29 min
Aaron Hsu - Catching the Tsunami Extreme Uncertainty
-
- Entrepreneurship
What do you know about face masks?
Chances are, you know a lot. We all do. What most of us don’t know is face masks present a real problem for medical professionals trying to communicate with people, particularly those who are deaf or hard of hearing. When Aaron Hsu and his cofounders launched ClearMask in 2017, it was the result of cofounder Allysa Dittmar’s experiences dealing with this issue firsthand. But what started as a part-time passion project in 2017 turned into something very different in 2020—a year when the world had a very real, very immediate need for masks.
Aaron shares his journey over the last four years and how ClearMask went from filling dozens of orders each month to supplying hundreds of thousands of transparent face masks to hospitals and organizations all around the world. Aaron talks about the hurdles his team faced in launching a medical device company, the importance of preparing for success, how to deal with "champagne problems," and shares his advice for founders who suddenly find themselves with more business than they can handle.
We hope you enjoy this conversation with an inspiring founder. And we humbly dedicate this episode to all of our listeners who are on the front lines of the Covid crisis. We salute you and offer our sincere gratitude for all your dedication and sacrifice.
What do you know about face masks?
Chances are, you know a lot. We all do. What most of us don’t know is face masks present a real problem for medical professionals trying to communicate with people, particularly those who are deaf or hard of hearing. When Aaron Hsu and his cofounders launched ClearMask in 2017, it was the result of cofounder Allysa Dittmar’s experiences dealing with this issue firsthand. But what started as a part-time passion project in 2017 turned into something very different in 2020—a year when the world had a very real, very immediate need for masks.
Aaron shares his journey over the last four years and how ClearMask went from filling dozens of orders each month to supplying hundreds of thousands of transparent face masks to hospitals and organizations all around the world. Aaron talks about the hurdles his team faced in launching a medical device company, the importance of preparing for success, how to deal with "champagne problems," and shares his advice for founders who suddenly find themselves with more business than they can handle.
We hope you enjoy this conversation with an inspiring founder. And we humbly dedicate this episode to all of our listeners who are on the front lines of the Covid crisis. We salute you and offer our sincere gratitude for all your dedication and sacrifice.
29 min