Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristeen Onyirioha.
Hi Kristeen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Houston, Texas to Nigerian immigrants. My parents paved the way for my siblings and I to succeed without the obstacles they faced growing up in Nigeria and as a young adult in a foreign country. I am the fourth child of five, and the third physician in the family. I attribute my work ethic to my family support and watching my parents over the years overcome various obstacles while managing to achieve their goals. Growing up my parents worked many odd jobs to provide for us. My mother paid her way through nursing school by working at different fast food restaurants, while raising 4 kids. My father worked days as a substitute teacher and nights as a janitor until he was able to start his home health company from the ground up.
It was years of watching their drive, determination, and diligence that instilled in me the importance of working hard for your goals and not giving up even when things do not seem promising. I am currently a 3rd-year internal medicine resident physician training at one of the top programs in the nation and will be starting a fellowship in gastroenterology at a renowned institution in Houston. Even through the rigorous training of an internal medicine residency, I managed to start a small medical apparel business during my first year in residency. Although this all sounds great, I had to overcome obstacles in order to get to where I am today. I was rejected from every single medical school I applied to the first year I applied, and was accepted off the waiting list 2 weeks before the start of school the second year I applied. I worked my way through medical school and graduated with the opportunity to train at a top 10 internal medicine program.
While in residency, I struggled with feelings of inadequacy, imposter syndrome, and depression. I used my gift of creativity and found that sewing was a good outlet for me to meditate and rebalance my state of mind. I found many different creative outlets that helped with the stressor of residency such as dancing, painting, photography, and photoshopping. However, unlike my other creative outlet, sewing allowed me to wear my designs. I have to admit I was not very good at sewing articles of clothing, so I attempted something simpler; a scrub cap. I decided that I wanted to sew scrubs hats during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the midst of a global shortage of personal protective equipment. My goal was to design scrub hats that reflected my personality and would provide full coverage for all volumes and lengths of hair.
As a healthcare provider, I understood firsthand exactly what healthcare providers needed and wanted in their scrub hats. I designed and sewed the very first KREED scrub hats, and since KREED has sold over 1000 units across America. I never intended to start a business out of a new skill, it just happened.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Being a small business owner while in residency comes with its challenges. I struggled with meeting demand given my limited amount of time, and I contemplated whether I was in over my head. I spent the majority of my young adult life engulfed in medicine and never developed business acumen. As I was training to become a well-rounded doctor, I was also learning for the first time the intricacies of being a small business owner. However, my ability to communicate effectively, manage time wisely, think critically, analyze data, and solve difficult problems allowed me to successfully fulfill my responsibilities as a resident while running a new small business. I reached out to everyone I knew who had a better understanding of how businesses worked. I was not afraid of admitting my shortcomings and asked for help. I spent nights after long days at work watching videos and reading articles until I had a better understanding of the path I wanted to pursue. Failure was never an option, so I searched for help and answers from any avenue I believed could provide them to me. As I am coming up on my second year as a small business owner, I’ve learned my biggest challenge is time, and it is the most precious non-renewable resource I have.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am currently a 3rd-year internal medicine resident physician training at one of the top 10 programs in the nation and will be starting a fellowship in gastroenterology at a renowned institution in Houston. As an internal medicine resident, most of my work resides in the hospital working as a team with other healthcare personnel. I take care of those patients who present to the hospital who require immediate assessment and management of the illnesses they present with. I’ve treated patients as sick as those with COVID pneumonia requiring weeks of intubation to patients with minor skin infections who just need a course of antibiotics.
After my last year in residency, I will start a fellowship in gastroenterology where I will specialize in gastrointestinal disorders such as bowel diseases, liver diseases, and colon cancer to name a few. It is not often that you will encounter a Resident or Fellow in any medical specialty that has time to start a small business during their years in training. This is because there is a limited amount of time to dedicate to anything aside from medicine, friends and family. However, I knew it was not impossible for me for various reasons: I had confidence in my work ethic, I am organized, I am patient with myself, and I am innovative. As I approach almost 2 years since starting KREED with my partner Rasheed Ogunsanwo, I realized starting a business isn’t hard. What’s hard is not giving up.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
As a healthcare provider training during the pandemic and seeing first hand the devastation, the COVID 19 crisis has taught me a few negative and positive things. It has shown me that being a physician is truly a thankless job. But most of us do not pursue this profession to be thanked. We are dedicated to science and the pursuit of healing for the betterment of our community. The pandemic also exposed a lot of the healthcare disparities many of us are aware of but are reluctant to acknowledge. The pandemic has shown me the capability of a workforce that preservers even through the toughest adversities. I have developed a new sense of immense respect for my colleagues in healthcare from the nurses who stand by their patients’ side holding their hands until their last breath, to the phlebotomists who risk their lives every day collecting labs for important medical decisions. Each played a major role in keeping our hospital doors open for those who needed us. The pandemic has also shown me that opportunity is available to anyone that has the courage to take it, and that the biggest obstacle we face during challenging times is the fear of failing. Once you overcome the fear of failing, only then is when you realize what you are truly capable of.
Pricing:
- Classic scrub hat $15
- Jazzy scrub hat $18
- Small Bouffancy $18
- Medium Bouffancy $22
- Large Bouffancy $22
Contact Info:
- Email: Info@shopkreed.com
- Website: www.shopkreed.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kreedscrubhats/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KREEDScrubHats
Image Credits
The Jeniro Agency
@tdmgmt
Kristeen Onyirioha
