CitiKitty is a toilet training tool for your cat! CitiKitty was invented by 25 year old Rebecca Rescate when she moved to a small apartment and didn’t have the space for a litter box. CitiKitty’s main selling point is that your cat can go from litter box to toilet in as little as 3 weeks. The way it works is the kit includes 4 toilet seat covers, each ring gradually get smaller. The idea is that you get your cat used to using the toilet by installing the extra-large toilet seat so the cat is comfortable about not falling in, and gradually shrink the toilet seat until you don’t need the CitiKitty toilet seat anymore.
Rebecca recognized a problem and realized there weren’t any good solutions for it, so she developed her own. After tons of buzz on the internet, Rebecca decided to go on Shark tank. Kevin Harrington, the inventor of the infomercial, gave Rebecca $100,000 for 20% stake in her company. After its appearance on Shark Tank, CitiKitty brought in $350,000 in just one month; and over $1 million that same year. The same night the show aired, Citikitty was #1 in Amazon in the Home & Garden Department.
On Rebecca’s website (http://www.rebeccarescate.com/) she states that she is no overnight success. Rebecca dropped out of an MBA program to follow her dream and work on CitiKitty. She had no business experience and had to teach herself how to run a business and market her company for under $1000. Since the success of CItiKitty, Rebecca has invested in other ideas like the hoodie pillow, another product to air on Shark Tank. Rebecca is an example of a true entrepreneur, someone who notices a problem and has a unique solution to it that people will pay for.
To buy the CitiKitty on amazon follow this link http://www.amazon.com/CitiKitty-Cat-Toilet-Training-Kit/dp/B000F1OS20/
The idea of training your cat to use the toilet is something I never would have thought possible. It may seem like a crazy idea, but I love how Rebecca Rescate pursued it anyway. It just goes to prove that even if it sounds like a crazy idea, others are most likely facing the same problem, showing almost anything can become an entrepreneurial success.
I saw this girl’s idea on Shark Tank when it first aired, and to be honest, the idea sounded stupid to me. Like Rebecca commented, it is pretty remarkable how a silly idea to a problem can turn into a thriving business. Rebecca truly found a niche market with a feasible solution, and I give her much credit for her success in her business.
I’ve heard of cats being toilet trained but I never thought that this concept could become a successful business. I also find it interesting that she created two completely different products. She went from a kitty toilet training kit to a hoodie pillow. She is a true entrepreneur like Nick said because she took her ideas and acted on them.
To be completely honest, this concept disturbs me slightly and makes me concerned about sanitation. However, Rebecca’s perseverance is inspiring, as I’m sure she had many people tell her that it wasn’t a good idea, but she pushed forth and made herself very successful. It’s also inspiring because she is also pursuing other ventures as well.
Yikes. I figured this would be a product that people would laugh at. But now the company is in its 10th year of operation, and its popularity and success are remarkable. I’m not sure I’d let my cat use it though.
The more posts I read, the more I realize that so many of these entrepreneurs quit school to pursue their ideas. Rebecca Rescate is no exception. I think that the experimentation and freedom that individuals find while exploring ideas outside the classroom should be a goal for any entrepreneur, whether they are in school or not.