NFL Pro Invents and Patents Helpful Gadget in Ultimate End-Game Plan
By Kern Communications
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| Current Tennessee Titan Bernard Pollard is a Super Bowl champion and veteran NFL pro turned “product develop-preneur.” |
Super Bowl champion and veteran Strong Safety Bernard Pollard knows how to avoid disaster — both defensively and offensively. It’s a well-refined aptitude for safeguarding his team and identifying potential dangers and threats that led Pollard to invent and patent a one-of-a-kind lifestyle-enhancing, safety-promoting personal care product — the Smart Tray. Pollard has invented a beauty accessory and travel-friendly personal care organizer that turns a bathroom sink into a spa counter that is useful in bathrooms at home, in dorms room, in condos and apartments, as well as in hotel rooms. His invention directly benefits women, men, and children at home as well as business and leisure travelers, hospital in-patients, and college students. Although Pollard is in the prime of his career still actively playing in the NFL as a Tennessee Titan, the endeavor also represents his proactive pursuit and steadfast vision of sustained entrepreneurial success once his football career inevitably comes to an end.
The Product
The ingenious Smart Tray, the first of many product innovations to come from Pollard’s Style Pro 31 company, is a convenient, portable, lightweight, and affordable foldout tray that fits over most pedestal and traditional sinks to provide additional surface area and counter space (up to 288 square inches). The Smart Tray alleviates and organizes the typical clutter that surrounds sinks. It expands usable space by allowing objects to be placed directly on it — even with the water running. The device also promotes safety by keeping electric appliances like blow dryers, curling and flat irons and shavers — and their cords — out of the sink and away from water hazards. Similar to a food tray, the Smart Tray even allows users to carry their items all together to and from the bathroom, making it easier to store and pack their essentials and make room for others to use the sink. When not in use, the Smart Tray’s collapsible design and drawstring bag allows it to be easily stored and transported. Also, it’s heat resistant and dishwasher safe, so standard personal care appliances will not burn the Smart Tray and it can be easily cleaned. The exceptional Smart Tray is designed for use in homes, apartments, dorm rooms, hospitals, assisted living facilities, hotels, cruise ships, and other travel applications.
The Pursuit
The Smart Tray was conceived in 2012 when Pollard saw a problem in need of a solution: more space and organization while getting ready in the bathroom. Like many travelers, Pollard felt hotel sinks simply didn’t provide nearly enough space to accommodate all of the items he needed to get ready. So, just as he does on the field, he tackled the problem head on by creating the Smart Tray. This cleverly designed device allows users to get ready and conduct their hygiene routine without the usual mess, stress and safety risks. So novel and effective is the Smart Tray, Pollard executed an agreement with the Hospital Corporation of America allowing the product to be used in over 175 hospitals nationwide.
The Ultimate Post-Game Play
Many successful NFL players transition to becoming media commentators or announcers once their playing days are behind them, for which they often earn fractions of the salaries that they received as pro football players. With this reality in mind, Pollard set his sights on a far higher caliber success opportunity: entrepreneurship. Even while he continues to flourish in the NFL, currently cited by Bleacher Report as one of the AFC’s top safeties and last season having led the Titans in tackles, Pollard holds strong to his vision of life beyond the gridiron — concurrently safeguarding his team and his own future earning potential.
Pollard understands that, to become a successful product developer and entrepreneur during and well beyond his NFL years, his products must offer a solid benefit and resonate in the marketplace. This the Smart Tray does, and then some. This quote from Anita, a customer, shares her enthusiasm for the product: “Before I bought the Smart Tray, my bathroom was so messy and I was getting into arguments with my roommate every morning. Now that I have the Smart Tray, the bathroom looks so neat and I carry my things on it like a food tray —- so I don’t even have to leave my stuff in the bathroom and I have neat area when I’m in the bathroom. Thanks Smart Tray…love it, love it, love it.”
Consumers may learn more about, and purchase, the Smart Tray online for $39.99 in either a black or white at www.StylePro31.com. HBM
