For social entrepreneur Miki Agrawal, being honest and upfront is a part of her personality. Miki is always the one to question the status quo, always the one asking, “why?” The companies she has founded reflect Miki Agrawal’s determination to disrupt. First, there was WILD, the New York City farm-to-table restaurant she opened back when farm-to-table was just a whisper. Then there was Thinx, a company that makes period panties in a time when periods weren’t supposed to be discussed out loud. Now there is TUSHY, a company that brazenly opens the discussion about wiping the butt with dry toilet paper, and how that’s not only unhygienic but how it kills 15 million (yes, million!) trees per year.
Miki Agrawal is a former professional soccer player who has strived to improve the world around her. In this honest and upfront question and answer session, shares what makes her tick.
Q: So you actually used to be a professional soccer player?
A: I was! I loved it, too! Now I’m a businesswoman, wife, and mother to a beautiful boy.
Q: What undertaking have you been working on recently?
A: I’ve been working on a scientific initiative that will address the plastic crisis and benefit the environment. I can’t say much about it at the moment, but I’m quite enthusiastic about it.
Q: What do you consider to be your best achievement to date?
A: I take great pride in the fact that I prevent the annual killing of 15 million trees needed to produce toilet paper. TUSHY promotes better cleanliness and human health while reducing the consumption of toilet paper.
Q: Can you give us any background on TUSHY?
A: Certainly! The TUSHY bidet attachment is simple to install on any regular toilet. Anyone can enjoy the bidet experience without having to spend a ton of money on an actual bidet. I want every bathroom in America to have bidets!
Q: That sounds thrilling. Are there any recent TUSHY developments?
A: Definitely! We just concluded a new TUSHY financing round. And of course, the TUSHY Ace Electric Bidet, a new version of TUSHY that we recently released. It is the first electric bidet we have that comes with a custom remote.
Q: What other businesses have you started?
A: My first business was WILD, a farm-to-table restaurant in New York City. It was the city’s first restaurant of its sort. In addition, I started a business called Thinx. The use of Thinx changes how women handle their periods.
Q: What is the most crucial message you would want to spread over the globe now that you have a platform?
A: I want to encourage people to use reusable goods like the TUSHY bidet in order to preserve the environment, their health, and their money.
What guidance would you offer to the younger version of yourself if you could go back in time?
A: I would advise myself not to worry about the little things.