Meet Tim Mcmanaman | Inventor and owner of the Lipzi brand

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tim Mcmanaman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tim, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I never really intended to start my own business initially. A few years ago, I came up with the idea of a straw that would not require pursing of the lips. I created a proto-type and shared the idea with my family. My wife, Annie, and my three daughters all thought the straw invention was a great idea, so we designed the actual product, filed for a patent and trademarks and started selling the product on Amazon. The demand for our anti-wrinkle straw has been amazing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have worked in the financial services industry for 36 years. I have always liked to help solve problems. Several years ago I invented and patented (I do my own patent applications) a golf training aid. Later I invented and patented a cleaning brush for house exteriors. Then a few years ago, the anti-wrinkle straw idea came to me and we have been having so much fun seeing how much attention it is getting. I love to create things and no learning alot about how to successfully bring a product to market.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would have them connect with my wife Annie…she is 100% dialed into the most fun and exciting things to do in central Illinois. We do love biking/hiking and basically anything outdoors. Our community has an amazing set of trails that we use often. We also love taking our miniature poodle Oakly on walks.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family (wife Annie, daughters Grace, Sylvie, Rose and son TJ) deserves a huge shoutout. They have listened to some of my crazy ideas for several years. They all have been so supportive of Lizpi and they all jump in and help with design, assembling products, marketing, etc. We always give the glory to God for these opportunities.

Website: https://lipzistraw.com