January 4, 2016
[Passion to Purpose] Omar Kinnebrew, Creator of The Perfect Pocket Square
Name: Omar Kinnebrew
Profession: Sales Manager / Inventor / Innovator
Age: 30
I have put my passion to purpose by: overcoming the uncertainty of developing and attempting to patent a product that was somewhat absent in the marketplace. This journey has provided me with the funds to donate to local charities and to share what I have learned with young people who aspire to pursue the road less traveled.
A man of style and creativity, Omar S. Kinnebrew sought to create The Perfect Pocket Square Holder and custom men’s accessories. Focused on providing the ultimate holder that eliminates issues of bulkiness, slippage and excess fabric from store bought squares, Kinnebrew has crafted a unique and simple wardrobe must. The Perfect Pocket Square Holder prevents slipping and bulging of your pocket square and keeps you looking stylish throughout the day!
Inspired by having a product in the market that truly solves a daily problem, Kinnebrew relishes the opportunities it presents. “When I hear from gentlemen that they’ve needed this for years, it further motivates me to push harder and go one step further,” Kinnebrew tells BE Modern Man. “However, the support of my wife keeps me from falling to far when adversity hits.”
Although Kinnebrew is a successful business man, he realizes that his current profession is not exactly his passion. “For me, it was easy to identify this passion for style and product innovation,” says Kinnebrew. “When I would get home from work and dive into working on my pocket square holder, the hours would fly on by. No matter what needed to be done that day or week, I would not stop until the task was complete.” This however, left Kinnebrew operating on 3-4 hours of sleep for quite some time. “It was grueling, but exciting; and reminded me of my time in business school.”
Kinnebrew has had his share of ups and downs developing The Perfect Pocket Square Holder but encourages people to go for it. He says, “unfortunately, everything you love or have a passion for may not be a profitable enterprise. It may not be scalable, the market might be saturated or there could be some other missing link. However, it’s always worth the risk to try, if you go about it in the right way.” He advises to start by doing research to see if your idea is already being done, who is being serviced where and at what capacity. If it’s an existing idea, see if you can find a way to improve upon the product or service, offer at a better price point, provide a higher level of service or quality, or introduce to new markets. “If there’s a green light at that point, poll your potential customer base,” Kinnebrew tells BE Modern Man. “Talk to your network first and then expand beyond that to survey and see if this is something people will pay for. Remember not to rely on friends and family because they may spare your feelings and hide the truth if their thoughts are not desirable. When you ask a stranger or newly met acquaintance, the response might be more candid.”
Read more on page 2…