Great Idea Becomes Great Success!

Nancy Vardalos Ginakes, Creator of Safe-2-Go

Years ago, faced with the prospect of taking my three toddlers out in public, I began searching for a safety system that would preserve their dignity while offering me the peace of mind that they couldn’t wander off. Save for some adaptations of pet leashes, I couldn’t find an appropriate device. Like most inventions, an unfulfilled need is an opportunity to make a difference so I designed my own.

Unexpectedly, when the children and I would head out in public, the backpack drew lots of interest and praise. Buoyed by the positive feedback and confident that other parents would also find the product useful, I began exploring the possibility of turning this idea into a business.

A degree in Textile Science and extensive experience in marketing for the Estee Lauder Corporation provided me with a solid foundation to begin product development and market research. Among the first stops was the Canadian Innovation Center (CIC) in Waterloo, Ontario where I submitted my product for a Critical Factor Assessment. The CIC gave it a favourable report and referred me to Western Economic Diversification where I received a grant to conduct market research. This study confirmed the strengths of my innovation and helped me probe for possible weaknesses in the marketplace.

This independent review was the tool that helped me make design changes and guide the evolution of Safe-2-Go Safety Harness Backpack, now available in 16 designs.

As the product developed, I also attended a seminar for inventors held by the Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre and accessed information from the Women’s Enterprise Centre about patents and trademarks. A patent is currently pending for Safe-2-Go Safety Harness Backpack.

It may have been serendipity, but I read a newspaper article about Heather Campbell-Dewar and her award winning Baby Sherpa Backpack which has received various juvenile product awards for excellence and innovation. Heather and I met and confidently made a deal for world-wide distribution of the Safe-2-Go Safety Harness Backpack.

As founder of Kinsight Ltd., I am committed to child safety and to assisting concerned parents keep their own “kin in sight”. As for the toddlers who were the inspiration behind the Safe-2-Go, they’re now teenagers who are never in sight!

Nancy Vardalos Ginakes, B.H.Ecol. (Tex.Sc.)
Founder, CEO, Kinsight Ltd.

P.S. You may recognize my name because of my sister Nia Vardalos, actress/writer, and now new Mom! She loves to use the Safe-2-Go on her daughter. By the way, I was the choreographer of her smash hit movie- My Big Fat Greek Wedding!