally and internationally.
The Table Tyke Product Line
The Table Tyke’s original placemat features a bumper edge made of flexible, dishwasher-safe silicone that neatly contains messes. The bottom of the placemat has a non-slip grip to prevent sliding. After use, the placemat rolls up with a hook-and-loop closure for compact storage and portability.
Beyond just mealtimes, the versatile placemat provides a clean workspace for activities like art, play dough, and more. It protects tables and contains spills during messy toddler play. The Table Tyke placemats are BPA-free, non-toxic, and conform to FDA standards for food safety.
Due to the success of her original product, Berlyn recently expanded The Table Tyke line. She now offers an extra-large XL mat designed for bigger projects like crafting, painting, baking, and homework. With nearly double the surface area, the XL mat provides ample messy-proof workspace.
The Table Tyke: Parent-Tested and Toddler-Approved
As a busy mother herself, Berlyn designed The Table Tyke to solve real parenting problems using her own experiences as inspiration. Her innovative product combines function and safety to give parents one less thing to stress about. As evidenced by The Table Tyke’s quick success and rave reviews, Berlyn tapped into an unmet need in the baby product marketplace.
Driven by firsthand insight into modern parenting, Berlyn bootstrapped a thriving business that is disrupting the status quo. The Table Tyke’s smart design and viral social media marketing offer an inspirational case study for aspiring mompreneurs. Berlyn’s real-world understanding of parental needs allowed her to create something truly unique that solves frustrations faced by moms and dads everywhere.
