Ever since Lily Born was 8 years old, she saw her grandfather struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Her grandfather had trouble completing daily tasks, most notably drinking water. She set out to design a new cup that wouldn’t tip. She used moldable plastic to make a model and a year later, she made a ceramic version. She called the final version the “Kangaroo Cup”.
This story emphasizes the problem-solving nature of entrepreneurs. She even followed through past the point of helping her grandfather but helped many others who struggle to hold a drinking cup still.
Lily wants other entrepreneurs to know that innovation doesn’t have to be groundbreaking, it can be as simple as a plastic cup.
It’s inspiring that a young child can come up with innovative solutions to problems she sees in the world. Many times, entrepreneurs do not need to reinvent the wheel but rather use existing inventions and technology to solve the problems we see in the world today. As emphasized by Daniel Pink in his book, “The Whole New Mind,” right side brain functions are just as significant as left-brain ones. Lily Born displays empathy in being able to understand the suffering of her grandfather and I believe empathy may be one of the most overlooked traits in successful entrepreneurs.