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How did you come up with the idea for your business?
For one of my electives, our final project was to create a product that solved a problem. I couldn’t think of anything for weeks until one day my cousin Austin was complaining about how much of a pain it was to go out to his smoker every 45 minutes to spritz the meat cooking and how he wished it could be done automatically. After some research, I found a ton of Reddit boards with barbeque enthusiasts jerry-rigging watering tools attempting to make the automatic spritzer a reality. From there, my ideas just continued to grow.
What does the average day look like for you now as an entrepreneur (especially compared to past jobs/days)?
A lot of caffeine! I usually will start my day off with a loaded tea from ATX nutrition or a Celsius and then I make a checklist in my planner of my tasks and goals I would like to accomplish that day. I am currently in the process of trying to create an MVP, so I spend a lot of my time at Texas Inventionworks messing around with new tools and materials for my product. My favorite tool I have used so far was the laser cutter! I made a box to enclose my device along with an adorable longhorn keychain for my car keys. Compared to my old job as a medical assistant at a Podiatrist, being an entrepreneur is extremely different. My product has never been made before so when I confront an issue with its design, I have to be creative on how to overcome this difficulty while raising the value of my product. I also find myself working pretty closely with engineers which I have not had the experience to do in the past. I also don’t look at patient’s feet anymore or clean up toenails , so it is pretty awesome!
What are some of the top things you have learned so far?
You need to be comfortable with pivoting. You may have envisioned the perfect scenario where your product works in your head but almost always, the real world tends to mess with that “picture perfect image.” Yes, pivoting forces you to change course, and invest more time, but it also allows for creative problem solving and ultimately creating a new idea that is even better! Rather than seeing pivoting as a pain, I’ve learned to see it as an art and a gift. I’ve fallen in love with it!
Who or what inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
My mom:) During COVID, my mom left corporate America and took the leap of starting her own business. I saw her turn her dreams into a reality. She built her own website, social media presence, and client base with her co-founder Janel and I thought it was amazing. Having her as a role model has been such an inspiration and allowed me to also take the leap of faith into entrepreneurship.
What have been 1-2 of your proudest moments in creating your business?
By far my two most proud moments were creating my first working prototype and being accepted into the FoundHer program. I am not an engineer, and building my prototype involved a lot of engineering which forced me out of my comfort zone. I had to teach myself how to code an arduino circuit board, attach a motor to my device, research heat resistant material, and overall reverse engineer my idea from start to finish. I feel that being accepted into the FoundHER program was not only recognition for all of my work so far, but also one of the best opportunities that could have come into my life with regards to pushing myself and developing my business.
What’s the best advice you have received along your journey?
My best advice I have received was to pursue your ideas and dreams fearlessly because even if you fail, at least you have learned something along the way.
About The Author:
Audrey Haugh '23
Founder of Meatzer