Nancy Coci tried to convince Stacey Carter to start a business based on a bracelet's patriotic heart charm adapted for her cell phone's antenna, but compliments from strangers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport finally swayed her.

The friends established S&N Creations Inc. three years ago to design and sell Cell Mates, charms shaped like initials, dice, palm trees, motorcycles, and an array of other objects. They appeal to men and women alike, and butterflies and crosses are the most popular, said Sarah Schafer, who became a part-owner in late 2004.

"We really thought our market would be just teenagers, but it's not," said Ms. Coci, the firm's president.

Allstar Wireless in Bedford Township started selling Cell Mates about a year ago, and couples get the charms to make their phones look different, said Jon Kasgorgis, owner.

"A lot of people get the same phones," he said. "A lot of people love them."

The business got its break a couple of years ago by selling Cell Mates to Wal-Marts in Ohio and Michigan. Meijer carries Cell Mates throughout the entire chain, Spartan Stores Inc. distributes them to groceries in the region, and other businesses have them on display.

The charms on rubber rings typically start at $2 each, but S&N is looking at producing a line for department stores by Christmas that would sell for up to $10 each, Ms. Schafer said. Placing them in a gas station chain's checkouts for impulse shoppers and designing zipper pulls are other possibilities, she said.

The firm is expanding into phone pouches and other cell-related products too and hopes to create a package of related items to sell for at least $20 on a television shopping network, Ms. Coci said.

Another area in which the firm wants to do more business is promotional items for radio stations, manufacturers, and other businesses, she said.

Although cell phone charms were new when S&N Creations got started, now there are many competitors, Ms. Carter said.

The entrepreneurs have learned a lot. When they couldn't find a cost-effective U.S. supplier, they used the Internet to find manufacturers in China, Ms. Coci said.

The company took a risk trying to explain to Chinese manufacturers, who demanded money up front, what they wanted, and there were early missteps with quality and other issues, the partners said.

"It was very scary," Ms. Coci said. "But we've been very fortunate, actually."

Now S&N Creations works through a broker and has work done at three Chinese factories, Ms. Schafer said. They send designs to China, and they examine prototypes before making orders, she said.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon at:

jmckinnon@theblade.com

or 419-724-6087.

Small Business Profile is a weekly feature on local companies. To be considered, send information about your company to Small Business Profiles, Business News, The Blade, P.O. Box 921, Toledo, Ohio 43697-0921.

First Published March 5, 2007, 10:59 a.m.