Sessions at the Intuit, Inc. QuickBooks Connects expo this year catered to a wide range of entrepreneurs, with seminars and shared experiences providing support for the diverse attendees.

One of these many visitors was Lindsey Laurain, founder of ezpz, LLC and its flagship product, the Happy Mat, a silicone placemat and plate, all in one. Speaking with Jeff Frick, cohos of theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, Laurain discussed her business background, the impetus behind ezpz’s formation, and how the expo has served her interests.

Getting a firm grip

Featuring a suction-cup underside “so kids can’t toss their plates and food around,” the Happy Mat was born out of the difficulties Laurain and her husband had at meal-time with their three young sons. Sparked from a moment of exasperation and wishing that someone would come up with a better plate, the business requirements of the Happy Mat’s design, manufacturing and distribution led directly into ezpz’s creation.

Built on a Kickstarter campaign and a concurrent visit to the ABC Kids Expo (a children’s products-focused trade show in the US) to raise awareness of the funding drive, interest in the new product quickly grew, leading to the campaign’s success with more than double the goal. While the initial orders were shipped from the Laurains’ home, the business soon moved to a new headquarters and warehouse to handle the influx of attention.

A personal business

Laurain’s background in corporate businesses gave her a steady lead into her own entrepreneurship, but she feels that there are significant differences between the two. “I think there is a comeback, that small businesses are coming back because we’re authentic and we’re genuine,” she said, and that approach has been grounded in her efforts to ensure a personal touch in dealing with social media contacts.

“I think when you’re smaller and you’re more nimble, you can listen to people,” she explained. “In corporate America, they can say, ‘We listen,’ but when you have 100,000 employees, you can’t move the ship.” For ezpz, responding to customer feedback has led to changes, such as adjusting the Happy Mat’s edges from flat to beveled to create a better table-grip.

That emphasis on organic community and grassroots interactions has only been strengthened by her visit to the QuickBooks Connect conference. “Being at this conference, I think, has solidified that we’re doing things correctly,” Laurain said.

Watch the full interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of QuickBooks Connect 2015.

Photo by SiliconANGLE