With one store back in 1994, dozens of phone calls from interested customers, and meetings with a patent attorney, the business of Wristies was born.  And it began on the dining room table.  At one point it grew to take over the living room, kitchen table, basement, upstairs bedroom, loft, and garage. Now, located in a renovated cotton mill in Lowell in a real manufacturing environment, we keep growing with a whole lot of help from our best resource, our customers!  With good ideas and suggestions for new markets and products, we're grateful to you all for your ideas, loyalty, and support.  Truly, you have made us grow.  Thinking back on the advice KK gave during her interview on Oprah, if you have a good idea, "go for it!"  With that, we continue to develop Wristies to its fullest.

If you have any suggestions or recommendations, let us know.  Fill out our CONTACT US page or drop us an email to ideas@wristies.com.  We're listening!

About KK Gregory, Inventor of Wristies®

How did it all begin?

On a cold and snowy winter's day, 10 year old K-K Gregory was out building a snow fort when her wrists started to hurt because they were cold and wet.  She remedied the problem by inventing Wristies, and wore them under her coat and mittens.  She tested the invention with her scout troop who encouraged her to make more.  She applied for a patent, trademarked the name, and started a company!  Wristies are taking the world by storm (excuse the pun) with people wearing Wristies for all sorts of reasons.  Mostly people like them because they just help them keep warmer.
If you have specific questions about the business, please e-mail your request to info_please@wristies.com.

K-K, the young inventor

Let's not kid (excuse the pun) each other. Having started a business at age 10, KK experienced many challenges along the way.  The most difficult one was being taken seriously. Since K-K was so young and couldn't drive, K-K was accompanied by her mom, and most people thought the Wristies®' idea was mom's, and that mom probably couldn't find a babysitter or something, and that little KK had to come along! Not so!

Early on, since Wristies hadn't been seen by many people before and since they were such a new idea, people wondered what KK was wearing on her wrists.  She was doing what good marketing people tell you to do: WEAR YOUR PRODUCT. USE YOUR PRODUCT. TALK ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT! KK was busy building a brand (an identity -- like "Coke" or "Gap" those are brands) and building a business, creating demand and interest, so she wore Wristies at every meeting and talked about them, too! It gave people a great way of starting up a conversation, after they asked her mom about a babysitter...

Other challenges were personal. She lost some friends. Lots of kids at school ridiculed and teased her about Wristies. Even her brother was teased. But the Wristies business was growing, and the media was very interested in telling the story about how a young person with a good idea can sell it, start a business and be an entrepreneur - someone who has their own business.

The Wristies' story continues to be a beacon for students around the country and this web site provides inspiration and is used as an educational tool in classrooms.  KK's invention is highlighted in several books, including "I Want to Be A Fashion Designer", "How to Be a Teenage Millionaire" (KK's not one yet), "Girls and Young Women Entrepreneurs", and others.

In 2002 KK accepted an invitation to appear on the Ananda Lewis Show with the theme, "Inventors and Inventions."

In May, 2005, KK graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in Humanities and minors in Philosophy and Environmental Issues.  Soon after graduation, she moved to the mountains of Yosemite in California to pursue her love of climbing and explore the west.  During the summer 2001 she competed in the National Junior (rock) Climbing championship and won a spot on the US Climbing Team. Her family arranged a trip to Austria to accompany her as she competed in the World Championships. During the summer of 2004 she shared with others the joy of climbing at her favorite camps, Newfound and Owatonna and coached several teams and individuals.

KK no longer works for the company she started, although she is interested in its progress and growth, and we count on her for support and inspiration, direction, and applause. She pursues other interests and sees how the skills she learned through her Wristies' career (spanning nearly half her life!) are applied elsewhere. And she is thrilled to know how many people, kids of all ages, are inspired to solve problems, start something, and "Go For Your Dreams!"

Currently KK is working for the production company that produces the ABC television show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" in the design department.  Yup.  She works with Ty, Paul, Tonya, Eduardo, and the entire crew!   You can read more about what KK's been up to on the In the News page.

KK received the following awards and recognitions for her Wristies:

• 2000 Apex Award, Best use of Polartec®, presented by Malden Mills, Inc. Youngest recipient.
• 2000 Leading Woman of the Year by the Patriot Trail Girl Scout Council, presented October 26, 1999.
• 1998 Bedford Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year Award (youngest ever nominated) 
• 1997 Kids' Hall of Fame, inducted along with 12 other young people from around the world. 
• 1997 Honorary Finalist, New England Entrepreneur of the Year.  K-K was the youngest ever to be nominated nationwide.  She inspired a new category for the 1998 Awards, "Young Entrepreneur," although they define "young" as "under 30!"