The Bear Necessities of Entrepreneurship
For this alum, launching a small business was a combination of occupational therapy insights, parenting experiences and a willingness to dream big.
By Jamie Wetherbe
View/download this article in the USC Chan Magazine as a PDF document (2.92MB).
Any caregiver knows that nighttime routines with young children can be a challenge — a “real bear,” if you will.
“Kids don’t want to go to bed; they struggle,” says Elvin “Evelyn” Mardyan ’09, MA ’10. “Zippy can make it so much easier — that was the whole goal, and this is where my OT background and inspiration came into the mix.”
With comfort, care and companionship in mind, Mardyan and her cousin, best friend and USC dental hygiene alum Amy Nazarian, co-founded Zip N’ Bear in 2023, a direct-to-consumer children’s pajama company featuring a plush, multi-purpose teddy bear as its brand’s centerpiece.
“Growing up, Amy and I would always have slumber parties with our teddy bears,” Mardyan says. “As we grew older and became moms, we talked about how we wanted to create those old-school memories for our own kids. So we put our heads together and said, ‘Let’s bring this back — let’s bring back a piece of our childhood.’”
All the Feels
Zippy the Bear, co-created by alum Evelyn Mardyan, is ready for unicorn-themed bedtime (photo courtesy of Evelyn Mardyan)
Pairing her clinical expertise with her own experience as a parent, Mardyan created Zippy, a sensory-friendly teddy bear designed to help make the transition to sleep smoother and more calming.
“Companionship is the most important aspect of Zippy,” Mardyan explains. “Zippy facilitates a fun activity, and through play, children learn the rhythm of bedtime and build positive sleep routines.”
As an occupational therapist, Mardyan has experience in pediatrics and sensory development, as well as treating musculoskeletal and sports injuries in adults.
“I did a lot of hand rehab focusing on fine motor skills,” she says. “When creating Zippy, I combined what I knew from working with these injuries and my background in pediatrics.”
Sensory needs and fine-motor movements are key to Zippy’s design, including a zip-up compartment on the bear’s back where children can store Zippy’s pajamas.
“I organized it in a way so that children use different fine-motor skills and grasp patterns without even realizing it,” says Mardyan. “So it becomes a natural part of bedtime and learning self-care.”
Zippy is made with varied textures and materials — from nose, to fur, to feet — to engage the senses and provide tactile input for children, including those who are hypersensitive to touch.
“I did that intentionally,” Mardyan says. “I want kids to experience different touch sensations while cuddling their bear or going through their nighttime routine.”
This sensory-friendly concept extends to the company’s line of tactile-friendly pajamas. Tagless, stretchy, and made from bamboo-based fabric, the pajamas are engineered for comfort and to foster healthy sleep patterns, especially for children with touch sensitivities.
“We want all kids to enjoy the pajamas, especially those who are sensory sensitive,” Mardyan says. “We launched the company around the time my son was born, so I tested everything on his skin to figure out what felt best.”
Children can even dress Zippy in matching pajamas, helping to reinforce a consistent bedtime routine through play as an occupation.
“Self-care with kids is difficult,” Mardyan notes. “This makes it fun and intuitive —a natural part of getting ready for bed. We’ve received so much feedback from parents saying Zippy has become their child’s source of comfort.”
A New Thread
Evelyn Mardyan (photo by Eddie Go)
Mardyan credits her time at USC with preparing her for this next chapter of her career. “USC made me very resilient and encouraged me to reach for the top,” says Mardyan, who, fittingly, graduated at the top of her class. “When I was a student, I was always pushing myself to absorb every aspect of the experience and education to truly understand how the body functioned.”
That mindset gave her the foundation to follow a passion, even if the timing was less than ideal.
“We were launching Zip N’ Bear literally right when I got pregnant,” Mardyan says. “People thought I was crazy to start a company, but I felt nothing could stop me. I discovered that when you create something that combines happiness, routine and mindfulness, people really respond.”
While Mardyan remains inspired by her new role, she admits it’s a constant balancing act.
“When you’re an entrepreneur, you have to wear so many hats at once,” she says. “And it’s the same when you’re a mom.”
Still, Mardyan encourages other occupational therapists, including those who are parents, to explore their entrepreneurial aspirations.
“Don’t ever think you can’t accomplish something just because you already have a career or started a family,” she says. “Those experiences can open new doors for you. There’s always another way — so my advice is to dream big.”
Editor’s note: As a “thank you” to the Trojan Family, Mardyan is offering a 30 percent discount on purchases using the code USCOT30 at zipnbear.com.
⋯
