Kevin Price, Host of the Price of Business on Business Talk 1110 AM KTEK (on Bloomberg’s home in Houston) recently interviewed Seth McBee . Here’s that interview.
About the interviewee
Seth McBee is one of the founders of You Saw Me. He holds a BS from the University of Maryland and was a nuclear engineer specializing in refueling naval nuclear submarines for over 2.5 years and in 2013, he resigned and relocated to Lexington, KY to launch his startup, which patented versatile visibility safety products in an effort to increase the noticeability of roadside pedestrians and create a fun element behind wearing safety garments.
Tell me about your firm (number of employees, location, type of companies you work with, etc.).
The team is made up of Seth McBee and Kevin Winzer, who started their Maryland-based company in 2011. They both now reside in Kentucky assisting in the first-ever launch of their customizable visibility safety vest to the public. They have contracted a textile manufacturer in Liberty, KY, a previous home of Oshkosh, which left many talented seamstresses desiring work when they relocated to Taiwan. The product McBee and Winzer are launching is geared towards roadside walkers, runners, bicyclists, but also anyone wanting to just be brighter. They also plan on getting involved in the public sector with emergency personnel, airport ground workers, construction workers, and various other industries that have a need for increasing their identity.
What type and size of companies do you have as clients?
The product launched in May of this year and You Saw Me operated as a business to customer operation, focusing on changing the way athletes and parents thought about visibility safety. However, the team plans to reach local, state, federal, and our military in a much different marketing plan as they prove the concept and gain exposure. Their customers and clients are on all size-levels and the thought is a shotgun approach to see what industry has the best need for their product (and hopefully all).
What comes to mind when you see this topic?
You Saw Me is just poking their heads out of the sand and came into the game with only customers obtained through word of mouth marketing. The biggest challenge now that product design and the manufacturing logistical system is in place is in reaching new clients. People have never heard of their company and also never considered wearing a reflective vest with 60 waterproof custom-color LEDs on their body. Exposure is much more difficult than anticipated and, while people think what they are doing is cool, it’s another animal convincing customers of the need for this innovative product and passing their mission on.
What are the best practices when it comes to this issue?
Having a powerful product and entrepreneurial attitude is fundamental for getting people serious about helping grow your business to listen to you. Honesty and over-the-top customer service is premiere in this industry so that old, new, and future customers see you as more than a product on a shelf, but a company with a passion and a mission. In their short one-month launch, You Saw Me has talked with groups all over the country and world about interest and the groundwork is in place. Now, their focus is on the “hustle stage” to maintain these relationships and prove to customers, clients, investors, and really everyone that they have a powerful team and wish to revolutionize the visibility safety industry.
Contact information:
www.yousawme.com
