People frequently take stock and ask themselves, "What's missing in my life?" For Erin Moffatt the answer to that question was, one day: humorous, inoffensive and pretty art for her bathroom. Unable to find anything on the market that quite suited her needs, Erin decided to take the matter into her own creative hands. And thus was born Poop Heart. All images featured on Poop Heart products, which range from greeting cards to baby clothes, are designed and hand drawn by Erin then created using mixed media. The result is, in our opinion, spot on!
And yes, there is a pooping dog available! IN FACT: Erin has been super duper pooper scooper awesome enough to GIVE AWAY not only an 8x10 signed dog pooping print but also a set of 10 Poop Heart greeting cards: five elephants and five unicorns. Dog print and greeting cards shown in pictures below. And details for entering the giveaway included at the end of this post.
Naturally, in addition to running this giveaway, we needed to get to know a little bit more about this unique project (especially after we found out that Erin donates a percentage of proceeds to a very worthy charity...)
BBS: So you create poop-themed art that is amusing and surprisingly aesthetically pleasing. Quite the niche! What inspired you to start doing this?
EM: It all started when I was looking for some funny art for my bathroom but I couldn't find anything I liked. I wanted something that would make you smile but still be pretty to look at and Poop Heart was born. I make each image by hand using recycled paper and then digitize it to create pooptastic products!
BBS: 1 in 3 people don’t have access to a toilet. That is one of several incredible and awful facts that we learned from you regarding safe water and sanitation around the world. Please tell us more about how you became involved with CAWST and what they’re doing to improve our world.
EM: The lack of toilets and sanitation is such a huge global concern however no one seems to know about it. It is unfathomable to think that HALF of the world's population live without clean water and basic sanitation. Poop Heart is changing that by bringing awareness to this using humour; one pooping animal at a time. I was looking to support a charity that was involved in water AND toilets and *tada* CAWST; Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology was the perfect fit. Poop Heart is proud to donate 10% of all proceeds to CAWST.
CAWST works with organisations around the world and provides them with the skills, knowledge and training to empower local communities to build and maintain sustainable water and sanitation systems. By working with the existing local organisations, this is how CAWST has been able to reach 13.1 million people in 82 countries since 2001. And they are currently ranked #3 in the top 25 charities in Canada!
BBS: In making PoopHeart what have been your greatest challenges along the way (in the creative process, explaining it to people, etc.)?
EM: The biggest challenge was myself! I almost didn't create this company because I was worried about what other people would think. Then I decided screw it I'm doing it anyways. I'm a mechanical engineer who loves math and spreadsheets so making pooping art was out of my comfort zone to say the least. When I was first sourcing vendors to manufacture my products I had a lot of confused looks. One owner told me: "You're an engineer and this is what you are doing? What a waste of your degree.". Poop Heart will not appeal to everyone but there is a wonderfully quirky set of people in the world who appreciate humour in unexpected ways and that's my target. Plus any parent who has changed a diaper. :)
BBS: Are you in any brick and mortar locations or have any plans to be? Any plans to take the world by a shit storm with an appearance on Shark Tank or other program?
I just finished a successful Kickstarter campaign and I'm using the funds to order inventory so that I can start selling online at poopheart.com. I am also looking at featuring my products in stores and coffee shops so I'm open to partnerships. Starbucks I have some awesome mugs you would love. Call me!
Mark Burnett is launching a new entrepreneur show and my company was of interest but they decided to use only American businesses for the first season. No hard feelings but if you change your mind... Call me!
The best part about Poop Heart is the options are limitless. I will continue to design more pooping animals and add products. I currently sell baby onesies and kids clothing but they can't have all the fun so stay tuned for adult clothing coming soon!
BBS: When you aren’t creating PoopHeart artwork what can you be found doing in your spare time?
EM: Besides math and spreadsheets, I am a mountain girl! I love anything involving the mountains from biking and hiking to skiing during Canada's long long winters.
BBS: And now for a funny story. We love ending interviews by hearing the funniest thing that has happened to you in the process of creating and working with this business. When dealing with poop … there’s always bound to be something! Please share.
EM: My favourite story is from a friend of mine who bought the pooping unicorn print for her 5 year old daughter's room. One day she came home from work and her daughter proudly showed her a new drawing she made... a cow pooping hearts! For the record I haven't made a pooping cow yet so that was all her artistic creation! Poop Heart is already infiltrating the minds of the next generation... which means more people passionate about poop and hopefully resulting in everyone across the globe having access clean water and sanitation!
We are so grateful to Erin for sharing her story with us! We know a person or two for whom a Poop Heart piece would be a perfect and unique gift. And we bet you do too ;-) Please visit www.poopheart.com to see the full line of Erin's products. You can also like Poop Heart on Facebook. And if you are interested in supporting CAWST in its mission to create a world where people have the opportunity to succeed because their basic water and sanitation needs have been met you can take action by visiting their site here.
To be eligible to WIN the dog print and the greeting cards please go to Big Business Scoopers' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bigbusinessscoopers/. The giveaway will be pinned at the top of the page while it is running. Simply like that post by 9PM EST on Thursday, September 15, 2016 to enter! U.S. residents only. Good luck!