Today we are celebrating Beth Benike as our Entrepreneur of the Day! Beth founded the company Busy Baby.
It was a typical lunch outing for new moms—babies in tow, toys flying, and food falling. For Beth Benike, née Beth Fynbo, this wasn’t just another messy mealtime. It was the moment inspiration struck. She’d just had her first child and quickly realized there was no product on the market that solved a very real problem for parents: keeping babies’ toys off the floor while dining out.
She searched Amazon, expecting a ready-made solution, but what she found were only partial fixes, cheap placemats or pacifier tethers. There was nothing that combined suctioned placemat functionality with secure toy straps. That same day, on her way to work, Beth envisioned a better product. She began cutting and gluing materials together to create a prototype of what would later become the Busy Baby Mat.
Beth had no experience in product development or starting a business. What she did have was a relentless work ethic, a military-honed mindset, and a belief that if something needs doing, you figure out how to do it. She had served over a decade in the U.S. Army, learning languages, earning a top-secret security clearance, and deploying to Iraq alongside her brother Eric. These experiences shaped her into someone unafraid of challenges, even when the path ahead was unclear.
When Beth shared her prototype with a fellow mom, the feedback was immediate and powerful—her friend said the product was indispensable. That was the moment Beth knew this idea was worth pursuing.
Driven by determination, Beth began building her business piece by piece. She entered pitch competitions, signed up for every entrepreneur class she could find, and surrounded herself with mentors. Through sheer hustle, she won over $100,000 in competition prize money and got accepted into Bunker Labs, a nonprofit that supports veteran entrepreneurs.
Beth launched Busy Baby officially in early 2019 and shipped her first 100 orders herself. By 2020, she had secured her second patent and reached out to Shark Tank, a connection she had initially made a year prior. Despite just giving birth to her second child, she submitted an audition video and landed a spot on the show.
Beth flew to Las Vegas under strict COVID protocols, quarantined for eight days, and pitched her product to the Sharks. She spent nearly an hour discussing her invention, sales, and vision for Busy Baby. While she received an offer from Lori Greiner, Beth ultimately declined. Lori wanted to license the hero product and sit back; Beth wanted a partner to help scale and grow her brand globally.
It was a bold decision, but Beth was building something bigger than a single product. She was building a brand.
Beth’s brother Eric joined the business full-time shortly after Shark Tank, leaving behind a stable career to help scale Busy Baby. Their father even lent a hand by clearing out his 5,000-square-foot welding shop so they could store inventory. The timing was serendipitous. On the day they moved in the new inventory, Beth got an email: Busy Baby would air on Shark Tank on March 5.
The emotional moment was shared over pizza with her dad and brother, marking a milestone that validated years of hard work and high-risk decisions. When the episode aired, sales surged. But instead of resting on their success, the team continued innovating, launching five new products within the next year.
Busy Baby quickly grew into a national brand with over nine patents and a thriving e-commerce presence. Beth and Eric built their Minnesota-based company into a multi-product brand, adding teething spoons, mini mats, and more to their catalog.
But success didn’t come without setbacks. In 2024, the company was blindsided when the U.S. government imposed a 145% tariff on their products manufactured in China. This unexpected move jeopardized their ability to import already-paid-for inventory, threatening the company’s survival.
Beth faced the harsh reality: without revenue from product sales, they couldn’t pay employees, service loans, or even cover her own salary. With her house on the line, personally guaranteed against business loans, she made a public plea for support.
Many suggested simply moving production stateside, but Beth explained the obstacles. U.S. silicone manufacturing infrastructure is limited, startup costs are astronomical, and there’s a serious expertise gap. Shifting production would take nearly a year and cost upwards of $800,000, money the company doesn’t currently have. Even importing the necessary machinery would be hit with the same massive tariffs.
Despite these challenges, Busy Baby is exploring every avenue: domestic manufacturing partnerships, international distribution, and innovative business models.
Beyond business, Busy Baby is rooted in values of service, family, and community. As a certified Disabled Veteran and Woman-Owned business, Beth and Eric proudly support Operation Shower, a nonprofit that throws baby showers for military families facing deployment. For them, supporting other parents, especially those in the armed forces, is personal.
When asked if she had any advice for women who want to start their own business, Beth said, “It’s never too late to chase a dream. I had my first son when I turned 40 and my second at 43. I spent 10 years in the army and 10 years in corporate America before starting my own business. While things are chaotic and very hard right now I don’t have any regrets about taking that leap and I have faith that I’ll get through this.”
Today, Busy Baby isn’t just surviving, it’s fighting to keep its mission alive. With a strong brand, a loyal customer base, and an inspiring origin story, the company is working tirelessly to overcome the challenges posed by an unpredictable trade environment.
Beth Benike’s story is proof that grit, innovation, and family can build something incredible from the ground up—even in the face of overwhelming odds. What started as a simple idea during lunch with friends is now a beloved brand helping parents everywhere enjoy mealtime a little more.
