Archive for Great Ideas

Shawn Seipler, Founder of Clean the World

Shawn Seipler was once at a hotel in Minneapolis when the question struck him, “What do they do with the soap when I’m done with it?” When he asked the front desk, he was told they just throw the soap away. He saw how wasteful of a practice it was, and began to mentally brew potential solutions. Soon (once he was back at home in Florida), he created a makeshift work station in his garage, and had his family helping him to melt, sanitize, and reform bars of soap. Shawn was able to collect bars from several hotels around Orlando, and his first completed batch was 2,000 recycled bars strong. Shawn was able to bring himself and them to an impoverished area of Haiti. When he arrived at the church where he would hand them out, a crowd five times the size of his soap supply was waiting for him. Before this point, Shawn was aware of the great need that Haitian people had for hygiene supplies, but upon learning of how many of them died every day of disease, and seeing how grateful they were to receive soap, he knew his social enterprise had to continue. Shawn founded Clean the World in 2009, and since then the organization has expanded the scale of its operation, now donating to 115 countries (including homeless shelters in the US), it has diverted more than 28 million pounds of waste from landfills and donated over 87 million bars of soap. It has also expanded its range to include recycling the plastic of small liquid soap bottles.

The process of recycling the soap used by Clean the World is the same in its fundamentals as what Shawn Seipler used initially in his garage. Though at first his team was using potato peelers, meat grinders, and cookers, the work done by the industrial-quality equipment they now possess is doing the same things at a larger scale. The modern process is as follows: First, the bars are extruded into pellets and ground so that all foreign particles are removed. Then, the soap is sterilized by heating. Next, there is another round of pelleting and grinding to eliminate any potential remaining particles. Lastly, the soap is turned back into fresh bars. Clean the World now has recycling centers all over the earth, helping to prevent waste and provide for those in need.

 

My Sources:

FAQ – Clean the World

The afterlife of hotel soap | CNN

How Used Hotel Soap Could ‘Clean the World’ | Inc.com

Shawn Seipler doing his part to ‘Clean the World’ – Kenosha.com

How Owala Water Bottles are Revolutionizing: Getting Down to the Bottom of Its Entrepreneurial Drive for Innovation


In 
this growingly competitive hydration products marketplace, Owala Water Bottles have managed to stick their heads above water, not so much by the beauty of the containers but because of innovation and fresh approaches in functionality and formIt’s a perfect example of entrepreneurial thinking that has led to a product that meets the needs of consumers but does so in a fresh, smart, and thoughtful way. Owalas rise in popularity is a testament to how creatively a company can think through solutions to everyday problems while simultaneously creating a new standard for water bottles.

Thinking Like Entrepreneurs: Identifying a Gap
Owalas story begins with an identification of common frustrations from users of water bottles, like the overall inconvenience in drinking from the traditional bottles. Unscrewing caps, fumbling around with straws, spills-the water bottle was not exactly user-friendly as it should have beenBut rather than sit and let that be what it would always be, Owalas founders thought more entrepreneurially-they saw a chance to make an improvement in a day-to-day item that was used by millions of people each day.

Owala saw this gap in the market, where people wanted functional water bottle that was not only easy to use but leak-proof, and with that, the desire to present something nice to look atThat entrepreneurial spirit took them to really reimagine what a water bottle should be: one that doesn’t focus solely on hydration but creates an experience when using the product.

Innovative Design: The Owala Difference
Owalas success is rooted in their ability to innovate within an overly saturated market. Their bottles have this push-to-open button that just pops the lid, making it so easy to drink with one hand—no unscrewing, no straw flipping, just pure convenience. Such small, powerful design improvement turned what had been fundamental use of the product into a game-changing user experience-instantlyit felt like the bottle was made for active lifestyles.

Another impressive innovation is the inclusion of a built-in straw that can be concealed, offering a mess-free drinking experience. Owala’s design eliminates the common issue of the bottle cap getting dirty when drinking, ensuring that every sip is hygienic and refreshing. These thoughtful details set Owala apart from traditional water bottles and show the brand’s commitment to solving real problems through innovation.

Stylish and Functional: A Product with Purpose
Owala didn’t stop at functionality; they also knew that consumers wanted a product that would reflect their personal style. Their bottles come in a range of colors and designs, allowing users to choose one that fits their personality or needs. The sleek, modern look of the Owala bottle makes it just as much a fashion accessory as it is a hydration tool. In the world of consumer products, this dual-purpose appeal is a great way to differentiate from competition and win over loyal consumers.

This attention to both fashion and function is another example of how Owala thought like an entrepreneurby marrying form with practicality, they ended up with a product that works for a wide audience. Whether you’re heading to the gym, commuting to work, or just running errands, Owalas bottles were designed to fit seamlessly into every part of your day.

Innovation Builds a Strong Brand
Entrepreneurship is all about more than creating a productit is creating a brand that can speak to people. Owala successfully positioned itself as a brand that understands the needs of the modern consumerOwala’s water bottles aren’t just about hydrationthey are about simplifying life and making everyday routines enjoyable. Its innovative design, leak-proof functionality, and sleek aesthetics work in concert to build a brand that feels contemporary, reliable, and forward-thinking.

Other than offering very innovative products, Owala has also used strategic marketing to grow its brand presence: using social media, partnering with influencers, and leveraging customer testimonials. It listens to customers for feedback and works to make the products better. Thusthe company is growing with each passing day while still keeping very good relation with its users.

Owalas success is a good example of entrepreneurial thinking apart from the simple introduction of the product to the market. They identified a gap, thought outside the box, and created a product that solves problems in a fresh and innovative way. The combination of thoughtful design, convenience, and style that Owala water bottles boast makes them stand out in a crowded market. The entrepreneurial mindset has turned the simplest product into a must-have of modern consumers. Anyone looking for a water bottle thats functional, stylish, and ahead of the curve can find it in Owala.

https://owalalife.com/

Owala 24oz FreeSip Stainless Steel Water Bottle, 1 of 6

Reagan Thomas

Simone Hufana

Simone Hufana is a great example to college students of how it is totally possible for students to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors and be incredibly successful at it.

Simone started out with a passion for bringing women of color to the spotlight. She developed a clear goal and started taking systematic steps towards it. She was purposeful about engaging in the community and understanding how people felt and what they experienced. Thinking through the ways that she could make the most impact was crucial for her. She networked, attended workshops, used social media, and soon developed a brand with a specific audience.

Her initial idea was to create a coloring book that represented women of color who were influential. ColorHerStory was trying to change the lack of representation of successful and accomplishing women specifically in education. Market research consisted of understanding the needs of her target audience. she sent out surveys engaged with educators and parents

Books and Big Dreams: Inside the Mind of a 19-Year-Old Entrepreneur ...

In 2017 she hit a milestone when she won Shopify’s beast mode a business competition. This showed that the business world recognized her work and the talents and passion that went on behind her business.

Simone’s still developing story is inspiring to young people who have passion’s and visions that are just waiting to come to life. She exemplifies creativity and bravery additionally; she was not afraid to go into coloring books which one would think are a boring market but that actually have a lot of value interest and impact especially in education. In a way she discovered a secret that nobody else was solving in the way she chose to and she has been relentless in pursing success for her mission.

 

Young Stylish Moziah Bridges

Moziah Bridges, a young stylish talented individual. Moziah at the age of nine loved style, and at this age he struggled to find a suitable bowtie. He decided to start his own business called Mo’s Bows, pretty clever for his age. Although, for him it wasn’t just giving the name and saying this is my business, he had to learn how to sew and then he innovated in making colorful bowties by using his grandmothers left over sewing projects. As time went on Bridges hired tailors, and he just took care of the business and creative side of things. This business was on shark tank as Bridges give his run down on the business. He has been pretty successful as a bowtie businessman, selling more than $700,000 in handmade men’s ties and accessories. A couple cool things that Moziah has done with his business is he made a custom “Obama Blue” tie for President Barack Obama, and his company has produced bowties and neckties to all thirty National Basketball Association teams crossed the country! That is very impressive for where he had to start and to where he is now. These are so very cool and interesting facts that his company will forever remember. Now, Moziah’s company has other companies that carry his ties, like Cole Haan, Bloomingdale’s, and Neiman Marcus. These are some very big businesses. Also, he is a Memphis native and in 2012 he started a Go Mo Summer Camp Scholarship Fund. This is a charity, and its goal is to send Memphis kids to summer camp. To the most recent date, this charity has sent more than fifty kids to summer camp. Overall, this is a great story and an even more successful business.

Link to Article: 10 Successful Young Entrepreneurs

Mo's Bows

Figma: A Design Powerhouse

Origins

Has anyone here heard of Figma? I hadn’t heard of it until a few years ago. But If I were to ask if you have heard of Adobe, I bet many of you know what it is. Figma is a design platform that is a web-based design tool that allows users to create, share, and test digital products and services. It is often looped into the same group around designers when talking about Adobe and its many products. Figma’s founder Dylan Field was just 20 years old when he and his classmate Evan Wallace released it to the public. While Field was working as an intern for Flipboard and LinkedIn he was spotted to have great potential. Which they most certainly were not wrong. Against Fields’ parents’ wishes he decided to drop of college at Brown University to participate in the Thiel Fellowship program which led to him earning a $100,000 grant from Peter Thiel co-founder of PayPal.

Future Trends

It took 4 years of testing and development before it was released to market in 2016. Figma has a flexible feature set and a freemium pricing scale that helped take some market away from Adobe. Figma saw great success during the pandemic due to so many having much more free time to learn about things and software that interested them. Figma soon grew to 850 employees and was set to be bought by Adobe for $20 billion. However, this deal soon fell through in 2023 and both companies agreed to terminate their merger agreement. As of the summer of 2024 Figma was on track to hit $700 million annual recurring revenue. Nevertheless, Figma is a huge powerhouse when it comes to general design and I have found it is incredibly powerful at website design, something that think Adobe is lacking. It is a very great resource to know both design software’s because there are things that one does better than the other.

If you would like to learn more please visit https://www.figma.com/about/

Wise Pocket – Sofia Overton

Sofia Overton noticed at just 13 years old a common problem: many clothes for children and women lacked pockets. She came up with an idea to solve this problem, socks with built in pockets. With the help and support of her family and friends she turned this idea into a business and started selling them. Deciding to go on shark tank was one of the best choices she ever made. She rigorously prepared and made a massive effort to improve her presentation skills. The Sharks were impressed by her pitch, and they offered her a deal. The deal was $35,000 for 25% equity in wise pocket products. After this win, her company grew through new problems and challenges. The company started to use social media to grab interest in their products and carved out a unique space in the fashion world. The socks come in fun colors and patterns and in many stylish choices.

10 Interesting Facts About Sofi Overton You Do Not Wish to Miss Out

Sofia’s business endeavors serve as a great example to young people today who have a dream of starting a business. Not only did she find a problem with a unique market, but she competed on shark tank and earned a deal. This deal launched her business into a new level of success. While navigating new problems and challenges the business grew into different areas of interest for a unique market.

It’s inspiring to see someone take an idea and run with it. We can learn from Sofia and learn to take risks and grow through great opportunities. Her developing story goes to show that there’s no substitute for following a dream with passion.

Matthew Shifrin, A Blind Artist Increasing the Accessibility of Lego

Matthew Shifrin sitting at a table with several completed Lego sets. He has ginger hair and sunglasses on.

Matthew Shifrin with some of his Lego creations

Matthew Shifrin is a remarkable figure who has been a positive force in the world despite his lack of something that most people take for granted. Though he was born blind and is only 26, he has already written several musicals and acted in a film. He can speak four languages and is learning another two currently, as well as sing and play the accordion. He created Braille for the Yiddish language. Though he has built himself quite the portfolio of accomplishments, the innovation I am here to discuss was not solely his invention.

On Matthew’s thirteenth birthday, he received a Prince of Persia Lego set from his friend Lilya Finkel. With the set came a binder Lilya made containing hand typed braille instructions. These allowed Matthew to build the set despite his inability to perceive the standard instructions. Before this point, he had played with Lego, but he mostly kept to the Bionicle line. He had a lot of fun following the braille guide to put his set together. Matthew and Lilya would proceed to translate more instructions and standardize a method of communicating exactly what blocks to put where. Here is a sample of what these guides come out sounding like.

     9.1. Place a red 1×2 plate, vertically and centered horizontally,

     on the front two pieces from the previous step. 

     9.2. Place an orange 1×1 plate behind the previous piece. 

In 2017, Lilya Finkel passed away from cancer. Matthew has continued the project in her absence, working with other blind and sighted folks to create accessible instructions in greater numbers. The work is done by pairs of people, a sighted translator and a blind or partially sighted tester. They have currently translated one hundred and eighty four sets, and are constantly putting out more. The largest set they have conquered is the Tower Bridge, at a grand 4295 pieces. The tactile experience of feeling every surface of a Lego sculpture can be very enriching for blind children who cannot otherwise experience the world as we would. You could tell a blind child that the roof of their home slants downward at a gentle angle, but that concept becomes far more realized when they can pore over a model of a home and feel it for themselves. Matthew Shifrin was able to speak directly with members of the Creative Play Lab at the Lego Group, and in 2019 they piloted official audio and braille instructions for four sets. There have since been dozens of official blind-accessible Lego instructions released.

I find the story of Matthew inspirational because it demonstrates that through hardship, through perceived limitations, we can become greater than the people others may judge us to be. In addition, Lilya Finkel demonstrated the traits of an excellent friend, and served others the way Jesus tells us to serve: Generously, thoughtfully, and lovingly. 

 

My Sources:

bricksfortheblind.org

Seeing LEGO Differently

Lego Group to Pilot Lego Audio and Braille Instructions

Children of Passion – Pocketti Plushies – Sydney and Toni Loew

Meet Sydney and Toni Loew, two sisters whose lives changed right in Middle School. Their product was inspired by an entrepreneur class Syndey had in 7th grade, which allowed her to write out a business, even create a prototype, and then she got to pitch the idea. Her target was 11-14 year old kids, so she chose to go down the toy route, where she created her business, Pocketti Plushies! She wanted something that would differ from other plushies, and decided to add something functional to the plushie by giving it a pocket to hold a phone in. Because her product did so well, she was able to get her plushies launched into a business.

With a rocketing business, Sydney and her sister Toni began their career, creating unique plushies, with powers as they called it. Each plushie was uniquely designed and made with different personalities. They were able to attend several sales events and create television commercials, as well being able to pitch their ideas to schools. They were also awarded several prizes such as Wonder Girls by Women in Toys in 2016.  They were also able to get Walmart as a client!

While their business is run by them and their mother, they also attended school. Sydney is now a graphic designer intern at Disney’s Yellow Shoes internal advertising agency. While her sister goes to USC’s Thornton School of Music, where she is in two music bands! Their love for all things creative is truly inspirational as they continue to grow their business across the world.

Despite their successes, even they have had rejections. They participated on Shark Tank 3 times and got a no each time, but that hasn’t stopped them from continuing their business!

With their creativity and passion for innovation, they have created a business they hope to grow across the world. For now, we can appreciate how young these girls were when they began their journey, representing that even in Middle School, anything can be done if you put your mind to it. Success isn’t defined by the number of statistics, but by the satisfaction it gives to the customers and to you.

Carson Kropfl – Locker Board

Carson Kropfl is an inventor, skater, and surfer from San Clemente, California. Carson first came up with his idea when he started middle school. He loved skateboarding, but he found that he didn’t have a skateboard that fit in his locker. He decided to make his own skateboards that he later called Locker Boards. Locker Boards are hand-made and reshaped from recycled skateboard decks at 16 inches long. At this length, they easily fit into backpacks and lockers. Locker Boards are also good for the planet. The rectangular shape of the board allows you to still be able to do tricks on it, like a normal skateboard, despite the smaller size. In his first 9 months of running the company, Carson made $10,000 in revenue, selling online and promoting his product through social media.

Carson appeared on Shark Tank in 2017 when he was just 11 years old. He came in seeking $60,000 for a 15% stake in his company. He received offers from Mark Cuban, Robert Herjavec, and Richard Branson. He took Richard Branson’s offer of $65,000 for 20% of his company with the goal of growing his company to be known across the country. In February of 2020, Carson signed a licensing deal with a major toy company called Wham-O. Locker Board now has a net worth of $325,000, and Carson is looking to sell the company so he can focus on his schooling.

When Carson was asked on Shark Tank where he wants to be in 5, 10, and 20 years, Carson simply said “everywhere.” He seems to have achieved that goal and is now looking forward to the next stage of his life and all that is ahead of him.

– Kaitlyn Kuscevic

Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz – The “Cereal” Entrepreneurs

 

Gabi Lewis (left) and Greg Sewitz, cofounders of Exo, the cricket-protein-bar company they sold last... [+] year, are launching Magic Spoon, which offers monthly subscriptions for high protein, low carb cereal that riffs on childhood classics.

At the ripe age of 28, Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz decided to come up with a cereal brand that was both healthy for you and provided feelings reminiscent of those childhood cereals that we used to love and enjoy.

As children, they ate sugary cereals all the time to nourish them and start their day off right. The thing is, they realized as they got older that the sugary cereals they had been consuming all this time were not actually nourishing and didn’t have a great impact on the human body. Thus, they set out to discover a way to fix this problem and create a cereal that reminds them of their childhood while also being high in protein and offering other benefits along the way, such as being keto-friendly, grain-free, gluten-friendly, and low-carb.

They came up with Magic Spoon through hard work and dedication, putting in over a year’s worth of research and experimentation, trying hundreds of different combinations along the way, trying to overcome the obstacle of creating a high-protein cereal without grains. They also smartly decided to stay away from sugar and instead resorted to stevia, monk fruit, and allulose – three natural sweeteners.

They are an inspirational pair because they decided to try and break into a market where the big names were already well-established by innovating and creating something that the market really didn’t have by focusing on nostalgia and health. Today they are known for leading the pack of young cereal-related startups and they have over 750,000 5-star reviews on their website.

One thing that they wanted to share with the world of entrepreneurs is that you shouldn’t spend years trying to perfect your product until it’s 100% ready to put out on store shelves. Get it to maybe 95% of the way and get it into the market! Then you can see how it does, get lots of feedback, and learn how to continuously improve it and push it into broader markets.