In an interview with Insights Success, the Founder and Director of Techsixtyfour, Colleen Wong shares the key insights over her organization’s journey and its specialized solutions and services. She has also broadly discussed about his company’s core competencies and how the company is establishing its foothold in the global market. Considering these influential and inspirational aspects, Insights Success recognizes Colleen Wong as one of the most successful shepreneurs to watch in 2019.
Below are the highlights of the interview conducted between Colleen and Insights Success:
Give a brief overview of your background as an entrepreneur.
My idea for My Gator Watch came to me almost 3 years ago when I was with my 2 babies, then aged 4 months and 18 months old. I saw a fellow mum running around looking for her young child and my first thought was ‘how can we be more connected to our younger children so we don’t lose their minds.’ A few weeks later, Techsixtyfour was born.
How do you diversify your organization’s offerings to appeal to the target audience?
We currently have one product, My Gator Watch, which solves a major problem. Over 95% of parents dislike their younger child owning/using smartphones but for peace of mind, they want to stay connected. There is a dramatic increase in depression, anxiety, obesity in young children recently and smartphones/screen time are largely to blame. My Gator Watch is a mobile phone and GPS/WIFI tracker made for children between the ages of 5-11. It does not have access to the Internet, social media or games. The watch is designed to offer peace of mind to parents who have a child too young for a smartphone but old enough to want some independence.
Describe some of the vital attributes that every entrepreneur should possess.
Be an effective and honest leader who leads by example, quick decision making abilities, have integrity and someone who works smart.
How do you strategize your game plans to tackle competition in the market?
We stand out from our competition because
- We are the only brand selling through retail channels.
- We offer multi network coverage which makes the product more reliable
- Our design is simple and sleek
- Our offering to parents is simple and easy to set up
- Our focus on security of our data is top priority and we have a London cyber security firm run tests on a monthly basis on all our servers and systems.
- We are a team made up of flexible working mums and dads and we know exactly what parents need and want and we focus on that.
What are the frequent challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the workplaces and what are the ways to tackle them?
Challenges include getting less investment, not being taken seriously, have ability undermined. The best way to tackle all these challenges is to know your facts and figures and be confident about yourself.
What were the primal challenges and roadblocks you faced during the initial phase of your career as an entrepreneur?
The biggest challenge was getting a new technology brand to market with very little marketing budget. I would meet with some of the biggest retail brands but no on wanted to take a risk on a new brand. It is not easy getting others to believe in something new much less buy it. Another major challenge was juggling everything within the business while also at the same time, juggling 2 babies.
Where do you see yourself in the near future and what are your future goals?
I see myself continue to be the driving force behind my business and hoping to bring the business to profitability in 2019. I hope to expand to other markets such as the elderly market and also to add new features and products into the mix.
What is your advice for budding and emerging Shepreneurs?
Manage your finances wisely. Focus on how you will sell your product and if people will buy it. Spending money is far too easy. Earning it is the hardest part. Know your accounts like the back of your hand. Stay laser focused on building a solid foundation for the business even though it is never perceived as the sexy or glamorous part of being an entrepreneur.
About the Company
My Gator Watch is the coolest Wearable mobile phone & tracker made just for children. It has no internet, no games, no social media, so kids will be more active. My Gator Watch, part of Techsixtyfour, launched in 2015 with a mission to support kids (and their parents) as they take a step towards independence and explores the world on their own. My Gator Watch is Secure with end to end encryption platform.
Sources: The 20 Most Successful Shepreneurs to watch in 2019
