One of the most fundamental skills an entrepreneur can posses is the ability to see a problem, want to fix it, and create a solution. That’s exactly what Lily Born, then aged 7, did. She noticed the effects Parkinson’s Disease had on her grandfather. Easily knocked over cups caused spills and messes that often cause damage to other items in the house, be it a computer or paperwork, and extra work for grandma to clean up. After a bit of experimentation, and a few prototypes, Lily created the Kangaroo cup, a durable, ceramic cup featuring three stabilizing legs. The now 16 year-old has produced and sold tens of thousands of cups around the world.
Lily’s story is not just one of innovation, but courage. Before launching her company Imagiroo, Lily was a timid and shy girl who balked at even the idea of ordering food for herself at a restaurant. Her desire to help people and inspire others to create impact in the world helped her overcome her anxieties and reach higher than she even anticipated.
Lily is a young entrepreneur that saw a need and filled it to the best of her abilities. Her grandfather was struggling with Parkinson’s disease and she began to notice that every time he went to take a drink he would always be spilling the beverage. Lily raised a little over $6,000 on Kickstarter to put it into production and the startup of her idea. She developed a three-legged cup so that the chances of being able to spill the beverage significantly decreased.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects the movement of the body. This disease can be very aggressive and progress quickly or it could be a mild case and take 15-20 to be to a point of immobility. The people that live with this disease struggle with every little thing that they do and Lily’s cup is eliminating one of those struggles. With her design, it is easier for someone to be able to less carefully place something down on a table and not have to worry about the beverage spilling. With her product, Lily is also spreading awareness of Parkinson’s disease and showing people that there are ways to make life a little easier for those that are battling the disease.