Sharon Giovinazzo

I was working on and off on the project, not making much progress since the initial push. And frankly, I was not all that concerned. But once again, I ran into Lewis and he asked about it...so I felt the need to get going again. He emailed me the name of a woman who he met with in his new venture and hooked us up. This angel was Sharon Giovinazzo. She runs business development for the Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind (RLCB). They have a manufacturing facility in Raleigh that employs 85% blind or partially blind workers. THIS PLACE IS AMAZING! Sharon gave me a personal tour and showed me every inch of the place. With her walking stick in hand, she joked with each employee on the line and asked what they were working on. She knew them by name and asked about their personal lives. It was magical. What an unbelivable environment to work. Sharon and I spent about an hour and half together discussing my idea. She liked it too. And she was going to figure out a way to work with me to take the idea from concept to production.

The Encouragement

Lewis Sheets is a friend of our family. I had met him a few times before but he knew my parents quite well. Lewis also happens to be a great business man. He has started and sold a few companies and teaches entrepreneurship classes at NC State University. He agreed to meet me to hear about my "blockbuster idea" of creating a new line of infants wear.... something totally unrelated to my career as a real estate agent. I was reluctant to share my idea...he probably gets all kinds of ridiculous ideas...was mine just another? I knew our first meeting was going to be a big joke but I went anyway. Lewis actually seemed to like the idea and gave me a few resources to do a little research. Hmmmm.

The Inspiration

in 2008, I picked up my son Tyler from daycare and for the third day in a row he had on a different shirt at the end of the day. Each day, the change happened for a different reason. Spit up. Spilled water. Drool. His shirts were SOAKED. I joked with my wife that I wish they made a shirt that would soak up the liquid so he wouldn't become the dreaded all time bib wearer. And so it began....