The Inception
Key Connection: Business school opened doors to new connections, with one of them presenting Bette the opportunity to start a wholesale business importing from India.
Great Design, Great Price: Her final thesis entailed how to start an import/export business based on the principle of creating great designs for a great price––a motto that Paradigm Trends still abides by.
Leap of Faith: After graduation, Bette traveled to India and Thailand for the first time to bring her incredible vision to life.
The Journey
Crossing Over to Asia: Bette traveled to India and Thailand twice a year to connect the dots between factories, materials, and designs––ultimately helping her create long-lasting business relationships that helped her work toward the goal of bringing her concepts to the market.
Birth of a Product Line: On her first trip to India, Bette created a product line that married Indian handcrafted elements with her own designs.
The Conception of Paradigm Trends: Over 90 trips and plenty of otherworldly stories later, Bette’s true vision emerged and Paradigm Trends was born.
First Major Success: In August 1984, Bette participated in her very first trade show, which was only 7 months after her trip to India. Putting her expertise to the test, she successfully sold $24,000 of her first product line, solidifying the prosperity of her business.
Focus on Metal: Within a year, Bette discovered product trends that helped her to capitalize on her consumer base. Incorporating metal into her products was the next step, as metal was seen as a trending material at the time. Bette introduced silver plating to India, completely changing Paradigm’s business model. Blending her own modern spin on antique reproductions, she delved into the metal bath business in the early 2000s.
Candy Dish to Soap Dish: During a trade show, a man from a major textile and bath accessories company asked Bette to transform a candy dish into a soap dish, giving way to the very first ever metal bathroom accessory collection.
Evolution of a Brand: Bette’s success positioned her in front of major department stores, catalogs, and discount stores, helping Paradigm Trends expand to new heights.
The Latest
Expansion Into Hospitality: With the brand starting out as a full-service bath company almost 20 years ago, this became a catalyst for expansion into bar decor, comprehensive living spaces, and furniture.
Family Operation Takes Hold: Bette’s children Jeanne and Seth joined Paradigm Trends in the early 2000s, elevating Paradigm to be a more sophisticated company and opened doors to a variety of opportunities, mainly through the hospitality sector. With the family unit coming full-circle, Paradigm Trends currently identifies the hospitality sector as its largest segment.
