It was homemaker Judy Edwards’ constipation which led to the start of a $175 million venture — Squatty Potty. But Judy, who has come to be known as ‘Mama Squatty’ among her fans in the US, did not imagine the potency of her ‘new’ product. “This product was a lifesaver for me, and I just wanted to share that with as many people as I could,” she said in a press release dated 13 May 2020.
So what is this life-saving invention? Judy along with her husband, Bill, and their son, Bobby, designed their first ‘Squatty Potty’ — a footstool either placed over the western commode or tucked under it, in their garage in Utah, USA, in 2010.
Judy’s Eureka moment, which came when she elevated her legs with the help of a pile of books during a bowel movement, has led to the ‘invention’ of sleek stools—which cost anywhere between $24.99 to $89.99—for squatting over a toilet.
The US-based firm soon shipped 2,000 stools to China, and the company clocked $1 million in sales in the first year. Founded in 2011, the company sold 4 million units in the US alone in May 2017 and 5 million stools globally by May 2020.
The Edwards went on to make an appearance in the popular American TV show — Shark Tank, in 2014, where they received an investment of $350,000, after which they sold products worth $1 million within 24 hours of their TV appearance.
The following year, the brand invested $250,000 to make an ad featuring a Prince Charming character and a unicorn pooping ice cream ‘the right way’. The video shows a rather graphic yet creative representation of how the sphincter muscle is relaxed when one squats instead of sits. It has garnered over 38 million views on YouTube, pushing the brand’s popularity immensely.
One wonders if such evangelists of the squat-on-the-pot movement know how old and Indian their ‘million-dollar’ venture really is.
Copping a squat, Indian style
Going back to the origins of the Indian-style toilets will take you down a rabbit hole that leads to a civilization which existed over 8,000 years ago — the Indus Valley Civilisation or Harappan Civilisation.
The Harappans can well be lauded for their unique and hygienic drainage system that was well-planned, underground, and was one of the first discoveries of the ‘wet’ seated toilets in India.
Read More at:
https://www.thebetterindia.com/247376/indian-squat-toilets-western-commode-squatty-potty-judy-edwards-yos191/
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