Meet Nicole LaMar of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole LaMar.

Hi Nicole, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started Universal Mobile Bears of Central Ohio in 2019, originally mirroring the original Universal Mobile Bears (New York). I received some mentoring from that business to get started, thought the business are officially unrelated. I started pretty small with a single stuffing machine, making stuffies at birthday parties and small festivals. When COVID hit in 2020 it definitely set back the business and we had to wait out social distancing. Since, then, it’s been growing consistently. We now have three stuffing machines and have stuffed as many as 600 animals in one day. We attend vendor events throughout the year including festivals, gymnastics meets and holiday events. We attend campus events to stuff animals for college students, corporate events, and spend summer mornings at preschools and daycares throughout Ohio stuffing animals for students.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
COVID was definitely the biggest challenge. When people are unable to gather – the business largely had to sit on hold. I was fortunate to have other sources of income during this time.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have worked professionally in a variety of capacities before setting up the business and even now while running the business. Primarily I have worked as a data analyst in higher education and as a talent acquisition expert in various industries. In addition, I have spent time in both the restaurant and travel industries.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
We have recently begun selling and stuffing squishie pillows in addition to the regular plush animals. We will soon be unveiling a new partnership that has been in the works benefitting kids in central Ohio. My goal is to work more with non-profits to bring the animal stuffing experience to disadvantaged children.

Pricing:

• Pricing starts at $14 per animal and increased from there depending on the event and animals selected.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mobilebearscentralohio.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MobileBearsCentralOhio