A Richmond man is one of two grand prize winners in a contest sponsored by Walmart. A graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth Univeresity, he could soon be on his way to a considerable fortune.
Tumi Oredein describes himself as an inventor, but as a child he showed aptitude for the arts. “As a kid I just loved to draw all the time, and you can go to my house and still see all the drawings on the walls.”
So when Walmart announced its Get on the Shelf competition for entrepreneurs, Oredein was ready with a product called Skribs. It took a year of brainstorming and seven prototypes, but he’s now offering silicone wristbands with a dry erase surface, so children can create a customized bracelet with a pen or marker, and change it whenever and wherever they like.
“Like if they’re in the car or at home or even in school, they should be able to create.”
This month, Walmart announced Oredein was one of two winners, beating out about 10,000 entries. Skribs are already on the company’s website selling for $8.95. The other winner created a set of home bedding featuring Elvis, so consumers could sleep like a king for under eighty bucks.
