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Name: Marjie Krupnick

Business: Maxxable, protection for your smartphone

Industry: Consumer Goods

Location: Pennsylvania, U.S.

Reason for starting: I used to commute to work via train and needed a way to keep my phone in my hand, among all of the other things I had each day. I looked around and everyone had a death grip on their devices to prevent them from dropping to the ground. There wasn’t anything on the market that met my needs and requirements.

I realized that many had the same problem and issue and that there wasn’t anything in the market to help them to truly protect their phones from breaking without the bulk of gigantic cases that covered the sleek designs of the phones themselves.

Maxxable can and will save people money on dropped and broken phones. It can be used as a kickstand for video watching. Now there is an easy way for people to keep their phones safely in their hand. This item is an inexpensive way to protect your phone investment and have peace of mind.

Related: Read about another creative entrepreneur here.

How do you define success? I define success as a balance between work and passion. The work is the mechanism to enjoy the passions that a full and interesting life can provide. I enjoy the problem solving parts of my full time work PLUS my startup and invention, which is also a passion of mine. The development part of my startup highlighted the passionate part of what I really enjoy doing — the ideation and creation parts!

Biggest Success: My biggest success thus far was getting my patent approved. That was an accomplishment that I had dreamed of for a long time. The day that I was notified of the approval was just before July 4th, and I couldn’t wait to share that news with my family, who helped me stay focused on this item.

What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it? My top challenge is getting people to realize that they can in fact protect their phones without the need of bulky cases that cover the beauty and sleek designs of their phones. I talk to people whenever I can and show them how Maxxable works and protects. Of course, sales are also a challenge that I am continually trying to address!

Related: Inspiration Minute: Be Your Own Customer

Who is your most important role model? I don’t have one role model, but instead admire those who have built successful companies or brands from the ground up. They believed in themselves and were committed to their craft. If I had to pick a few names, it would be Oprah Winfrey for her laser focus on continuing to build her brand without the benefit of a privileged upbringing. I believe that Martha Stewart has similar qualities — the laser focus on building something from almost nothing.

[box_light]Website   www.maxxable.com
Twitter   @Maxxable
Facebook   www.facebook.com/maxxable[/box_light]

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Edited by The Story Excha