It’s not easy being a female inventor, serial entrepreneur and founder, but Emily Kenison understands that the only person who has to say Yes to your idea is you.
When Emily Kenison, a lawyer, decided to follow her dream of being an inventor and entrepreneur, some people thought she was crazy. Now, 12 patents later (and 9 trademarks and 100 copyrights) Kenison is the CEO of a successful company that makes RobeCurls, a headband that curls your hair as you sleep, without heat. These days everyone asks her: How did you do that? Here is her answer and the advice she gives other women who want to be the next Joy Mangano.
First, about RobeCurls, Emily Kenison’s latest invention and company: RobeCurls is a 7-time award-winning heatless hair curling headband that offers effortless curls. Emily is on a mission to inspire category-creating inventions that empower women to simplify and streamline their everyday routines.
Emily Kenison is a lawyer-turned-inventor and CEO of Emikeni Inc. that has redefined women-led innovation with award-winning products. A few of her recent inventions: Straplets, the first and only detachable shoe accessory; and RobeCurls, the award-winning heatless hair curler.
Her inventions are regularly featured in top publications including Vogue, Glamour, and have appeared on The Today Show. She continues to inspire future female entrepreneurship. Driven by sustainable design Emily and her companies are members of WBENC, 1% for the Planet, and Climate Neutral Certified.
Here is her advice for women who want to switch it up, ditch the 9 to 5 or corporate halls and offices, and go create something new, unique and useful.
You inspire women through your leadership and fearlessness. Where did that come from? Who was your inspiration?
I was inspired by Sara Blakely (the inventor of Spanx) who saw a need for change in women’s products and persevered even when the industry initially didn’t see a place for Spanx in the market. She proved that a simple idea could change people’s lives for the better, and I have taken on that mindset with my own inventions.
Being fearless in the industry means knowing there is a place for your invention that could empower consumers, alter daily routines and elevate women to live their best lives. I was so inspired by Sara Blakely’s ambition that I even proposed to her to be my mentor with my first invention, Straplets! And she said yes! Her advice has been incredibly valuable to me as an entrepreneur and I am grateful that she believes in me as an inventor who can make meaningful change for women through the products that we use everyday.
What advice do you give to someone who says, “I could never do that”? How do You Help others starting on their journey?
It is important to remember that it is not just you – it is a team of people who are helping make the journey possible! We can’t make the entrepreneurial dream happen without a team of motivated people who believe in the ideas and mission behind the business.
On our team, we have a saying to ‘go for the ask,’ which means asking questions of other leaders in the space and peers in the industry to learn from them and their insights.
The world needs innovative ideas, and you could be that person who brings the new idea to the table. Your unique experiences and ideas are what could change an industry for the better. Ask questions, learn from other people, and trust your own instincts. Your idea is worth sharing!
How do you stay motivated to keep going once you’ve met your goals?
I stay motivated by looking at the bigger picture. I am very goal-oriented and keep my sights on certain goals until they are achieved. Once I hit that milestone, I look towards the next goal that continues to build on the vision for my company.
I am on a mission to empower optimism for women entrepreneurs and inventors, and that means looking at all the ways that smaller goals can be attained, working towards the bigger goal of empowering other women to reach their dreams as well.
Do you have a mantra or words you live by that have helped you through tough times and kept you going?
Joy Mangano (the inventor of the self-wringing Miracle Mop, space-saving Huggable Hangars, among other things) has a great quote that says “All you need is one person to say Yes to an idea.” Sometimes that person is you, or someone close to you. When the challenges come (and they inevitably do, as an entrepreneur), I remind myself that my inventions can make a difference. When we say Yes to an idea that can make change happen, we have the ability to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
Anything else we haven’t already asked? your secret to success or advice you love to share?
I built RobeCurls as a customer-centric brand that continues to look at ways to elevate the customer experience. RobeCurls is the only brand in the heatless hair industry that offers 1-on-1 CurlTalks, where customers get to learn about how to use the product alongside an expert to achieve the best results.
When I was having issues with counterfeits, it was my customers who advocated for my brand and actively helped us overcome counterfeit issues. My advice for anyone starting a brand is to help your customers understand your product and connect with them in meaningful ways.
Helping others is such an important part of the journey. I believe in sharing the knowledge learned along the way to help build a strong community of female entrepreneurs who can help one another through each stage of the journey. We can’t build the dream alone!
Follow Emily for more great advice here:
- @robecurls on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook
- @emikeni on Instagram
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-kenison
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