Sammy Rabbit was born after hundreds of conversations with adults and parents who shared with me their regrets and concern for not saving and investing earlier in their lives.
Many informed me their parents hadn’t consciously taught them about financial matters as children. That was exactly the opposite of my experience growing up, in a 7-person family, that hovered around the poverty line and lacked “discretionary” income.
But that wasn’t the end of their stories. The stories got worse. They also shared, they hadn't started to consciously teach their own children about money either. That is a horrific cycle to perpetuate in my opinion.
So, in 2001, I created Sammy Rabbit to champion that mission and take aim at making it fun and easy for anyone to shape kids’ habits, thinking and feelings about money, at an early age, BEFORE children formed a crippling relationship with money that could haunt them their entire lives.
The mission would be good for everyone. Good for kids. Good for families. Good for communities.
Sammy first took form in a unique interactive storybook with a life transforming message - saving is a great habit - saving is a great habit - saving is a great habit!
Sammy evolved into a second book, activities, 25 original songs, SammyRabbit.com, the Dream Big Initiatives and ten years of live performances, around the globe, to more than a quarter million children that kept communicating the saving is a great habit message.
Sammy Rabbit earned awards, grabbed headlines and served many of the world's most recognizable organizations like the U.S. Department of Defense, Citigroup, and the Girl Scouts.
During his journey, Sammy discovered important lessons. He discovered his head, heart and hug approach to education had broad appeal, across all economic, demographic and age groups.
He discovered because kids and parents loved and trusted him, he had the opportunity to increase his impact and influence in their lives, possibly for generations, IF, if he could evolve his grass roots approach to learning and raising awareness.
Sammy determined to scale his impact and influence he would need to animate his presence so he could come to life and be shared easily on more robust broadcasting platforms like television, the web and mobile devices.
He'd need more sophisticated marketing and distribution.
He’d need the right team. AND, he’d need funding.
With these elements to bring his brand and messages into families’ homes and hearts, he could envision globe and being a billion-dollar brand, just like his friends Dora, Elmo and Mickey. Once accomplished, Sammyland and a "Disneyesque" enterprise might follow!
