From Problem to Product: How Bre and Obed Marrder Built Babaloo

For Bre and Obed Marrder, cofounders of Babaloo, the idea arrived in the demanding early weeks of new parenthood—and it changed everything.

The couple had been talking about innovating a product and starting a business together for years. Obed had spent his career running companies and wanted to create a product of his own; Bre had steadily climbed the ranks in her corporate role. After going on maternity leave, Bre knew she wanted to stay home with her kids rather than return to her corporate life. This new perspective gave her a new purpose.

In the thick of caring for a newborn 24/7 herself, Bre became fixated on a problem mothers have faced since the baby bottle was invented—there wasn’t a bottle designed to feed babies the way nature intended. So, the Marrders found a solution.

Designing a better baby bottle
Their answer was Babaloo, a baby bottle unlike anything else in the market. Traditional bottles trap air, which can cause discomfort and other issues as the baby feeds. Babaloo's design eliminates the air, creating a feeding experience that's gentler, more natural and more comfortable for the baby.

Obed recalls how excited Bre was when she brought the idea to him. They saw where they needed to go and got to work immediately. Like it is with most great ideas, bringing Babaloo to life wasn't a straight line. There were multiple prototypes, plenty of failures and moments of doubt. But Obed is quick to point out that those setbacks weren't roadblocks—they were fuel. Each failure pointed them closer to where they were supposed to be.

Fortunately, they had at-home testers! Their three boys were the first to try each design iteration. The Marrders believe involving their kids in the process made the journey much more meaningful and a lot more fun.

Building the business and finding the right partners
As Babaloo has grown, so has the team around them. It was important to Obed and Bre to find the right financial partner. Obed put in hours of research and selected Mountain America Credit Union, largely because of our top ranking for small business lending. They were connected with senior loan officer Jared DeVroom, who has been instrumental in helping Bre and Obed take their vision from their kitchen table to retail shelves.

Today, Babaloo is available on their website and in select Baby Cubby retail stores, with Amazon and additional retailers coming soon.

With their complementary strengths, real-life experience and a growing following of parents, the future looks wide open for Bre, Obed and Babaloo. We are proud to be part of their journey.