AmorSui protects and dresses women in fashionable PPE
“I learned the hard way that I cannot do everything alone. My company is not just me, but my team”
If you ever doubted a happy accident, take it from Beau Wangtrakuldee that it’s a thing. PhD chemist-turned-entrepreneur, Beau, was in the lab when she accidentally spilled a large amount of chemicals onto her lab coat, which soaked through to her jeans and onto her legs, causing it to absorb into her skin quickly. Luckily she’s ok now, but this scary accident led to her start AmorSui, protective wear for women that is both functional and fashionable, leveraging technology to make it simple for hospitals and clinics to implement more sustainable circular PPE. AmorSui’S integrated PPE platform automates cleaning, life-cycle management, and recycling of washable gowns, and tracks environmental impact towards reducing one-time use products.
Here’s her advice on what to do with your big ideas, how to ask tough questions, and what she really thinks about working from home.
TECHSESH: You’re at a cocktail party and someone says, “What do you do?” How do you answer?
AmorSui specializes in personal protective wear and in addressing the current pandemic & PPE crisis, the team has developed reusable and recyclable PPE that enables hospitals and clinics to move toward environmental sustainability.
TECHSESH: As a CEO, what are the pros and cons of working from home?
The pros are the increased efficiency of getting more things done, and reduced time spent on travel and on-site activities. Although we have always operated virtually, a lot of best practices about sharing content within a team in a way that encourages collaboration has been the main focus of us working together from home. I am generally comfortable with working virtually, and did not mind Zoom and Google Hangouts that much until recently. I served as a keynote speaker to 100 participants via Zoom for the first time and found it tremendously difficult to connect with an audience of that size while speaking virtually. If you have any tips on giving a talk virtually, shoot me a message!
TECHSESH: Now that you’ve created your own company, could you ever go back to working for someone else?
To be honest, I have never enjoyed working for someone else. I have been working towards starting a venture that I could call my own ever since I finished my schooling. It just took a lot of time to define what that venture would look like, plan it out, and gather my courage and faith to take that leap.
TECHSESH: Everyone must want to “pick your brain” about being a female founder. How do you decide which random emails to answer?
I really believe in the give first mentally, and will typically make myself available for a pick your brain session if someone reaches out. However, you will be pushed to the top of the line if you have done thorough research on me and craft a customized message based on that research.
TECHSESH: What have you found is the best way to lead your team?
I learned the hard way that I cannot do everything alone. My company is not just me, but my team. Because of this, I determine the strength of each member of my team, define a scope that lets each of them shine, provide space for creativity, and then leave them to pave their own greatness.
TECHSESH: How has being a founder changed the way you shop?
For items that are essential for the business, we would pay more to ensure quality and timely delivery. We look for cost-savings where we can leverage expertise from our internal team. For example, we pay more for protective textiles made in the USA because their quality has been guaranteed by lab testing and FDA approval.
TECHSESH: How do you champion other people’s ideas while staying true to your vision?
For AmorSui, my team had identified the brand philosophy, including our vision to be the go-to destination for the most inclusive and sustainable innovation in safety. We selectively prioritize the execution of these ideas according to quarterly objectives and key results, and whether they fit within our brand vision. My personal perspective is closely aligned with the brand, so individually I also support people’s ideas that promote inclusivity and diversity, creativity, and greener actions.
TECHSESH: What about helping female-led businesses while still focusing on your own success?
It is in our brand DNA to supports female-led businesses. Most, if not all, of our vendors and manufacturers are female-led businesses. It all comes down to working with partners that are as experienced, detail-oriented, and passionate about delivering the best quality of products as we are. We build relationships with these boss ladies and women who are all about getting things done right, supporting each other, and growing our businesses together.
TECHSESH: What’s your smartest work-related shortcut or productivity hack?
For me, it is a calendar block. I get distracted easily, and blocking specific time to get one or two important tasks done helps me focus.
TECHSESH: What are 3 words to describe your personal brand?
Authenticity, Transparency, and Inclusion
TELL US WHERE WE CAN FIND YOU!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beauwangtrakuldee/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/amorsuiclothing/
