This one is not only an entrepreneur’s story but a story of an incredibly young, witty and female entrepreneur. She might have still had her fun at Warwick as an 18-year-old university student but Sophie Trelles-Tvede combined an ingenious revelation with her flair for entrepreneurship when she founded Invisibobble – you know, the hair tie that doesn’t leave any marks and doesn’t give you headaches and that EVERYONE wears and adores? Did you know that the creator of the telephone cord hair bobble was in her teens when she brought her product to the market? Neither did I.
This non-fiction piece combines Trelles-Tvede’s experiences of bringing Invisibobble to life, the immense growth it experienced over time but also the huge challenge of the many fakes that started hitting the market. Her writing also takes you to her favourite vodka tonics, her relationship days with her then boyfriend who also happens to be her business partner, her anxieties, her TEDx talk days and some very questionable “toilet” facilities in the Chinese production sites.
This isn’t just a delightful read but also truly inspiring. The challenge and care and LOVE that Trelles-Tvede put into her brand is simply remarkable. I find it very hard to believe that she founded Invisibobble at such a young age where most people’s greatest worries are their hook-ups, their final exams and what to wear at the next formal event.