Sunday, August 21, 2011

Send A Ball Review


Sendaball, Inc.

is a family business headquartered in Chicago. It is owned by a couple of BALLSY sisters who live across the street from each other in the same northwestside Chicago neighborhood they grew up in. They have been sending balls since the 90s, but one day in 2003, it seemed this CRAZY idea was meant to be a BUSINESS. 


Michele tells it like this:
How did it start? I come from the direct mail world, so I knew the mailing rules. I made a practice of sending silly things in the mail over the years. One day I was in Osco, saw a BIN of bouncy balls, grabbed one and thought "I can mail this". Took a sharpie, addressed it to my BFF Sharon, wrote "Have BALL with your new baby", went to the post office and mailed it. Sharon loved it so much, my sister and i sent them again and again to other friends. A few years later while standing in line at the post office, a guy behind me asked about the balls and asked if I could send one for him. Initially I instructed him in the steps to do it himself, but by the time we got to the front of the line, he had given me the info and $5. Laughing, I called my sister and told her how funny that just was. She said, " MICH, I THINK WE ARE ONTO SOMETHING".
Melisa tells it like this: When I got that call, I told Michele I had just been to an OPRAH the night before about women who took a chance & started a business with their unique ideas; I told her to listen to me, (she is older) and told her that these were all 'signs' and WE should start a business, and NOW. 


Number one rule - if someone offers to pay you to do something you are already doing, you may have a business!!! (Donny Deutsch said this all the time on his show THE BIG IDEA). Sendaball has been very fortunate to have been growing since 2003 by taking baby steps in the business world. Our customers are the absolute best, and most order over and over. Many of the people who get a sendaball in the mail, order a ball for someone else. We enjoy hearing the stories from the customers about how a simple ball coming in the mail can bring so much laughter. Oh the stories we could tell. Maybe we should write a book!Michele is married and has four children. Melisa is married and has 3 children .
Before starting SENDaBALL, we spent many hours trying to come up with a way to run a business so at least ONE of us could stay home with the children. Who would have thought the idea was there all along. One of our brothers, Marc (we call him Sparky), lives next door. His wife, Deanna works for SENDaBALL, too. It is truely a family affair. The sisters have two other brothers who don't live on the same block, but are certainly ON CALL if they are needed.



Cards, are something sent for many occasions but can be a little plain. I get boxes, Poly mailers, but I think the funnest thing to receive was a Send-A- Ball! I do think my kids loved it as much as I did though, my son claimed it and, Yes it is still floating around  as a matter a fact, in a house with 3 kids and a dog, it has held up great.


It just so happens that it arrived a couple weeks before my birthday to, how nice was that.  I really like this idea and Think maybe it would be a great idea, to send my kids and a few friends I know on their birthdays, or special days next year. 


Wouldn't this one be great for an anniversary or valentines day idea?


 


What a great way to Say Get well, And it is a very nice surprise, and feeling to open your mailbox




Proof that it fits in most mail boxes,  I did make sure my address isn't showing and that is only for my protection, but I assure you it did indeed come in the mail delivered just as the ball, the other side contains my address.


Want to Send A Ball to someone special look here



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