Kelley Higney didn’t expect to be featured on Shark Tank when she began pursuing a career in inventing, but Bug Bite Thing—a product designed to help you heal from bug bites—led her to the show after she secured the distribution rights to the product. When Kelley Higney got her start in entrepreneurship, she worked with her family’s company out of San Diego, but it wasn’t until relocating to Florida that she ventured into creating her own product. We caught up with Kelley Higney to discuss everything from how she got involved with Big Bite Thing, to how modern entrepreneurship can succeed in the age of the internet.
Grit Daily: You had your own adventure before Bug Bite Thing. Share those.
Kelley Higney: I grew up in San Diego, California. I am a third-generation female entrepreneur. As early as I can remember, my mother’s business was part of my daily life. I was answering the phones as soon as I could talk. As a child, when my mom’s international clients were in town, they would stay at our house. We would also travel to Las Vegas for trade shows once a month.
After completing school, I worked with my mother in our family’s international export and distribution business, A.C. Kerman. I married my best friend. We have known each other since seventh grade. In 2016, my husband accepted a job offer and we relocated from San Diego to South Florida.
Grit Daily: How did your involvement in A.C. Kerman help shape Bug Bite Thing?
KH: Working for my family’s company I oversaw business development and marketing. I learned the ins and outs of running a business. This experience also taught me to “own” my work. I understood that my contribution was part of the company’s overall success. This experience made my transition to founder an easier one.
Also, when I started Bug Bite Thing, I convinced my mother to join the company. She was able to counsel me on setting up the company and putting legal protections in place early. This minimized my personal risk before starting the business. My mother’s 35 plus years of experience creating A.C. Kerman from the ground up combined with my knowledge of marketing and scaling a business quickly provided the foundation for Bug Bite Thing to flourish from the start.
Grit Daily: What was your biggest motivation for starting Bug Bite Thing?
KH: My daughter. After relocating to Florida, I discovered my daughter was severely allergic to mosquito bites. I remember I tried every cream and home remedy to alleviate my daughter’s suffering. Frustrated, I then decided I needed to take matters into my own hands. I began researching how other countries combat insect bites. I came across a little-known product from Denmark that uses suction to help remove the insect saliva/venom. It also contained zero chemicals. The product was more effective than everything else I had tried and offered my daughter instant relief. After negotiating the distribution rights for the product, I created my own brand that is known as Bug Bite Thing. I started the company because I wanted to offer to families the same relief the product had brought to my daughter.
Grit Daily: Did you ever envision yourself getting on Shark Tank and what was your biggest takeaway from being on the show?
KH: I did not! Bug Bite Thing grabbed the attention of one of the casting producers of ‘Shark Tank’ on social media. The producer reached out and encouraged my mother and me to audition for the show. There are so many takeaways from being on ‘Shark Tank!’ If I had to pick the biggest takeaway, it is that you need to know your company inside out before going on the show. You need to understand your strengths and weaknesses, know your numbers and your market demographic. The ‘Sharks’ are very business savvy, to say the least. You need to be able to think on your feet and to be one step ahead of everyone else.
By over-preparing for our appearance on the show, we were able to answer any question that was thrown at us. Standing in front of the Sharks while they were all shouting questions and comments at the same time was overwhelming. The fact that we knew the ins and outs of our company allowed us to answer all of their questions! For those who did not see us on the show, it worked out for us. We received offers from all of the ‘Sharks’ and struck a deal with Lori Greiner. She is a fellow ‘mosquito magnet’ and offered us her Golden Ticket to signify her keen interest in our company and the promise of a hands-on partnership.
Grit Daily: What has your experience been in working with Amazon and in what ways has it helped shape your brand?
KH: I had to educate myself on the platform. When I started, I took the Udemy.com course, ‘How to Start an Amazon FBA Store on a Tight Budget.’ My husband also had experience working with Amazon. I was able to rely on his expertise. Because of Amazon, Bug Bite Thing has become very popular. Now our product is the top-selling product in the insect bite relief category with over 30,000 reviews.
There is an element of discovery on Amazon. This has allowed Bug Bite Thing to reach new customers on social media. Amazon products being featured on TikTok has allowed us to reach a younger demographic and also led to features in top publications. We were featured in Glamour’s ‘12 Genius Amazon Finds to Add to Cart, Courtesy of Savvy Shoppers on TikTok’ and People’s ‘10 Viral TikTok Items on Amazon That Are Actually Worth Buying,’ to name a few.
Grit Daily: You’ve been involved in raising awareness about chemicals used in personal care products for children. What has been the most gratifying moment of that work so far?
KH: Hearing from parents whose children are undergoing treatment for cancer and chemotherapy share how much the product has helped their children. As a parent, I cannot imagine anything more difficult than having a sick child. And apparently, something about the chemo process makes them more susceptible to insect bites. Their doctors recommend they avoid topical treatments that contain chemicals. Instead, they recommended Bug Bite Thing. I am looking into making the product more available to pediatric cancer patients. Which brings me to why I am bringing this up now. If any of your readers work with pediatric cancer patients, please reach out to me!
