First, I just wanted a robe with a built-in bra to provide support after I got out of the shower. When I couldn’t find one, I created it by sewing a sports bra into a bathrobe.
I took the bathrobe bra combination to Fredericksburg for a girl’s weekend wine trip and my friends fell in love with it. Inspired by the story of Spanx, they jokingly decided called this invention "The Brobe," because even if people didn't like the name, they would remember it. The name stuck.
After a friend of mine underwent a double mastectomy and later three reconstructive surgeries, I was shocked to see her post-operative hospital “gown.”
The existing robes were “ugly as hell, overpriced, and not made from a nice material. They were focused on the sickness not on wellness. She needed something to make her feel beautiful and to give her power back.
So, I created The Recovery Brobe, a “bra” and “robe” combination with pockets for ice packs, prosthetics, drains, and more. It felt so good to do something that mattered.
With my mother’s encouraging words echoing in my head, “leap and the net will appear,” I began my entrepreneurial journey of developing a functional, comfortable and stylish post-operative garment for breast cancer treatment.
With the last $1,000 I had, I contacted a local seamstress to design a pattern and sew prototypes for The Brobe, a first-of-its-kind surgical recovery robe with a built-in bra plus pockets for ice packs and JP drains.
Prototypes in hand, I met with the Executive Director and Marketing Director of Susan G. Komen of Austin, who introduced the garment to a woman recovering from a single mastectomy.
After trying on different options, she looked up at me with tears of joy in her eyes and said, “This makes me very sad for all of the women who have not had this in the past. You have to make these garments!”
The Recovery Brobe launched soon after in 2012. The rest is history!
The birth of an international company was in the process. After a series of very emotional qualitative market studies with breast cancer survivors, I realized that at this point I had more than an opportunity ahead of me. I had a responsibility. One I was more than ready to take on.
It has since caught on like wildfire. The Brobe is now sold in multiple hospitals throughout America and Europe and has expanded its product line to serve new moms (Mommy Brobe) and women who’ve had reconstructive surgery. Even a Children's version including a Super Hero's Mask & cape.
I took a concept and turned it into a company that, over the past 12 years, has helped more than 60,000 women alone battle breast cancer, as well as helping men, women, and children tackle various other serious health challenges. My entrepreneurial experience and my need to help others has taught me the importance of listening to customers and adapting to their needs, leading to the creation of a diverse product line.
