Making Ultra Pure Water Out of Thin Air - Aquaphant
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Steve Wolf, CEO of Aquaphant Inc., located in San Diego, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Aquaphant is a groundbreaking technology company that has created a system to convert moisture from the air into drinkable water. Led by founder Cody Mullenaux and me as the CEO, Aquaphant is an affordable water creation system that can easily fit into an existing home or office, giving people near-instant access to drinking water at any time of the day. It is a device that is poised to not only change daily life as we know it but to potentially solve key water shortage crises around the world.
The system works similarly to a dehumidifier, drawing moisture out of the surrounding air and pulling it into the machine. From there, Aquaphant takes the moisture through a careful filtration process, eliminating trace elements and polluted particles from the water. As it moves through the filters, the water fills a three-gallon container, delivering clean drinking water on demand. Not to mention their AQ.2 atmospheric water generator first is a high-quality HEPA air purifier.
Tell us about yourself
I read Rich Dad Poor Dad when I was 19 and have been in business for myself since then. The book, along with many more like it that followed, prevented me from ever pursuing a traditional line of work. I believe I was always an entrepreneur; the knowledge from books and other entrepreneurs gave me the insight and know-how to pursue it for myself. Aquaphant is another company in a long line of entrepreneurial endeavors, and I believe it will be my greatest achievement yet, as our product has a large and broad impact on a problem that every human is faced with across the entire planet.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Launching our latest product for Aquaphant. It took two years, and we encountered every problem imaginable. The pandemic, supply chain issues, cash crunches, delays, and a bad choice of engineers initially, but we got it done, and the product is in the market. This is the first product I have ever produced that includes software, hardware, and firmware, as well as making a product overseas and importing it. Quite a lot of business lessons and experience in all of that.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Staying the course. When it's your business, you have to understand and accept that you are on your own for a while until you can create such momentum where people (customers, investors, employees, etc.) buy into your idea and you. The journey to that point is a range of emotions and a series of ups and downs. There is no linear line to success, the only thing I have ever seen work is consistent effort over time.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Get a good night's rest, exercise, and surround yourself with like-minded people who have accomplished what you are trying to do; learn as much as possible and apply what they teach you daily!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://aquaphant.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aquaphant
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquaphantinc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aquaphant/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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