Hi, Krystal! Let’s begin with a little introduction: tell me who you are, the place you call home, and the space you work within!
Hello! My name is Krystal Persaud. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York. I’m a product designer working in the field of solar and renewable energy.
Let’s dive into a bit of backstory! Where do your passions and interests lie? And, what were some experiences that fostered those passions?
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always loved working with my hands. I was always painting, sculpting, or crafting something at home. I really wanted to be a painter or illustrator growing up, but growing up in a South Asian family, “Artist” was not really a legitimate career path. When I was in high school and starting to apply to college, I felt a huge amount of pressure to figure out what I was going to do. I have three older sisters who all work in the medical field, so I was sort of the black sheep. I was good at subjects like math and science, I just didn’t feel passionate about them. I ended up googling “careers if you are good at art and science” and the field of industrial design popped up. I was immediately taken in by the idea of building objects and things that could help solve everyday problems.
How did GroupHug grow into fruition? What inspired the beginning of this business?
I started Grouphug after quitting my job! It was honestly one of the most fun years of my life. I had been working as the Director of Product Design for an educational toy company called “littleBits” for over 6 years. It was one of my first jobs out of college. littleBits was a highly funded startup and super demanding. I was always working late and on weekends and after a while I was burnt out and ready to do something else. I had learned a lot about how the design process works in the “real world”, how electronics are manufactured, how to manage a team and more. In my personal life, I was really passionate about sustainability and wanted to be able to work on sustainable issues all the time. I’m a pretty eco-conscious person. I carry reusable tote bags, I use stainless water bottles, I compost - I do ALL of the things. But when it comes to renewable energy, I couldn’t find an easy way to incorporate it into my life. At the time, I lived in a tiny 300 square foot apartment in Manhattan. I couldn’t install solar panels on my roof. There were personal solar panels on the market, but they were designed for camping, which I HATE (not my thing). And that's how our first product the Window Solar Charger was born! I wanted a solar panel I could use every day that was beautiful enough to hang in my apartment.
Tell me about the work you are doing with GroupHug!
At Grouphug, we make ridiculously good looking solar panels that are easy to use. Because renewable energy shouldn’t be that complicated. Our first product is called the Window Solar Charger, a designer solar panel that charges your devices. Unlike most solar panels, it's designed to hang in any window. For those who rent or can’t install solar panels on their roof, this is a small way to be more eco-friendly. Our goal is to be someone’s first step into solar energy. We act as a catalyst for people to start their renewable energy journey. We not only sell our product, but have also written a picture book about how solar energy works. We host regular webinars about energy topics to keep people learning and engaged. I think it’s all about helping people take that first step and then giving them a pathway to keep going. My worst fear would be if someone bought our solar panels and then felt like they were done. We want them to keep going!
Let’s talk about the inaccessibility with solar energy. How was that a piece of inspiration for starting GroupHug and how are you working against that issue?
Honestly, I think the biggest challenge for the solar industry is education. Solar energy is SO confusing. It’s really hard for the average person to figure out what solution is affordable and right for their situation. The truth is, there are 5-6 options for every single person to go solar, but no one knows about them. When you close your eyes and think of solar, you probably picture solar panels on top of the roof of a house. What I’ve learned from being in the industry for this short while is that rooftop solar is just the beginning. If you rent, you can subscribe to a community solar farm and save 5-10% on your electric bill without needing to own any solar panels. Another option if you rent is to buy renewable energy credits (like carbon offsets of the solar world) from a solar or wind farm. I could talk about this all day, but we need more people normalizing and talking about solar! There are so many options, but so little awareness.
Tell me about the intersection between industrial design and climate change!
Yes! Industrial design & climate change are intertwined in so many ways - it’s part of the problem, but also part of the solution. Industrial designers are trained and taught how to mass manufacture products. I know because I went through that training! I got my degree in Industrial Design from Georgia Tech in 2010. I took classes on the different types of plastics and how to manufacture all of that plastic. There is a big opportunity for designers to pave a path to a more circular future. For example - choosing more sustainable materials, designing the lifecycle of a product to be repaired, and pushing back within a company to demand more circular practices. On the consumer side, we know that being eco friendly can be less convenient, more expensive, and for lack of a better word - clunky. Old habits die hard and industrial designers have a real opportunity to design products that fit seamlessly into the lifestyle people love.
How has your experience as a woman of color been navigating this space? How do you feel as though identity has/still does shape(d) your experience?
Well, I am frequently the only person of color in any given meeting about solar energy! I feel fortunate to have a really supporting network of entrepreneurial women of color to cheer each other on. I think having that network is essential to success (and mental sanity!). Pre-COVID, I remember going to various tech networking events in New York. On more than one occasion, I would explain my company and product to someone (in these cases, white males), and they would proceed to tell me how I should build my own product. I find that type of unsolicited feedback so insulting. Why do you assume I don’t know how to make my own thing? I would then explain how I had 6 years of experience manufacturing electronics and a factory partner already lined up and that usually got them to back off. Sadly, not always. I once had someone tell me that my design was wrong and that I didn’t really need a circuit board in my product (which is not true at all). The male caucasity.
Top 3 books on your bookshelf at the moment.
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by JK Rowling. I end up re-reading it every few years!
“Supermaker” by Jaime Schmidt, an entrepreneurial journey written by the founder of Schmidt’s deodorant
“Leviathan: History of Whaling in America” by Eric Jay Dolin
You open your music streaming platform. What are you clicking on to listen to?
I’m honestly more of a podcast person! I love streaming podcasts while I work.
My two favorites right now are “How I Built This” by NPR and “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend”.
Thank you so much for chatting with me, Krystal! Lastly, for those looking to follow along with your content and support you,
where can they find you?
You can learn more about us at grouphugsolar.com & follow us on instagram @grouphugsolar. Please do reach out! Love answering any questions about solar.
