Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Schafer.
Hi Kimberly, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Kimberly Schafer. I am 65 years old, and a first-time inventor and entrepreneur. I spent 33 years at the UC, San Diego, including serving as the Administrative Director of the Center for AIDS Research for 15 years, and as the Director of Clinical Operations with the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study for 14 years. I supervised groups ranging from 3–45 people, and had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s leading researchers. I was given opportunities to grow at each step, and am co-author on 28 manuscripts, 3 of which I am first author. It was an incredibly stimulating career, and I relished being in an environment where there was always someone smarter than me in every room.
I started my journey as an inventor in 2013, when I was 53 and working at UC San Diego. My invention, the Ring Thing® was borne of my own need when I went to the nail salon for a manicure and had nowhere safe to store my rings. I was stuffing them into my pockets or purse, and when I looked around, I saw that many other customers had the same problem. Then I noticed I had the same issue at the gym, spa, beach and other places where I needed to take my rings off. This led me to think, there must be a way, there must be something that can hold my rings and keep them safe. As I thought about it, I came up with a design. I made my first model out of a paper towel, like a small origami. I remember looking at it and thinking there must be a way to make it happen.
I could see the finished product so clearly in my head. And even though I greatly enjoyed my work at the University, I knew that I would always regret it if I didn’t try. I was aware it would take time and that I had few resources to put into it, but I was determined to give it a go. It was the feeling that I didn’t want to look back on my life and wonder “what if”? So, in 2014, I hired a UC San Diego engineering student part-time over the summer to help me with the design, and it grew from there. I was working in a very high-pressure job and could only work on my invention in bits during evenings and weekends, but I kept at it. Over the next 8 years I got 3 patents, a trademark, learned about manufacturing, and in 2021 I brought the first product to market. I retired from UC San Diego in early 2021 and am working on the Ring Thing® full-time now. I am still learning about marketing, social media, running a company and really enjoying the journey.
I am so proud of the Ring Thing®. It is a patented, waterproof, personal ring holder that clips easily to gym, travel, salon, beach, climbing, hiking and outdoor gear. It’s a great way to keep rings safe whenever we need to take them off.
The Ring Thing® is waterproof, and so airtight no dust or dirt can get inside. It clips easily inside purses, backpacks, bags, and onto water bottles, keys and outdoor gear. It has a padded inner base and 3 divider disks so that multiple rings can be safely stacked inside. The Ring Thing® is very durable – you can stand on it and it will still open just fine. It’s made out of the same material as Legos (except it doesn’t hurt if you step on it 🙂 ).
So far, more than 30,000 units have been sold, and sales are growing. It is being sold at rock climbing gyms across the US, jewelry stores, salons, and online. It can be customized with company logos and an NFC tag programmed to the company website, and this feature is being used by multiple companies. The Ring Thing® has been featured in BuzzFeed 29 times, Brides Magazine, and more.
I have also started writing about my journey as a first-time entrepreneur in my 60’s, including the good, bad and the funny. I would like to encourage others to follow their dreams regardless of their age. We truly can do it! In addition, I host a twice-monthly TV show on USA Global TV & Radio called “The Persistence Payoff Show”, focusing on the quality of persistence and talking with people who are examples of its payoffs. I’ve spoken with professional athletes, the Founder of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, book authors, business leaders and more, and am excited for upcoming guests as well.
The Ring Thing® is made in the USA. I donate a portion of each sale to anti-human trafficking non-profits. This is a cause close to my heart and it’s important to me to give back in whatever way I can.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, for sure. I didn’t know anything about product design, manufacturing, marketing, social media, and more. Every struggle has been a great lesson and I’m grateful, but I also admit there were moments of frustration and wondering if I could do it. Here are a couple of examples of challenges that have come up along the way:
1. In 2014, working with the engineering student, we got the first 3-D model of the Ring Thing. Cost was an issue – at that time 3-D manufacturing was totally new and each model cost $100 to make, Now it’s much cheaper, but at the time it was expensive and I am self-funded. We learned to be very efficient with revisions as we couldn’t make endless tweaks and new models.
2. I knew nothing about manufacturing, including injection molding. It was important to me to have the Ring Thing manufactured in the US, so I spent quite a bit of time learning about manufacturing, trying to understand how to have a mold made, what that meant, identifying possible partners, talking to many people and learning a whole new lingo. I found a manufacturer in San Diego, but after a couple of years he sold the company and told me I would need to find a new manufacturer. I was given very short notice and it was in early fall, just before my busiest time of year at the holidays. In short order, I spoke to 18 different manufacturers across the US and found one that is excellent. They have been a great partner, but it was a very pressure-filled time to find them quickly, move my mold and supplies and get ramped up as quickly as possible.
3. It was important to me that the Ring Thing have a padded base and divider disks to separate rings. It also has a clasp to allow it to clip easily to bags, water bottles, keychains, and more. It wasn’t easy to find the quality parts I was looking for, and I was firm about the need for quality. I still have a box of about 30 different types of clasps I ordered to test before I found the right one, and it took time find the right material for the base and divider disks.
4. Social media and marketing have been the biggest challenges for me. I come from a background of working with scientists, and tend to be pretty straightforward in how I say things. That directness is great, but it’s not always a good marketing strategy. I’m learning how to still be honest but also make the marketing fun and interesting. I didn’t grow up with Tik Tok or Instagram, and even learning how to create posts has taken time. I think that sales would have taken off earlier if I were more facile with marketing. As a recent example, I spent many hours this past weekend trying to figure out how to add a green screen of myself talking onto a video for Tik Tok and Instagram, and laughed more than once as I thought that a 14 year old could probably show me how to do it in 3 minutes. So, I’m slower than I’d like but I’m learning, and that makes it satisfying when I figure it out.
I look forward to the company growing to the point where I can hire marketing help and offload some of that.
5. At UC San Diego, I had a high-level staff position, but I was not the face of the organizations I worked for (which is at it should be). My role was to be behind the scenes ensuring the smooth operations of the research center and projects, and the scientists were the public faces of the organization. It has taken me time to become comfortable with emerging to the front and making myself the face of the business. I am enjoying it – it has just taken some time to get used to it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about BringThings, Inc.?
I am so proud of the Ring Thing®. It is a patented, waterproof, personal ring holder that clips easily to gym, travel, salon, beach, climbing, hiking and outdoor gear. It’s a great way to keep rings safe whenever we need to take them off.
The Ring Thing® is waterproof, and so airtight no dust or dirt can get inside. It clips easily inside purses, backpacks, bags, and onto water bottles, keys and outdoor gear. It has a padded inner base and 3 divider disks so that multiple rings can be safely stacked inside. The Ring Thing® is very durable – you can stand on it and it will still open just fine. It’s made out of the same material as Legos (except it doesn’t hurt if you step on it 🙂 ).
So far, more than 30,000 units have been sold, and sales are growing. It is being sold at rock climbing gyms across the US, jewelry stores, salons, and online. It can be customized with company logos and an NFC tag programmed to the company website, and this feature is being used by multiple companies. The Ring Thing® has been featured in BuzzFeed 29 times, Brides Magazine, and more.
The Ring Thing® is protected by 3 US Patents, and is the only waterproof ring holder available. Other ring cases were designed for single rings, or to be multi-purpose to also hold pills, hearing aids, and more. I designed the Ring Thing® specifically for rings, out of my love for rings. It was designed with love and care, and the sole goal of protecting rings while also being attractive and to feel good in the hand.
It is woman-owned (me), made in the USA, and I donate a portion of each sale to anti-human trafficking non-profits.
What does success mean to you?
I feel that success is such an individual benchmark, and that also makes it a rich topic. For me, success means: did I accomplish my goals? Did I do it with integrity and kindness? In my business, it also means am I making a profit and increasing sales? Do I feel fulfilled? At this point in my life, I am less interested in fame and more interested in achieving my goals and feeling good about how I went about doing that. It also means giving back to my community in whatever way I can – this might mean financially, helping with community projects, or helping others behind the scenes.
In my personal life, success means taking care of myself physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially. It also means having quality relationships with my family and friends, and doing good whenever I can. That can be in big ways (getting involved with community organizations and projects), or simply being kind to a stranger. So many people in our world feel lonely and unseen – I’ve been struck by how a simple smile at a stranger in a grocery store can brighten their eyes – and being kind to a stranger is so easy, quiet, and free. If I can feel that that what I value, think, say and do are consistent with each other, I consider that a great success.
Pricing:
- Ring Thing Retail: $19.95
- Wholesale: Available upon request
- Custom logos and NFC tags: available upon request
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ringthing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ring_thing_/
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-schafer-538586a and also www.linkedin.com/in/the-ring-thing®-waterproof-ring-holder-499b80279
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfj36yT_t1za5drc1BXuYvcmjrDdemvxc&si=UZJ6U9TP_ye7mJs1
