Meet Bridgett Lau
Bridgett Lau is Co-founder of One Good Thing, a business that sells innovative eco-friendly products such as Satellite Bluetooth speakers made from reclaimed wood, Messenger bags made from billboards and organic T-shirts.
Founded in 2017, One Good Thing was the result of an epiphany – a personal tragedy, a memorable trip to Asia, and the inherent belief that people are good people. But let Bridgett tell you her story …
Tempo: How did you get started?
Bridgett: The idea was simple; to uncover great products all over the world that people would want but that also has a direct positive impact on the planet. It was to give these social enterprises a platform to expand their reach, and ultimately help people make easy, better choices with a halo effect.
Tempo: What you are passionate about?
Bridgett: In business, I am passionate about SMEs and start-ups. I am currently mentoring a number of individuals who are at various stages of growing their businesses. After exiting my first business venture and three decades in sales, I feel that understanding business roadblocks and having the solutions to fix them is crucial if a business is to grow and achieve its goals.
In life helping people be the best version of themselves is my underlying motivation. It’s my “Ikigai” (a Japanese word which means the reason for being).
Tempo: Where you want to go in your life?
Bridgett: Wow that’s a tough question and honestly, I am here, I am doing what I want feels right. Pre COVID 19, we had started gaining more traction and with corporates and not just corporate gifting but corporates who are looking to join the circular economy. We are in a phase of padding out how we can help the local economy grow by giving waste a second life as we build a new way in a COVID world.
Tempo: What have you learned from your experience?
Bridgett: I am going to do the top three as my list is endless and changes weekly:
- Do not underestimate GRIT. Prior to this business, I thought I had buckets of it but this business has tested me and it nearly broke me. The hardest part is not the beginning, it’s when you come out of the beginning when you think you should know what you’re doing but instead you might be running a different business than the one you planned.
- Don’t be afraid to fail. You hear this often but it really does need to be hard-wired into everyday decisions; it’s about the phrase “don’t worry about getting it perfect”. Your logo, the branding, your IG profile, your commercial model… ask questions of experts and try things out. You don’t know what is going to be “perfect” until you try.
- The power of your network. It is integral that you know how to bargain and how to develop relationships as a startup and also be genuine with who you are. We have grown by doing this every step of the way.
Click to visit her shop – https://www.one-goodthing.com/
