Downs Designs Owner Wins Staples Award, Prepares to Launch New Business

Karen Bowersox will continue to use a $60,000 digital marketing package her Downs Designs company won from Staples in multiple ways through the remainder of the year.

Soon, she'll get the help of an assigned agent from GannettLocal to better market Mentor-based Downs Designs, which sells comfortable clothing for people with Down syndrome. More than half of the Staples award will pay for GannettLocal's services to create a customized digital marketing effort for the company.

Bowersox wants to use the same approach and the lessons she will have learned to help launch a new business, NBZ.

NBZ, which stands for no buttons or zippers, will make jeans for men and boys that aim to look stylish without a traditional zipper.

"It will have nothing to do with Down syndrome," Bowersox said. "It's going to be for the guy who went to Kuwait and lost his arm or his hand.

"This would be a totally cool looking pair of jeans for a guy who has trouble with a zipper. There's millions of boys and men (who don't want zippers) and you can't find any jeans without a zipper."

While her 18 styles of Downs Designs jeans are tailored to the specific body shape of each client, Bowersox says the NBZ line will be more about comfort and easy use. She is searching for an investor and hopes begin marketing the new jeans by the end of the year.

"If I can find someone to believe in what I'm doing, we can launch this line with 5,000 jeans," Bowersox said.

Downs Designs' Staples package also included a one-year account with online marketing firm Constant Contact, a one-hour session with small business expert and USA Today contributor Steve Strauss and a $10,000 check.

"It's just going to expand our exposure," Bowersox said. "I have a population of about 400,000 people that I'm trying to reach ... What I'm going to take away from this prize is how market my next business."