Good sports

Entrepreneur, Sept, 2004 by Nichole Torres

WHAT: penalty flags that sports fans can throw at home

WHO: Deirdre and Phil Barrows, and Faith and Rob Schroeder of Call Your Own!

WHERE: Port Washington, Wisconsin

WHEN: started in December 2003

FRUSTRATED WITH THE FOOTBALL games he'd watch at home, Phil Barrows, 45, used to throw anything in arm's reach at the TV when officials made a bad call. It prompted his wife, Deirdre, 35, to suggest that they make their own penalty flags to be thrown in place of other things. Phil's childhood friend Rob Schroeder, 45, and his wife, Faith, 35, were also big football fans. They saw the potential of the Call Your Own! penalty flags, and the cadre of entrepreneurs joined forces. "We've gone from being armchair quarterbacks to armchair quarterbacks and referees," says Phil.

The partners started researching different fabrics and ball inserts that would give the flags the right texture and enough weight to fall, but not cause damage to furniture or injure bystanders. When they found the right combination, the entrepreneurs started selling them to small local retailers. People in their community, most of them big football fans, jumped at the product, priced between $4 and $7, says Phil. Now, with retailers from Canada to Florida to Texas clamoring for more, the entrepreneurs are ready for their second big football season.

Still doing the business part time, the team expects to gross about $40,000 in their first full year of business. Phil also notes that he and his partners plan to grow the penalty flag concept into other arenas as well--from corporate meetings to a silly anger-relief tool, and even as a marketing tool for other companies. Says Phil, "People really get a kick out of it."