A mother of 2 turned her Etsy shop for adorable baby shoes into a ‘Shark Tank’ hit — and it’s now a multi-million dollar business

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• After struggling to find suitable shoes for her baby, a mom started making her own soft-soled leather baby moccasins ($25-$60) that are both durable and stylish. 
• Her company, Freshly Picked, earned a spot on "Shark Tank" and has sold hundreds of thousands of baby shoes since 2009. 
• Available in many eye-catching colors and prints, these adorable baby shoes make a great gift for Mother's Day.

By pure virtue of their size, baby shoes are already among the most adorable things in this world. Moms, however, are not only looking for cute. As their babies begin walking, they're also looking for shoes that are durable and will actually stay on their kid's feet.

In 2009, Susan Petersen, a mother of two who couldn't find well-designed baby shoes, started experimenting with baby moccasin designs using some leather scraps she picked up at a yard sale.

She initially sold these soft-soled leather baby moccasins on Etsy for only $20 a pair, then took them to a 2014 episode of "Shark Tank," where she landed a deal with Daymond John. The deal later fell through, but the wheels were already set in motion for an explosion of success.

Freshly Picked is now a multi-million dollar company that sells newborn, baby, and children's moccasins and sandals in a large variety of colors and prints for $25 to $60 a pair. Its fan base comprises mothers of all types, including celebrity moms who love to step out in style with their babies. As you'll see in our roundup of the best Freshly Picked styles below, these are not ordinary baby shoes. 

They're still handmade from 100% genuine cowhide leather, so each pair has a unique look. Meanwhile, the soft sole is perfect for children who are starting to walk. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, soft-soled shoes are recommended for early walkers because they learn by gripping their toes on the ground and don't need arch support yet.

The moccs run from sizes 0 to 7, and they're true to size, with room to grow based on average American baby and toddler shoe sizes. Kids are an active bunch, but the Freshly Picked shoes stay snug on their feet as they walk, skip, and run (with their parents chasing closely behind, of course).

For Mother's Day this year, get a mom or mom-to-be a pair of baby shoes that are well-constructed, long-lasting, and stylish. Freshly Picked moccasins are the practical yet irresistibly cute shoes that both she and her baby will love. 

Gift Mom a pair of Freshly Picked baby shoes — here are our favorite picks. 

Sophisticated oxfords

Freshly Picked

Cedar Oxford, $60, available in sizes 0-5

A pair to inspire nautical adventures

Freshly Picked

Sailboats, $50, available in sizes 0-7

Fruity fresh dragonfruit

Freshly Picked

Dragonfruit, $60, available in sizes 0-7

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