At 7 years old, Nathan had a problem. He was walking to school with his dad, and suddenly, rain comes falling down. Fortunately, Nathan’s dad had an umbrella! Unfortunately, Nathan did not. as they tried to fit two people under one regular umbrella while rushing to school, Nathan and his dad still ended up drenched. Nathan thought, “If only I had an umbrella that i could hold while my dad holds, and that we could easily fit under together!” and so him and his dad began to work, jamming together a prototype. lo and behold, it worked like a charm, with a middle handle for his dad and a lower handle for him! They dubbed their prototype “The Duo”.
Eventually, Nathan moved to Los Angeles and competed in the “Innovation Competition” where kids ideas and projects can gain a large amount of recognition. And recognition it gained. The Duo won many following competitions, winning “the most original invention” in the country” and placing top ten in the world.
Using this popularity and fame, Nathan cold-called the CEO of Shed Rain, one of the most popular umbrella companies in the world, and surprisingly enough, his pitch convinced him! They became partners and began working out manufacturing and distribution. After this Nathan auditioned for Shark Tank, and was accepted. He landed a deal with Robert Herjavec. They have begun both taking orders and distributing through places like Target and Nordstrom!
If you want to look at the Duo, click here
I would never have considered this as a potential innovation! I am impressed at the market that Nathaniel found for this simple change to a pre-established product. “The most original invention in the country” is quite a title to win!
What a simple solution to a problem so everyday in nature! And I love Wellen’s confidence in his and his dad’s idea to build up the nerve to keep pitching his ideas to Shed Rain and Shark Tank.
Great work on this post! I like how you highlighted the problem that Nathan saw and how he and his dad were able to turn that problem into an invention. Winning a prize for “the most original invention in the country” is a huge award and it’s something that Nathan should be very proud of. It’s cool to see how Nathan eventually partnered with Shed Rain and Robert Herjavec to help advance his business and get his product into places like Target and Nordstrom. Great post!
Kaitlyn Kuscevic
Such a cool success story! Seems like such a simple addition to a popular product, but with such added value. I love how he kept seeking to get his idea farther out there first with the “Innovation Competition”, the umbrella company, and Shark Tank! An impressive entrepreneur for sure.