An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis

Don’t be afraid to start. It’s okay to not have every step mapped out. Just start your journey and the path will form with each step. Don’t spend years like I did delaying your own progress out of fear or the belief there is a prefect path, because that does not exist.

As a part of our series called “Making Something From Nothing”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Melissa Jaggernauth.

Melissa Jaggernauth is the owner and creative genius behind OneZnality, an adjustable onesie. The birth of her daughter and feeling unprepared as first-time parent inspired her to take the modern day onesie and give it a twist. The goal is for OneZnality to be a staple product for all parents to have in their home for their bundle of joy. Melissa believes every baby is unique and should have clothing to accommodate their uniqueness.

Melissa was born in the Caribbean West Indies on the island of Trinidad & Tobago and raised in Queens, New York. She received her undergraduate degree in Finance from St. John’s University and her MBA from Wake Forest University. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina where she is watching her inspiration behind OneZnality, her daughter, grow up right before her eyes. When Melissa is not dedicating time to growing OneZnality, she is working for an organization that builds affordable housing for low-income families, and she is traveling and creating memories with her family.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?

I am an island girl. I was born in Trinidad & Tobago to very young parents who wanted to give their children the opportunity to experience the American dream. We relocated to the United States when I was very young and I spent much of my life in Queens, New York. My mother made so many sacrifices to ensure we had just a chance to be whatever we dreamed of. I remember vividly her doing the little things to make our small world seem so big. Whether it was our weekly tradition of dinner at Burger King or playing “I spy” on our daily hour plus bus rides, she made everything an adventure.

Our little family was (and still is) a very strong unit. We did everything we could to support each other. For example, I remember once working three summer jobs so we could afford our first family car. It was a salvaged vehicle that I drove till the wheels fell off. Six days a week my routine was, drive two hours to take mother to work, go to school, go to work (retail), and head back two hours to take my mother home. We had very humble beginnings. My mother, siblings and I shared a one-bedroom until I moved after college to North Carolina. I look back and now realize we did not have many material possessions, but it didn’t even matter because I was truly loved.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I’m a firm believer that “all NO’s are redirections to ‘YES’.” This mantra and my unwavering faith have kept me on-track. Throughout my academic, professional, and entrepreneurial journeys, I heard countless No’s. The most recent ‘No’ happened when I was searching for my ideal manufacturing partner. My original goal was to have my adjustable onesies made in the USA. However, that was a harder challenge than obtaining my patent. I held countless meetings with manufacturers and they all sang the same tune. They stated this type of project wouldn’t give them the margins they were looking for. During one meeting the manufacturer representative suggested that I drop the onesie idea and consider developing sushi or burrito blankets for babies. Another manufacturer wanted to work with me but only under one condition, I had to purchase the equipment needed to make the onesies; however, I would not own the equipment. They attempted to pitch it as a $50k investment in my dreams. I decided to be nimble with my goals and outsource manufacturing overseas. I was then able to connect with a wider pool of potential partners that were all eager and more open minded. I secured my manufacturer, and my onesies went into production after four years of redirections.

Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Hidden Figures is the one movie that makes me believe anything is possible. Like I tell my daughter, a glass ceiling is only created if you allow it. Many women before our time have faced harder struggles, imposed by society, and paved the way to their own success regardless of the obstacles. Think about it . . . the woman in that movie lived a life full of restrictions, dealt with many stereotypes placed on them, and flourished despite the challenges. For me, this movie mirrors my journey not only as an entrepreneur but also as a minority woman in my everyday life.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. There is no shortage of good ideas out there. Many people have good ideas all the time. But people seem to struggle in taking a good idea and translating it into an actual business. Can you share a few ideas from your experience about how to overcome this challenge?

JUST DO IT! Do not allow fear or the belief that there is a perfect approach to launching a business get in your way. Because there isn’t! Develop the business plan and start taking steps. Even if its baby steps, it’s still progress, and any action is better than no action.

I spent years overthinking the launch of my business. I wasted so much time because I believed I had to develop this perfect road map for taking my concept to reality. I read countless ‘How To’ books and I even convinced myself I needed to get my MBA to be successful. I believed that I would fail if I had any missteps in my approach and refused to be open to walking a less ridge path. In retrospect I clearly see that I was creating delays in my journey purely out of fear. I caution all entrepreneurs to not allow fear to hold them back. Remember the saying: “A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on its own wings. Always believe in yourself.” There is no right or wrong way to do it. The only thing you must do is start somewhere and embrace your mistakes. It’s all a part of the journey.

Often when people think of a new idea, they dismiss it saying someone else must have thought of it before. How would you recommend that someone go about researching whether or not their idea has already been created?

Be savvy and very thorough in the way you conduct your research. In addition to internet research, here are some tips that I used when developing my unique product:

• Use reputable sources. There’s a saying ‘garbage in is always garbage out.’ Therefore, your sources matter. A great source is the United States Patent Office website. This website allows anyone to search for any product/idea that has intellectual claims to them, even if the claim is for an idea that has yet to be brought to market.
• Create a list of product keywords and descriptions. When researching your idea to see if it is already in existence, I highly recommended creating a list of keywords and synonyms that describe your idea and the potential uses. Search these keywords and do not limit your search to your respective country. Remember the internet is worldwide and sometimes your search engine needs a nudge to look broader. I kept a thorough log of my searches and the respective results. This documentation becomes important in the event someone claims they had they idea an before you and/or if you pursue your own patent. This step was valuable for me and saved me money when I started the process to obtain my patent. My attorney was able to utilize my logs to support there were no prior claims. Double win for me!
• Connect with subject matter experts in the industry that most relates to your idea. The gems they drop are priceless. These networking opportunities can help in so many ways because it does take a village and I do not suggest you do it alone. Don’t be shy and ask questions, suggestions, and referrals. Utilize these opportunities to learn from their lessons learned. Ask about the trends, barriers to entry in the market for newbies, and what other resources did they find helpful to bridge your learning curve.
• Immerse yourself into the industry. Visit tradeshows, listen to relevant podcasts and/or following some of the big names in the industry on your social media.
• Boots on the ground approach. Personally, I wanted to hear directly from my target market and know what they thought of my idea, so I asked. I would visit the baby section at Target or the YMCA and ask random people if they had a moment to spare. I would explain that I was in the process of trying to launch a product that I think they would find useful and thought their opinion was extremely valuable. Nine times out of ten I got their attention and most importantly their feedback, which I took seriously, as it shaped my design.
• Create and test your prototype. Once you get closer from having an idea to having something tangible, create a prototype or test out the service you would like to offer. This step is critical because you will learn a lot about the product once you start to put it in use. Here is where you start to refine and/or redesign.

For the benefit of our readers, can you outline the steps one has to go through, from when they think of the idea, until it finally lands in a customer’s hands? In particular, we’d love to hear about how to file a patent, how to source a good manufacturer, and how to find a retailer to distribute it.

The first step to filing a patent is conducting a patent search for prior intellectual art. This is key! Many believe that once a patent is created their goods/services automatically go in production. But that is false. Many patents are filed and many don’t make it further in the process. Just because you have an idea that you believe is not in existence, you still need to confirm. At a minimum, I highly recommend working with a patent search professional to ensure this search was thoroughly conducted. Filing a patent is time consuming and expensive, so it’s best to ensure you don’t get denied because you are infringing on prior art. Specific to my process, I felt that it was in my best interest to work with a well-known patent attorney. I vetted multiple firms and found one that I felt the most aligned with. This was important because I wanted a good partnership, especially since filing a patent can take up to a year or longer.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started Leading My Company” and why?

1. Your connections matter and will prove to be one of your greatest assets. Every connection has led to another very meaningful connection. For example, my website designer, introduced me to my photographer, who then introduced me to my PR firm. All are highly respectable women entrepreneurs that are following their own paths, which makes them relatable resources. The best part is not only are they great assets, but they also end up being some of your biggest cheerleaders and motivators.
2. NOs are just redirections to yes. If I allowed all of the NOs I heard over the course of four years to overshadow my dreams, I would have never persevered until I received my first Yes. I am now working with an amazing manufacturer, who uses eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. They have helped me to create a high-quality product.
3. Trust your inner compass. If it feels wrong, then it’s wrong. There were many moments that I questioned if not producing my product in the USA was going to hinder my chances of success. This caused me to question my decision on not making that “$50k investment in my dreams”. My gut told me to keep trying, it will work out in the end. So glad I listened to my inner intuition.
4. Don’t be afraid to start. It’s okay to not have every step mapped out. Just start your journey and the path will form with each step. Don’t spend years like I did delaying your own progress out of fear or the belief there is a prefect path, because that does not exist.
5. Do not marginalize or underestimate your brand because it’s a small business or a startup. I sometimes feel timid to compare my product to the larger sized competitors only because of the of size of my business and the fact that I am a new start up. I am 1000% confident that my product is by far superior, but I allowed the size of my business to intimidate me. Once I started to sell my onesies and heard firsthand how game. changing they are I began to build the confidence I needed. That’s when I realized that one should never marginalize their brand because of it being new to the market. Remember, Amazon started out in a garage.

Let’s imagine that a reader reading this interview has an idea for a product that they would like to invent. What are the first few steps that you would recommend that they take?

I recommend taking following steps:

• Conduct research on the product idea.
• Connect with others in that industry.
• Develop some form of business plan or guide to keep things in logical order as you roll it out.
• Be open to feedback and/or lessons learned from others.
• Be patient with the process.
• If possible, hire professionals.

I found the feedback to be very helpful in developing and launching my product. I initially had a vision of how I wanted to adjust my onesies, however, working with a prototype design firm my vision needed to be tweaked. We spent a year working through and testing various ways to adjust the onesie’s inseam. Being open to critical feedback was something I needed to ensure I was developing a high-quality product that would last long term and provide the comfortably I strived for.

There are many invention development consultants. Would you recommend that a person with a new idea hire such a consultant, or should they try to strike out on their own?

This is a personal choice. As I mentioned previously, there is no right or wrong approach. If a development consultant is an avenue you would like to explore, then explore it. Before you go down this path, identify for yourself what do you expect to get from using this service and what aspect of your development process do you want to utilize them for. Once you are firm in your expectations, then share this information with whomever you engage with because some firms might not be able to meet your expectations, or some might elaborate on how they can benefit you in other ways that you didn’t think of. As you start to engage firms, I would suggest that you get an idea upfront of their general process, affiliated companies, and fee structure. I have seen where some consultants are paid per sale, and some have minimum fees regardless of sales. Also, I would strongly advise limiting the number of firms you share your idea with, have everyone involved in these conversations sign an NDA, and thoroughly vet the consultant’s resume/experience. If this is a resource that works within the budget, then there is nothing wrong with incorporating this resource into your business plan, especially if it gives you an expertise that you find beneficial, and it helps to bring your idea to reality sooner.

What are your thoughts about bootstrapping vs looking for venture capital? What is the best way to decide if you should do either one?

This is a personal choice. As I mentioned previously there is no right or wrong approach. Simply do what is best for your business and personal situation. As a small business owner, most are leveraging personal assets to develop or start their business. Whether one decides to leverage their assts or utilize a venture capitalist, there is some level of risk involved. Always weight your pros and cons. I personally funded my project because I didn’t want to sell a stake of my company or add any personal debt. In my situation, rolling out my project over the course of a few years benefitted me financially. I was able to pace myself, manage my personal expenses, and budget both my personal and business-related startup expenses. I know this approach may not work for everyone, so develop your budget and timeline and determine which type of financing gets you where you want to be in that time frame. Don’t forget to factor the risks associated with your choice.

Ok. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

Life happens quickly and most times we are all reactive. Speaking from experience, I wish there were more tools available to parents to help plan for the what ifs and the curve balls of life. Through OneZnality, I want to help parents be more prepared, to provide a stronger sense of readiness, avoid awkward growth gaps, and give parents the best bang for their buck for something we know children will grow out of. I also want to provide comfortability to those beautiful growing babies. As a parent, we utilize things in our daily lives to give us an assist . . . robot vacuums, daily reminders or alarms courtesy of our phones, takeout food on demand. Why not get an assist on children’s clothing as well.

You are an inspiration to a great many people. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I believe in ‘paying it forward’. It is important that we continue to share, to mentor, and to selflessly bring others along your journey to entrepreneurship. I am a firm believer that generational wealth can be formed beyond the realm of family. It can be amongst our peers. If one finds the secret formula, better known as knowledge, why not share that? There is room for everyone to win. It just takes one act of sharing and paying it forward to accumulate into a powerful movement of growth. I would love to start a movement of angel entrepreneurs and investors, where small businesses are able to help other small businesses. Pooling our wealth and talent to help one another achieve the ultimate success.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

Hands down without a doubt, Rihanna. She is inspiring in every sense. The beautiful thing about her story is that she always stays true to herself, and she never waivers. I secretly tell myself that are stories are so much alike, except I’m not a billionaire, yet! We are both island girls building a brand. It would be an honor to break bread with her and learn from her. My goal is to be the Rihanna of onesies.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I hope it inspires others. I’m happy to connect with other entrepreneurs at https://www.oneznality.com/, on Instagram at @OneZnaliity, and on Facebook at OneZnality.

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Making Something From Nothing: Melissa Jaggernauth Of OneZnality On How To Go From Idea To Launch was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.