Editor's Note: This article is the fifth in a series spotlighting and supporting various nurse entrepreneurs and their businesses. In partnership with adni, products from each nurse business will be featured in our Nurse 365 monthly giveaways — enter to win here!
As a nurse for almost 13 years, I’ve always struggled to drink enough water, especially at work. I always felt dehydrated.
Being constantly busy for the majority of a 12-hour shift didn’t leave me much time to stop and take a drink. And keeping a beverage at the nursing station wasn’t allowed.
I tried using flavored water enhancers to help entice me to drink more water, but I soon realized these products were filled with artificial ingredients, sweeteners, and dyes that essentially made it “chemical water.”
Talking to my coworkers, I realized I wasn’t alone. They were also feeling dehydrated and run down, and water was usually the last thing they chose when reaching for a drink at work because they wanted something that tasted good or gave them energy, vitamins, etc. — something that provided a functional benefit.
That’s when I had my “aha” moment. Maybe I could create a product that would make drinking more water effortless — something that provided the functional benefits my fellow nurses desired, but tasted so good that it would make you forget you were drinking water. And so, Tiki Water Enhancers was born.
The inspiration behind my product
I believe that businesses should be a tool for promoting positive change in the world. And that’s the ethos of why we do what we do. Because at my core, I’ve always wanted to help people and improve their quality of life. That mission guided me when creating my business.
Over my 13-year career, there have been many highs and lows. Despite my best efforts to “leave work at work,” I felt myself experiencing more lows. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I hit rock bottom and experienced severe burnout. I knew I had to make a change.
But I did not want my burnout to define me. I was still passionate about helping others and wanted to continue to do that if I could. Making a product that would help other front-line workers feel and function at their best became my new passion project.
It was important to me to create unique products that not only tasted good but were actually good for you. That meant using the highest-quality natural, organic ingredients. Our products don’t contain sugar, calories, or artificial ingredients of any kind. Our product line provides three different functional benefits: Immune Support, Energy Boost, and Sleep Aid.
We work in environments that require being hands-on with sick patients, so I knew I wanted to create an immune support product first. I brought my first product to work to get feedback, and it was after this that I began realizing that what I was making truly resonated with my co-workers.
These were products they could actually use — products that provided real benefits to their lives at work and at home. That’s why Tiki is designed with nurses and healthcare professionals in mind.
From there, we decided to make two more products. We’re always tired, so an energy-boosting product was another obvious choice, without the crash and negative side effects. Our third Sleep Aid product was inspired by my experience working night shift and the difficulty sleeping during the day.
Ultimately, Tiki’s core mission is to promote health, wellness, and female empowerment. My goal was to make products that are truly good for you because I believe in the concept of good in, good out — the quality of what you put into your body has a direct effect on the quality of the output.
Facing challenges and pushing forward
Initially, I was terrified to start a business. Nursing was all I’d ever known. I had no business background and never saw myself in that world. Healthcare was my comfort zone, but sometimes the change you need can be the most uncomfortable. Thankfully, my husband had business experience and encouraged and guided me, which was great…because it wasn’t easy.
We ran into supply chain issues early on due to the pandemic which was very discouraging. Just when we had finally gained traction with customers, we sold out, and everything came to a halt. We were unable to manufacture more inventory because we couldn’t get the necessary ingredients due to supply chain issues.
I was discouraged, upset, and overwhelmed with the thought of not being able to fulfill orders for our customers and not knowing when the supply chain was going to improve made it worse. This was a pivotal moment for us because although it would have been easier to quit, we decided to turn a negative into a positive and take that time to improve our products and make the adjustments we knew we needed. And I’m proud of that.
But there were so many uncertainties. I constantly second-guessed myself. Would anyone like my product? Was I crazy to do this? Did I have the right vision? Would people take me seriously in business? But I’m so happy I took the leap, trusted my instincts, and listened to my support system because here I am writing about a business that I love!
My advice for nurses with business dreams
If you have a business idea, believe in yourself, and take it one step at a time. It’s okay to ask questions. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by everything that goes into starting a business. Breaking it down into the following steps can help.
- Get a clear idea of what you want to create or do and map it out.
- Determine your “why.” Why are you creating this business? Why is it important to you? This will help keep you on track.
- Surround yourself with people who know more than you do. That’s how you learn.
- If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Trust your instincts.
And remember: You’re strong and capable, and you can do this. I’m in your corner cheering you on!
