I spoke with family members and neighbours who were doctors and nurses and we put together a list of designs of PPE items that we could manufacture quickly and without causing waste.

I worked on connecting with the most hard-hit hospitals in the USA and UK, we were listed on the American Health Association supplier list, and the UK government supplier base. In no time we had manufacture running for 135,000 units of face shields, protective goggles and surgical masks.

Our first order for 100,000 face shields set us back $94k in air freight fees. I posted on all our platforms asking for advice on how we could help hospitals with the 400% inflation of costs from our logistics carriers. A good friend asked around her close group for help. She pointed me in the direction of Flexport, based in SF. They had raised over $8million to help transport COVID-19 supplies. I wrote a number of pitches for assistance on our supplies globally, and they granted us full financial aid. This incredible support from all of the donors meant that the NHS could double their supplies for their frontline workers. In 7 days supplies were in the hospital and on our heroes.

It's hard to imagine a day in the life of a nurse, working in emergency relief everyday. Wondering if they cleaned everything right, washed their clothes on a high enough temp, or panicking that they fell short and might infect their mother, husband, or children. As countries ease restrictions on public life, health care workers around the world continue to risk their lives — and those of their families — to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

We have spent that last 2 months working with nurses and procurement staff in hospitals in the UK and US. Listening as they shared heartfelt stories from what they have witnessed, how the pandemic has changed their daily lived, and how the lack of supplies has impacted them. I have thought countless times, about how their value on this earth is infinite, and more worthwhile than anything I will ever do. My contribution to them would only be, how can I use my teams skills to help make their day easier and safer?

One week after the lockdown hit I had a conversation with my team, and we bounced ideas around how we could help. We have a 9-year supply chain, and supportive community in China, and we all agreed that we couldn't not help in this time.

My mandarin-speaking team worked with our factories to innovate our current supply chain in China, and we quickly realised that with a 3D printer, we could print face shields. My team spent every day and night checking tarrif codes, cargo restrictions, as we schooled ourselves on every legislation, and certification in the medical world that you can imagine.