An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Be aware of where you get your money; all of your investors will expect something of you — be cognizant of their expectations and relative power!
As a part of my series about “Big Ideas That Might Change The World In The Next Few Years” I had the pleasure of interviewing Seungah Jeong.
Seungah Jeong is the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Board of Directors Member of MPOWERD Inc. Leading the company goals and values toward success, she ensures all decision-making reinforces the company mission. Since joining MPOWERD in 2016, Seungah has initiated exceptional growth in revenue and profitability, brand expansion, retail partnerships, operational excellence, and social impact worldwide. She develops and articulates the strategic direction for MPOWERD alongside Founder, John Salzinger, while fostering meaningful relationships and key deliverables across the business. Seungah serves as the Co-chair on The Board of Directors for the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN), has been included in the Top 100 Women in Impact by Real Leaders, awarded the Innovative Entrepreneur Award by Investors’ Circle — Social Venture Circle, and is part of the USPTO’s 12% female patent holders. In addition, she has been featured in prominent publications such as Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, The Young Turks, and Outside Business Journal and has penned several articles on sustainability and social policies herself. She is originally from South Korea and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you please tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Having been born in South Korea before it rapidly emerged as a tiger economy, I always knew that I wanted to have an impact on those in emerging markets. However, after finishing a Master’s Degree from Cambridge University in Environment and Development, I realized that I still did not have the capacity, experience, or tools to create widespread systemic change that would engender autonomy vs. dependency. So, I decided to take a detour into the business world in the hopes of eventually redeploying my efforts once I had retired. With my introduction to MPOWERD, Inc. and B Corps / Benefit Corporations in general, I have learned that it is possible to make a significant impact through business, which is the ideal career path for me!
Can you please share with us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
One does not necessarily set out to be a role model or a leader, but in my career, I’ve learned that to be a true entrepreneur, you may end up being both. Since I first set foot in the business world, I’ve always loved the world of consumer products, but I never imagined that I would be a patent-holder. Thus far, I have four USPTO patents to my name, and more are forthcoming. Interestingly, the statistics for women holding patents in the US have ranged from 5–12% annually. Leading by example, I hope more women will be encouraged to become inventors and patent holders!
Which principles or philosophies have guided your life? Your career?
I used to struggle with my humble beginnings, my race, and my gender. I could not understand why I was so different and always felt at a disadvantage growing up in a wealthy, white enclave in Texas, attending prestigious universities I could not afford without aid and scholarships, and working in a heavily male-dominated field in technology. In life, though, I’ve always thought that you cannot change how other people act towards you or what you’ve been given in life. You can only affect how you feel and what you do with what you have.
Ok thank you for that. Let’s now move to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell us about your “Big Idea That Might Change The World”?
Yes, speaking of innovation, I am a co-inventor of the Luci Solar Bike Light Set with John Salzinger, the Founder of MPOWERD. It’s a front and back bike light that connects together via magnets that allow both to be charged via solar energy. The lights are also rechargeable via USB as a backup method. At MPOWERD, we bring the power of the sun into the palm of one’s hand — giving a consumer the ability to harness clean energy for their everyday needs. We believe that as an alternative method of travel, a bicycle is the perfect embodiment of transport, freedom, independence, and fun. To complete one’s ride, we think a solar light is the ultimate expression of the power of alternative energy!
How do you think this will change the world?
Whenever I tell people I work for a solar company, they always envision me installing huge solar panels on a rooftop. However, when I tell them that all of our products are small, portable, durable, and water-resistant/proof, I know that this starts a mental shift in their minds whereby the concept of solar/alternative energy becomes more accessible. With a simple, reliable, well-designed product like our solar bike light set, we envision that more people will begin learning about, understanding, and adopting the use of solar as a viable, reliable alternative to fossil fuels. It only takes one light to spark understanding!
Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this idea that people should think more deeply about?
Of course, our idea is only one small product, and at the end of the day, how many “clean” bike rides would it take to compensate for the Co2 emissions from one plane ride? However, change often takes one idea or decision that starts one on a different path.
Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this idea? Can you tell us that story?
Yes. Unfortunately, the pandemic was the tipping point. Life, as we know, was turned upside down. It seemed like a gamble for your life to take the subway here in NYC, as many of us do not own cars. Thus, the humble bicycle was dusted off and became an essential tool for many who previously only rode their bicycles recreationally. I remember the long lines at my local bike shop and the bikes/gear that was constantly out of stock. We knew that we wanted to contribute to the ability of people to ride safely and cleanly.
What do you need to lead this idea to widespread adoption?
We need consumers to learn about this product and feel comfortable that the product functionality and reliability are on par with non-solar bike lights in the market. Think about it. When your bike light falters, and you are not near a USB source, your ride may be compromised. With our solar bike light, the solar part automatically serves as a backup, generating stored energy as you ride during the day!
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why.
- Be aware of where you get your money; all of your investors will expect something of you — be cognizant of their expectations and relative power!
- Understand the rules; your governance documents are all-powerful. Understand the scope of what decision-making you have and do not have.
- It’s a crowded field; nearly everything has been thought of at least once. However, the opportunities lie in the small details of strategy and execution that can lead to success.
- It’s hard to keep a business alive; thus, if you’ve been in existence for some time, there’s a tangible asset you have in your business. Understand what it is and make sure you support that element of your business.
- The people around you are critical; if you find yourself out-of-step with the values of those around you, then re-evaluate everything.
Can you share with our readers what you think are the most important “success habits” or “success mindsets”?
I think the ability to freely navigate between the “forest” and the “trees” is essential. Understand what you want to accomplish and why, and then build the tactics and the day-to-day behaviors that turn a bunch of trees into a forest. Go back and forth constantly to engage, evaluate, and re-align your vision and your behaviors!
Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
MPOWERD is a brand that uses business as a way to accomplish good. We combine the innovation of designing portable, sustainable solar lighting and charging products with a unique business model that takes retail sales in the outdoor recreation market and allows us to tier our margins to localized pricing in emerging markets. As a result, we enable the educated, motivated consumer to create change on a global scale.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
We are MPOWERDInc on all social media channels.
Instagram @mpowerdinc http://rb.gy/qsvlyh
Linkedin @MPOWERD Inc. http://rb.gy/zvitq4
Pinterest @mpowerdinc http://rb.gy/pnic0j
Facebook @MPOWERD Inc. http://rb.gy/2mrrpw
Twitter @MPOWERDInc http://rb.gy/ezfbs6
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
MPOWERD: Seungah Jeong’s Big Idea that Might Change the World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
