Deirdre Bird, Founder- Dri Umbrellas

When she started Dri, she didn't set out to be an entrepreneur. She just wanted to be someone who saw a problem and did something about it. After learning that 33 billion pounds of plastic enters our oceans annually, she knew that the reusable water bottles and paper straws were no longer going to cut it.  Deirdre first learned about this problem after watching a documentary. On this episode she shares what she learned about all of the plastic bottles entering the world's oceans.  With no business background, no MBA, she's taken a staple in our lives and re-imagined it while also creating jobs for many women in Thailand.  Deirdre has faced some challenges along the way, starting back in 2020 when the pandemic was making things hard for everyone with supply chain issues.  She kept pushing with her vision and eventually left the corporate world to go full time with Dri and it's paying off as she's now expanding where the umbrellas are available,  working with lots of big organizations and is also working on golf & patio umbrellas and more! Dri Umbrellas: Eco-Friendly, Durable Rain Umbrellas