72
ENSPIRE MAGAZINE 20
F |
E |
A |
T |
U |
R |
E |
D |
: |
|
G |
E |
R |
M |
|
G |
E |
N |
I |
E |
Entrepreneurism and innovation have no age limit and young 16-year old Henry Hurowitz is an example of that . Henry caught a serious face rash from falling asleep on a tray table on a plane and it was from that horrid experience he thought to address the cleanliness of airplanes . He developed GermGenie which sells airplane tray table covers and TSA complaint essentials for staying germ-free on the go . In addition to managing all of the responsibilities of being a high school student , Hurowitz runs GermGenie with a team of young entrepreneurs from his Junior Achievement of South Florida club , as well as his volunteer-based organization , FoodEase , which fights food waste .
The onset of COVID-19 presented Hurowitz and his team with a major hurdle . While the demand for sanitation products has skyrocketed , sourcing issues from China crippled fulfillment . The group adapted to these circumstances and returned weeks later with a new Deluxe Kit , including shoe and toilet seat covers , as well as an N95 mask upgrade . GermGenie is still the lowest priced personal protective equipment ( PPE ) vendor with these products .
FoodEase deals with America ’ s serious food waste problem . Over 40 million Americans are food insecure , yet 40 % of the food produced in the U . S . is thrown away . FoodEase rescues healthy food that businesses will not sell , bringing it to food donors and agencies . With the FoodRescueUS app , anyone can lend a hand and become a food runner or donor . Amidst the economic recession , America needs FoodEase more than ever .
We asked a few questions about his life as a 16-year old entrepreneur and what he anticipates for the future of his business ventures .
What are the biggest challenges of being a 16-year-old entrepreneur ? How do you anticipate these evolving as you grow older ?
The biggest challenge of being a young entrepreneur is learning how to balance schoolwork , lacrosse , speech , and debate , studying for the SATs , friends , and new entrepreneurial ventures . Although I anticipate having similar challenges for the next few years while I ’ m still in high school and then college , I am constantly learning and working on managing my time more efficiently .
The fact that airplane tray tables are eight times dirtier than a toilet is shocking . Americans already have faith in their airlines to expertly navigate the skies that cleaning tray tables does not seem to be too tall of an order . What factors make this problem so prevalent ?
Even before the pandemic , airlines have historically not had enough time between flights to properly clean and sterilize the interior surfaces of their aircraft . Aircraft generally only receive a deep interior clean every month or six weeks , which can create perfect breeding grounds for potentially infectious germs . Although airlines have started to pay closer attention to the cleanliness of their airplanes , protecting yourself against these possibly lethal germs have never been more important . While we are in the middle of a global pandemic , we cannot always trust others to clean a new environment . The Germ Genie Travel Pack is the perfect companion for flying because the tray table covers create a germ-free surface and the other components can be used to disinfect your area and protect you from your surroundings .
How have Germ Genie and FoodEase adapted to the onset of COVID-19 ? What lasting changes do you anticipate remaining in a post-COVID America ?
Unlike many businesses that have been forced to downsize , Germ Genie ’ s products and FoodEASE ’ s service are increasingly more relevant , forcing these ventures to expand . Germ Genie ’ s mission is to keep our customers safe and healthy wherever you need to go so we have expanded our product line to include fabric masks and a Deluxe Travel Pack for increased protection with a KN95 mask , first aid kit , and more . COVID-19 was a worldwide wake-up call to the harmful effects that germs and bacteria can have so we plan to continue to expand our Germ Genie product line to help people continue to stay germ-free on the go . In terms of FoodEASE , during COVID , millions of Americans became unemployed , making the issue of food insecurity exponentially worse . Throughout the COVID pandemic , FoodEASE continues to help those individuals who are most at risk . In addition , we have specifically helped donate over 20,000 meals to unemployed or furloughed hospitality workers , as