Entrepreneurship has been part of me from the beginning. At seven years old, I was already creating and selling “message in a bottle” products. That early drive led me to a national entrepreneurship competition in South Africa, where I placed in the top five. I was also selected as 1 of 65 out of over 50,000 applicants for a national entrepreneurial TV feature, where I participated in a week-long live-in experience.
Since then, I have continued to turn ideas into action, pitching concepts to companies like GoPro®, Samsonite®, and Mint Mobile®. Different industries have never been a barrier. I do not wait until I feel like an expert. I figure it out.
Over time, I have taught myself how to take a product from idea to reality. That includes working with engineers, creating and refining STL files, building prototypes, sourcing materials and manufacturers, and testing products in real-world environments. I have navigated packaging laws and regulations, managed third-party logistics and fulfillment, and handled details most people do not think about, like product tracking systems. Not GPS tracking, but the labeling tied to each product that identifies the batch, production run, and where it came from.
I have also worked through the requirements for children’s product compliance, including Children’s Product Certificates. This essentially means that if you are creating a product intended for children, you are responsible for proving it meets specific safety standards based on age group, materials, and use. It is not optional, and it is something many people overlook until it becomes a problem.
I have managed what happens after a product goes live as well, including inventory sitting in Amazon warehouses and the realities that come with that. One thing I learned the hard way is to be careful with seasonal products. If your product is tied to a specific time of year and it does not move as expected, you can end up paying to store inventory long after the season has passed.
Through all of this, I have learned how to problem solve quickly, adapt when things do not go as planned, and make decisions without having a perfect roadmap. Product development is never linear. There are always unexpected challenges, but that is where I do my best work.
I believe innovation comes from resourcefulness. If there is a problem, I see an opportunity. And I move on it.
Enya Krieg 