Tim Loucks had the great idea to personalize kegs in the middle of the night, when he realized that everything from coffee to tea to beer is enjoyed more on tap. After 10 years of dealing with politics of starting a business, he finally got square keg off the ground. What’s interesting about Tim is that he thought of a very common but not very thought about problem to solve, and created a very efficient product that can revolutionize the drinking business. He was driven by his desire to succeed in entrepreneurship. He struggled to get a business off the ground for 10 years, but continued grinding and was able to do it. He faced a steeper hill than most but he overcame it. Their business model is interesting because it takes a common thing like a keg, and makes it so you don’t need a power source, it’s small and fits perfectly in a fridge, and it’s effective with a plethora of drinks. Tim has the entrepreneurship skill of passion and perseverance. The main fact of his story that I keep going back to is that he didn’t give up. He’s innovating by designing multiple size mini kegs, so that one may be better for a fridge and one may be better for a backyard party, thus catering to many people with a variety of needs. I am inspired by this invention by Tim’s passion and drive, as he was strong enough to keep working at his dream even when things got tough.

Shredskinz is a workout clothing product that is designed to make your workout the most productive it can be. It’s a sauna suit that traps heat in your body to increase sweat production during workouts. They are single use and can be disposed of after one time use. Kalaii Griffin II created this product because of his passion for working out and fitness. He used to use sauna suits regularly, but thought of this idea to maximize productivity in workouts. One unique fact about this product is that his initial product inventory sold out in just 6 days after he promoted it on social media. Griffin is driven by his passion for eco friendly workout gear, which launched his idea for shredskinz. His product is interesting because it came from the idea that reusable sauna suits were impossible to keep clean, which led him to the environmentally friendly and disposable version. He demonstrates stellar marketing skills, as he was able to masterfully market his product on social media and sell out in just 6 days after his first shipment. This likely paved the way for the business to continue in a seriously profitable way. He is innovating by creating a sauna suit that is safe for the environment when disposed of. His suits are completely recyclable, and you can either buy them one by one, or use a subscription service to get consistent service every month in the form of multiple sweat suits. This innovator inspires me through his love of fitness. I am also interested in fitness, and creating a thin and affordable sauna suit like this to maximize productivity in working out is a very creative idea. It shows that something simple relating to a passion can become a profitable business. I have learned the principle of marketing through this product. Social media might be the best way to market a product because it is pretty universally used.

Two college students, Yuki and Noah, created a dog bed for humans product, which is essentially an oversized dog bed that acts as a bed for people. Their idea came from the stress they felt while in school, and their observation of a great dane napping on a huge dog bed in a coffees shop. They thought, “why not that, but for people?” The entrepreneurial pair created their product with the basis of their love for entrepreneurship, dogs, and napping. An interesting fact about their product is that its been featured on popular media platforms including The Tonight Show, GMA, Fox, The Dodo, and the New York Post.

Noah and Yuki designed their bed to be especially conducive to people with ADHD and stress related anxiety issues. The product is available in 2 colors and is made with a cooling air memory foam for the mattress. You can also remove the comforter and wash it. They innovated by adding a built in pillow to the top of the bed, allowing for maximum comfort when sleeping. They also introduced an ergonomic slanted design that leads to the best sleep experience.

These innovators inspire me to in my entrepreneurial quest in that they created an awesome product based on a unique situation that they observed: the great dane sleeping in the coffee shop. This shows me that great ideas can be born out of everyday observations, and can lead to incredible products. I learned the principle of teamwork through this product, as Yuki and Noah had different backgrounds but came together to form this product.

Kevin Lane is a lifelong sand castle builder, so when he saw a father and son struggling to build a sand castle on the beach due to high tides, his inventive mind kicked in. He came up with create a castle, an apparatus that allows for easier sand castle building. There creative molds that you simply pack with sand and connect to the ground, and just like that you have a beautiful sandcastle. There are molds for beginners and experts, for young and old, for sand and for snow. There’s even a kit for indoor use. This young entrepreneur came up with this creative idea after seeing a problem in his real life, even though it wasn’t happening to him – the mark of a good entrepreneur. It’s a simple product because every loves building sand castles at the beach, but Kevin adapts it to also work with snow, making it a better all around product. The kit also comes with a mesh backpack that holds all the pieces and allows for easy travel. Kevin is driven by his love for the beach, sandcastles, and spending quality time with his son, who he often visits the beach with. Their product is interesting because it is based off such a simple concept, yet it greatly improves a common and universally loved pastime. They innovated in the way they promoted their product, by building a 15 foot tall sand castle in their back yard before their appearance on Shark Tank. This product greatly helps me in my own thinking about product design because it shows that even when your idea isn’t complex, it can still be profitable. Further it showed me that something as sentimental as enjoying time spent with your son can be the foundation for a successful product. I’ve learned the principle of being open minded through Kevin. He was originally a web designer but ultimately pursued this project because it was based on his passion. In this way, he was being openminded.