Full Name
Grace paik
Job Title
Founder
Company
Le Petit Bleu, Llc
Speaker Bio
Meet Grace Paik, the heart and soul behind Jaq Jaq Bird®. Grace is the found creative director, and the company’s chief enjoyment officer. Born in Chicago, Illinois on “Grace Street,” she is a proud Chicagoan, Korean-American, and mother to three amazing children. She studied philosophy and theology at Moody Bible Institute and received her Master of Arts in history, philosophy and linguistics at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Grace was preparing to pursue her PhD in England when she got swept off her feet by a young Air Force officer at a local coffee shop … and six weeks later, the rest was history! Another story for another time. She and her husband recently celebrated their 23rd anniversary. When she manages time away from JJB, Grace is busy practicing her violin, exercising in the home gym, cooking up new keto creations, and playing with the newest love in her life … her baby puppy, Lulu. This summer, Grace and her family will be traveling to Spain and Romania to support Ukrainian orphans, now refugees. If you asked her what the greatest reward has been in leading JJB for the past 15 years, she would undoubtedly say, “bringing social, creative joy to children across the globe, especially when there’s opportunity to uplift youth in times of crisis.” This is Grace Paik … and this is her beloved Jaq Jaq Bird.
Why Jaq Jaq Bird? When Grace's youngest child first learned to talk, he would say "Jaq Jaq,” a Korean onomatopoeia translated as "chirp chirp." The genesis of JJB is truly a family story, woven together in a beautiful tapestry. Grace always knew she wanted to do something creative and exciting, and in 2005, it happened, just not the way anyone anticipated. Out of the darkness comes an amazing light. Jaq Jaq Bird began when a home renovation project turned into one of their worst nightmares. While living in Washington D.C., her husband, stationed at the Pentagon, received a call from the FBI notifying them that their general contractor was a fraud, deceiving over sixty customers across four states (ref. Washington Post 2006, “America’s Most Wanted” 2008, and CNBC’s “American Greed” 2016). The Paik’s had their entire home
gutted with nothing to show for it, except over $60,000 in life savings stolen. For months, they were without a functional kitchen and needed to frequently dine out as they slowly pieced the home back together. With three children in tow, finding a way to keep them creatively engaged during meal time was the never ending challenge. It was survival by innovation. Grace’s first creation … a homemade chalk mat that doubled as both a placemat and reusable doodle canvas. Now known as the Doodle It & Go erasable mat, the design was flexible, travel-friendly, and most important for parents, creating fun without the mess. These are the signature characteristics of all JJB’s products. Friends, families, and strangers quickly took notice and soon her products were welcomed in children’s boutiques around the D.C. area. A few months into her wild experiment, a producer from HGTV ran across her product and contacted Grace, wanting to air her products on one of their shows. The timing couldn’t have been any better as the episode aired right before the holidays. Grace received so many orders that customers had to wait six months to receive their order. No one canceled and everyone paid. It was the
advance we needed to repair the house!
Since then, Jaq Jaq Bird® has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, HGTV, CNBC, NY Time Out Kids, Rachel Ray, Parents Magazine, The Washington Post, Dwell Magazine and numerous other media outlets. JJB has been carried in Crate & Barrel’s Land of Nod, Nordstrom, Target, Aaron Brothers, Anthropologie, The Container Store and many top international retailers. Jaq Jaq Bird began without a plan … just a small vision and an even smaller amount of money. Yet, 15 years and a pandemic later, Jaq Jaq Bird is still thriving the same way it started … giving children and their parents a creative, educational, reusable, non-messy outlet wherever they go. We’re so thankful for our hard-working team and all of you … our incredible customers around the globe .. our JJB family. Chirp, chirp!
Why Jaq Jaq Bird? When Grace's youngest child first learned to talk, he would say "Jaq Jaq,” a Korean onomatopoeia translated as "chirp chirp." The genesis of JJB is truly a family story, woven together in a beautiful tapestry. Grace always knew she wanted to do something creative and exciting, and in 2005, it happened, just not the way anyone anticipated. Out of the darkness comes an amazing light. Jaq Jaq Bird began when a home renovation project turned into one of their worst nightmares. While living in Washington D.C., her husband, stationed at the Pentagon, received a call from the FBI notifying them that their general contractor was a fraud, deceiving over sixty customers across four states (ref. Washington Post 2006, “America’s Most Wanted” 2008, and CNBC’s “American Greed” 2016). The Paik’s had their entire home
gutted with nothing to show for it, except over $60,000 in life savings stolen. For months, they were without a functional kitchen and needed to frequently dine out as they slowly pieced the home back together. With three children in tow, finding a way to keep them creatively engaged during meal time was the never ending challenge. It was survival by innovation. Grace’s first creation … a homemade chalk mat that doubled as both a placemat and reusable doodle canvas. Now known as the Doodle It & Go erasable mat, the design was flexible, travel-friendly, and most important for parents, creating fun without the mess. These are the signature characteristics of all JJB’s products. Friends, families, and strangers quickly took notice and soon her products were welcomed in children’s boutiques around the D.C. area. A few months into her wild experiment, a producer from HGTV ran across her product and contacted Grace, wanting to air her products on one of their shows. The timing couldn’t have been any better as the episode aired right before the holidays. Grace received so many orders that customers had to wait six months to receive their order. No one canceled and everyone paid. It was the
advance we needed to repair the house!
Since then, Jaq Jaq Bird® has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, HGTV, CNBC, NY Time Out Kids, Rachel Ray, Parents Magazine, The Washington Post, Dwell Magazine and numerous other media outlets. JJB has been carried in Crate & Barrel’s Land of Nod, Nordstrom, Target, Aaron Brothers, Anthropologie, The Container Store and many top international retailers. Jaq Jaq Bird began without a plan … just a small vision and an even smaller amount of money. Yet, 15 years and a pandemic later, Jaq Jaq Bird is still thriving the same way it started … giving children and their parents a creative, educational, reusable, non-messy outlet wherever they go. We’re so thankful for our hard-working team and all of you … our incredible customers around the globe .. our JJB family. Chirp, chirp!
Speaking At
