We are sharing advice, tips and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. The answers have been edited for clarity.
Willo.
Willo, a toothbrush robot for kids, was listed on the 100 Best Inventions list by Time magazine. Hugo de Gentile, co-founder and CEO of the company, talked to us about the growth of the company during the Pandemic and its place in the surge of premium at- home products.
You have a background in impact investing. How did you start the toothbrush company?
Impact investing focuses on financing projects that are driving positive changes to society. The quality of the change is measured by the impact it has on each one of them, as well as the number of people being helped. Does a project make their lives better? How happy they are, how long they live, and what they can achieve are all variables that can be changed by it.
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That's what led me to Willo. I was struck by the magnitude of the oral health issue as I was trying to invest my time in the most efficient way to bring significant changes. There aren't a lot of things that everyone is doing every day, with limited results and an important impact on overall health. After carefully studying all the solutions in the making, my dad and I realized Willo's potential and decided to take on the mission of bringing perfect oral health for everyone.
How did your dad think about the invention?
Willo is a product that my dad created. He is a dentist, but he is more of a scientist outside of his dental office. He was frustrated that most of his patients were not able to maintain healthy teeth and gums even though he tried.
How did you come up with a functional product?
Willo is a laboratory. Everything we do starts with careful in-vivo and in-vivo testing. Whenever we engage in discussions with experts, they appreciate the scientific approach, knowledge accumulated and the potential for change.
Our investors introduced us to our current Chief Dental Officer. First with a part-time equity deal and then a full-time position. Being flexible with the nature of the partnership is important. As a startup, you usually have more risks than other people. You can show that your company is not a house of cards by building trust and reducing that risk.
What do early investors mean for a company?
Having the right investors is a great signal. You want investors who are well-known and respected for their expertise, and who already have a network that you can use. Having Kleiner Perkins in the US, and in Europe and dental funds by our side, has made it easier to find the right talent.
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Every other employee has the same concerns when joining the team: Will I have the resources to do a good job? Will I be able to make a difference? What is the risk? Do I believe in the mission? Is the company run by people I trust?
The dental industry has been affected by the Pandemic.
A lot of people who lost their jobs during the Pandemic didn't go back to dentistry, so there is a shortage of hygienists and dental assistants. It is a struggle for dentists and it calls for better support at home and better collaboration between companies of the oral care sector and dental professionals.
The number of visits to the dentist was lowered because of the Pandemic. We are waiting for more serious issues to be resolved before we visit the dentist. It helped the development of telemedicine and increased awareness about self-care.
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You've talked about the South African philosophy of Ubuntu, "I am because we are." How can this help entrepreneurs with their businesses?
The first and most important value at Willo is Ubuntu. Our employees live by that philosophy. It can be summarized by saying that I care for the community and I am aware of that. It seems idealistic and good, but it is not.
This philosophy gives you the right focus and is stimulating. If you are only doing a business for yourself, you will not have a sense of purpose or connect with people. You may feel discouraged when difficulties arise. If your work is meaningful, you will be more patient and tenacious.
The success of a business is dependent on the quality of your value proposition, which is given specific tools by the Ubuntu philosophy. If you care about your customers and connect with them on a deeper level, you will be able to deliver better solutions to improve their lives. You will be able to implement them at a faster pace if you pay more attention to their feedback.
If you want to scale, give the people you hire freedom to succeed.
Tensions can cripple a company. There are tensions between two employees, between teammates and their manager. Tensions are necessary and positive when dealt with correctly. They emerge from the excitement of going forward with an idea and the frustration of competing views slowing down the process. Some tensions can cause a lot of damage to the company. These tensions are usually caused by ego, bad communication or suspicions. It has been helpful to have "Ubuntu" as our first value in limiting these kinds of incidents to a minimum.
What are your tips for working with your family?
Building a business with someone you love is both rewarding and difficult. The ups and downs can affect your personal life in a lot of ways. The brain works that way. People are associated with events and emotions. Whether you have clear boundaries or not, you will definitely carry these emotions with you in the professional and personal spaces.
If you're building something that is ambitious and nontrivial, the family bond should be sacred, so that your relationship is never at risk. The settlement rules should be clearly defined and transparent. There are times when you have differing views on important topics. It is important to know how to proceed after agreeing to disagree.
There is calm happiness when your company grows. My dad doesn't want to be a businessman. He is excited to see how many people his ideas help. When we pause to look at the progress made, we feel like we are living an incredible journey that we would have never imagined when he was still making prototypes in his pajamas. We think about the people we have met and the obstacles they overcame.
What are your suggestions on how to innovate in a category where there isn't much disruption?
There is a reason for a market not to have a major evolution for a few years or decades. No one ever identified that opportunity, that's the reason. It can be because the market is mature. The market could be organized in a way that made it hard to enter. There could be a technological barrier. The blockers need to be clearly identified. It is the beginning of building a disruptive business that will have a huge impact on the choices you make along the way.
The automation of toothbrushing is not new to the oral care sector. The state of oral health for all dental professionals is preoccupying. The majority of adults end up with gum diseases because they can't brush their teeth properly. Companies in the sector have been trying to do that for decades. Hundreds of patents were filed. The technology and user experience are the biggest barrier here. Automating toothbrushing for billions of mouths is a huge technological challenge. We knew we would need more funding and patience to overcome this.
If you want to disrupt the market, you should surround yourself with partners that have the same quality. We have been fortunate to partner with visionary investors, like Kleiner Perkins, who are passionate about deep tech that has the potential of reinventing massive industries. The partners will support your vision and help others see the difference between crazy and forward- thinking.
