Author Archive for ChristmanAJ23

Moziah Bridges – Mo’s Bows

In today’s society, companies need to differentiate themselves in unique ways. This is no exception for something as ordinary as a bowtie. Normal neckties come in all sorts of shapes and patterns, yet when it comes to their counterparts there isn’t much variety. Moziah Bridges, founder of Mo’s Bows, saw this is as a problem. Unable to find fun and interesting bowties, Bridges learned how to sew and started making bowties for himself with leftovers from his grandmother’s sewing projects. This idea would eventually lead to a incredibly successful company which secured a deal on Shark Tank, was featured on The Today Show and Good Morning America, and led Bridges to meet both Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

“My personal mission is to make you look and feel your best while catering to the sometimes conservative, fun-loving lady or gentleman.” Bridges stated in an interview with natfluence.com. On his success, Bridges continued, stating that, “Over the years I have used my B.O.W.S of Business to gain success. B- Believe in Yourself, O-Look for Opportunities, W- Work Hard, S- Seek support from family and friends.” Bridges has gone on to publish his first book, Mo’s Bows: A Young Person’s Guide to Start-Up Success, in which he details how kids can start their own businesses in today’s fast-paced world. “My personal aspirations are to simply be happy in life and continue to encourage other children to tap into their passion at an early age.” Bridges stated. To find out more about Moziah, visit natfluence.com or go to investopedia.com. Be sure to also check out his website, mosbowsmemphis.com.

 

Sydney and Toni Loew – Poketti

In recent years, plush dolls and stuffed animals have had an increase in popularity. With all the competition out there, it’s hard to make a profit selling ordinary “plushies.” Sydney and Toni Loew recognized this and set out to change the market with their business, Poketti. The idea for the business began in 2013 when Sydney came up with the idea in her 7th grade entrepreneurship class.  “I didn’t want to sell ordinary stuffed animals, so I added a pocket to make them functional and more compelling.” Sydney stated in an interview with The Startup Squad. Since then, Poketti has created a full line of stuffed animals, targeted to girls ages 11-14, that have doubled as a way to store personal items such as phones, glasses, or other small items.

Not only that, according to their website, Poketti aims to create products that, “Inspire other kids to take on new challenges, think of others, and work hard to reach their goals.” Sydney stated in the same interview, “We’ve had middle schoolers ask us for advice to start their own businesses because they were inspired by Poketti; these moments remind us that we are not only trying to spread Poketti to everyone, but we are also trying to spread the entrepreneurial spirit.” Looking to the future, Poketti intends to expand their presence on the internet to promote their brand. “As the world moves online, we want to give Poketti a larger presence in the world of social media and gaming. Our plans for the future involve apps, an online virtual world, and a YouTube web series that will guide and motivate aspiring young entrepreneurs,” stated Sydney. Read more about the Loew sisters at thestartupsquad.com, or visit their website at poketti.com to learn more about their business and mission.

Abid Khan – Thremalog

     Food waste is a major problem for most stores and restaurants. A lot of this waste is created by not knowing how long food has been out on the roller, shelf, or buffet line. Abid Khan, founder of Thermalog, is tackling this monstrous problem through automation. In 2019, Khan was wrapping up a closing shift at a local convenience store when he had to toss out yet another batch of food that might or might not have gone bad. This caused him to pause and think that there had to be a better way to determine whether or not food is still good for human consumption. This led to the founding of Thermalog, a company that is changing food safety for the better. “Back then, we had to manually record temperatures, and I noticed various issues with the system, such as people forgetting to log the data and having to discard large amounts of food because there was no way to know when the storage equipment failed,” Khan said in an interview. With Thermalog’s automated temperature-tracking system, this is no longer necessary.

     The system uses a computer to track food temperatures, in order to maintain food quality, safety, and to prevent food waste. On top of that, Thermalog’s system will also warn users when food integrity could be compromised by extreme temperature changes, further preventing loss. While their main focus is on food, Thermalog isn’t stopping there. With potential uses for medicine and logistical functions, the company intends to revolutionize those industries too. According to Khan, “We’re working on expanding our reach globally and developing new solutions for different industries, like healthcare and logistics.” To find out more about Thermalog, read about them on newcastle.edu.au or visit their website at thermalog.com.au.

 

Mario Karagianis – Perfect Hands Golf

     Golf can be a sport that looks far easier than it actually is, taking people years to master. Mario Karagianis, founder of Perfect Hands Golf, was no exception. Growing up playing soccer as a kid, Karagianis got into golf when he entered the professional world, using the sport to connect with influential executives. Like a lot of people however, he struggled with getting the golf swing down. He sought help from various training aids and coaches, none of which seemed to work for him. This is where the idea for Perfect Hands Golf was born. Perfect Hands Golf, PHG for short, is different from other training systems, using acceleration bands to work on every aspect of the golf swing at once. Additionally, the PHG system doesn’t restrict the golfer’s natural motion allowing for both indoor and outdoor training.

    “Most PGA Golf Professionals and Golf Instructors who have tried the PHG system see the effectiveness of the product after only 5 swings but more importantly, the rapid and dramatic improvement levels of students and amateur golfers in such a short period of time is off the charts,” Karagianis said in an interview with HJGT. The PHG system has revolutionized mastering the golf swing and is designed not just for adults, but kids too. In the same interview, Karagianis stated, “Parents should purchase PHG for their child for many reasons. It comfortably trains them how to make a full and power swing every single time while staying on plane. It will safely make them stronger through our progressive resistance training program, so they do not harm their muscles while they are still developing at their young age.” The PHG system continues to expand, having already partnered with associations such as NAIA and the Southern Texas section of PGA. Read more about Karagianis and the PHG system on usatoday.com and visit his website at perfecthandsgolf.com

 

Sammy Lyon – GoodRents

When one thinks of real estate in cities, the first thing that comes to mind is small, overpriced homes in bad locations. Up-and-comer Sammy Lyons is challenging and changing this notion of living in urban areas. Originally introduced to real estate by a co-worker, Sammy, who according to his website holds an “M.A. in Education, Leadership & Change from Antioch University and spent 10+ years leading innovative education programs at schools and non-profits,” became obsessed with real estate. He started by investing in out-of-state rental properties before starting his business. Sammy now runs GoodRents, a successful real estate business in Los Angeles, CA. His company set itself apart by doing what’s known in the real estate business as “house hacking.” Essentially, Sammy buys a property and rents units or apartments off said property to make it more affordable. Not only that, GoodRents also donates 5% of their revenue to various social and environmental organizations to further benefit communities. Through his business, Sammy constantly tries to prove to people that it can be possible to affordably live in expensive areas like Los Angeles.

Since founding GoodRents, Sammy has expanded his business ventures in many ways. Sammy now offers the traditional buying and selling of homes along with project management for those who want to build, instead of buy, houses (an often cheaper alternative to buying an already built home in cities like LA). He also helps people get into real estate investing, move up to their next property, and/or buy their first home. Sammy also intends to buy apartment buildings in LA for additional rental income and wants to be financially free by age 40. To read more about Sammy and his real estate ventures, visit entrepreneursherald.com and check out his website lyonideas.com.

Josh Cliffords – FreeWater

     There are more than 800 million people who lack access to clean water worldwide. It is a major problem that has plagued society for generations, yet entrepreneur Josh Cliffords came up with a way to help solve this problem. Cliffords is the founder of FreeWater, the world’s first free beverage company. Based in Texas, FreeWater makes cartons of water with advertisements on them, allowing the company to give away free, clean drinking water. Advertisers can buy ad space on these water bottles (the cost of which is dependent on several factors of cost for the company) and present their product to customers in a non-aggressive way. Advertisers can also link QR codes to their advertisements, allowing people to receive coupons, order food, register to vote, and even download movies, music, and T.V. shows. 

     FreeWater strives to “make people happy by saving them money, saving lives and helping the environment,” according to PR Newswire, “Additionally, FreeWater advertisers get 10 times the impressions of direct mail; the company’s potential profit margins are also much higher than traditional food and beverage companies, being a media and e-commerce platform.” FreeWater also creates partnerships with non-profit organizations, such as church groups, sports programs, and schools. These organizations can buy advertising space and FreeWater will give them between  10 and 25 cents per beverage bought. The company intends to take this concept even further in the future, currently developing the world’s first free supermarket. According to the company’s website, they “have created a handful of processes that will enable the free and profitable distribution of nearly every type of product that can be purchased in COSTCO today.” You can read more about them on prnewswire.com or on their website, freewater.io.