It's Her Business in the December issue of, River Valley Women's Magazine
(December, 2021 - rivervalleywoman.com)
Tell us a bit about yourself: From a young age, I’ve always loved to design. My designs range from oil paintings, to clothing pencil sketches, and landscapes.
My husband and I have been married for almost 16 years, and we have 4 children, ages 4, 8, 10 and 13. We enjoy spending time together with our kids at home, hockey & soccer games.
What is ATRAC? How does it work?
The ATRAC brand provides convenience and ease to fit any lifestyle. We believe our products provide solutions for any obstacle you face in your daily life. No pockets in your yoga pants? No problem. Tired of digging through your bag for your keys? No problem. No hook at the restaurant or in the bathroom? No problem. We’ve got a solution for you. Our Mag Strap holds all of your essentials for you while the 2, 12lb pull force magnets attract through any material, attracts to most metals, it wraps and secures around bikes, stroller handles, and shopping carts, etc. The uses of our Mag Strap are literally endless.
While our Mag Straps solve many of your everyday obstacles, there was still something missing. The design for the Mag Strap mini was expanded into a Mag Strap Wristlet, Mag Strap Crossbody/lanyard/hip strap, Lip Balm Holder, and the ATRAC Slim Wallets and Cell Phone Holder. A prototype was made of each product and tested. After testing the products, and selling all of the ATRAC products at vendor events, we knew we had something big.
How did you come up with the idea?
I was in the Walmart parking lot with my then 2 year old daughter. She was having a two year old moment and I couldn’t find my keys in my bag. I thought to myself there has to be something out there to solve this problem. I tried to find a product through a google search and I didn’t find what I was looking for. And that is when this idea came to me. I had a couple of magnets at home and I was just curious if they would go through material, and to my surprise they did. That is how the Mag Strap mini was born. I came up with a design with fabric, glue and magnets. After my first attempt with my idea, I found there were so many more uses than just for holding my keys in my purse. After using the original design of my Mag Strap, I was excited to refine the look, design and functionality of it. I didn't know how to sew at the time, so I watched a lot of YouTube tutorials. I taught myself how to sew on my mothers old sewing machine. After much practice and breaking of needles, we have since invested in commercial sewing machines, and streamlined our production process.
We have invented and reimagined the standard one-use fashion accessory, with game-changing magnetic solutions. The patent pending Mag Strap is a one-of-a-kind accessory that is exclusive to ATRAC, and you won’t find it anywhere else.
How do you have it manufactured?
Our products are all manufactured in house. Our team consists of myself, and Sara Gostonczik. From the design, to cutting of the materials, sewing, assembling, and completing all of our products, we do it as a team of 2. Between the many cups of coffee and inside jokes, the 2 of us and our 6 kids, combined, make a great team. We are taking this opportunity to teach our kids about business, entrepreneurship and hard work.
As our business grows, we are excited for the future of ATRAC.
Where do you sell the products?
All of our products can be purchased directly from our website at ATRACUSA.COM. You can also check us out in Mankato at Scheels! We are excited to offer our best Selling Mag Straps, Slim Wallets, and Lip Balm Holders in the women's depenment.
Do you have plans for more products for this line?
Yes! We have some new designs in the works. We are in the early stages of expanding our Mag Straps into personalization, and customization. We are always looking for new and innovative ideas.
Do you have another job/career besides ATRAC?
Besides being a stay at home mom and wife, ATRAC has shifted my focus on building our brand. While we are all busy, ATRAC was invented to help make life a little simpler for you.