Alex Furmansky is the best big brother ever. When he saw how attached his little sister Michelle was to her stuffed animals and considered Michelle’s love of art, Alex put two and two together. He took one of Michelle’s drawings (it was a duck) and made a stuffed animal friend that looked just like it. He brought Michelle’s drawings to life! Based on Michelle’s reaction and those of her friends and her friends’ parents, Alex started the company Budsies. Budsies makes one-of-a-kind plush toys based on a drawing or photo. He pitched his business on Shark Tank in April 2015. He didn’t leave the Tank with a deal but three years later and Budsies is still creating magic.
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Since Shark Tank, Budsies has expanded the business to include Petsies, plush toys made to look like a pets (see below). And in April 2018, Budsies launched Waggables, huggable plush balls designed for pets. See cute photos below.
Petsies — the next line of Budsies, photo: Budsies.com
