Entrepreneurship often sparks from a personal journey, and for Erin Martin, it began as a small flame that ignited into a venture called Pump for Joy. Erin always had an entrepreneurial spirit but didn’t take the leap until life nudged her in the right direction.
“I’ve always known I wanted to be an entrepreneur,” she says. “It was one of those things where I could feel it. But I never took the chance. I worked corporate jobs, admired startup founders from afar, and always thought, ‘I wish that were me.’ But I never had the right idea that aligned with both my passion and my skills.”
The turning point came when Erin relocated from Atlanta to Charlotte in July 2023. She decided it was time to stop waiting for the perfect moment and start making things happen. Determined to get more involved in her community, she joined classes at The Hurt Hub, where her path became clearer.
The Lightbulb Moment
One of the first classes Erin attended was a Lean Startup workshop led by Rebecca Watson. It helped her shift her mindset from focusing on solutions to identifying problems she could personally relate to and solve. For Erin, that problem was clear—postpartum breastfeeding, specifically pumping, which had been one of the most challenging parts of her motherhood journey.
“I especially hated pumping,” she recalls, “and I thought, ‘How can I make pumping easier for moms who are working outside the home, moms who are changing the world and need something more convenient?’ That’s how I stumbled upon the idea of disposable pumping parts.”
Tackling the Problem: Disposable Pumping Parts
Erin began brainstorming ways to make pumping easier for working moms, particularly when it came to cleaning pump parts in public. “I thought about different solutions—a barrier for existing pump parts, even a portable dishwasher,” she explains. Ultimately, she landed on disposable, biodegradable, single-use pump parts as the most viable solution.
Partnering with a company called Gembah, Erin explored various materials, from molded pulp (like takeout containers) to bioplastics. After months of research, she chose PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates), a biodegradable plastic that is both practical and environmentally friendly. “The caveat was that it had to be biodegradable because I didn’t want to put more single-use plastics out in the world,” she says.
Overcoming Regulatory Hurdles
Developing a product like this doesn’t come without its challenges, particularly with regulatory bodies like the FDA. Breast pump parts are classified as Class II medical devices, which means Erin’s product would need to meet stringent requirements, including costly registration and testing fees.
“We had to think through the easiest path to get through the FDA,” she notes. “PHA, as a bioplastic, looks and feels similar to typical pump parts, so it gave us the best shot at getting through with a predicate product, rather than something entirely new.”
Building Momentum with Support and Mentorship
While Erin’s journey may sound daunting, she attributes much of her progress to the community around her. After the Lean Startup class, she joined the Co-Starters program, a nine-week course that helped her think through every angle of her business. “The encouragement from my cohort and instructors was huge,” she says. “They helped me keep going when things felt overwhelming.”
From there, Erin applied for and received mentorship through Launch CLT, where she was paired with an IP lawyer. “It’s been amazing to have people who challenge me, keep me accountable, and root for me,” she says.
One of the most exciting moments in her journey was winning the 53 Ideas Pitch Competition, which provided Erin with the funds to develop her final prototype. “Getting that golden sample made with injection molding is a huge milestone,” she says. “It will unlock so many next steps, like FDA registration and potentially crowdfunding.”
Balancing Entrepreneurship with Life
Despite her success, Erin still works full-time and juggles her entrepreneurial venture with her career and family life. “I actually love my full-time job and would like to keep doing this on the side for now,” she admits. However, she’s open to the possibility that things may change as Pump for Joy grows.
To manage her time, Erin has developed a strict routine, carefully compartmentalizing her day. “I’ve had to scale back on things and be really intentional,” she says. “On weekends, I focus on work in the morning, spend the evening with my daughter, and then get back to work after she goes to bed.”
She’s also learned to accept the ebb and flow of the entrepreneurial journey. “Some days I work until 2 a.m., and other days I can finish by 10:30 p.m. It just depends.”
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
When asked what advice she’d give to others, Erin is clear: “Don’t let not having an idea stop you from starting.” For her, the Lean Startup class helped spark ideas she never would have considered, all by focusing on a problem she had personally experienced.
And perhaps most importantly, Erin emphasizes the value of community. “There were times I thought I’d made the worst decision by investing in this,” she confesses. “But the support from my mentors and cohort kept me going. It’s easy to quit, but it takes a lot more to keep going.”
As Pump for Joy moves closer to reality, Erin’s journey serves as an inspiring reminder that with the right community, perseverance, and passion, even the most daunting challenges can lead to joy.
