As the months ticked by and the pandemic pressed on, Richmond entrepreneur Wendy Scelia felt called to help as many people as she could by finding a way to mass produce protective face masks.
Scelia's second startup venture, Olivian, was born earlier this summer out of her desire to help replenish the county's domestic mask supply in response to PPE shortages around the globe.
Scelia, who also founded hospitality software firm Tablee, said she first considered the idea after her step-brother's wife, the head of nursing at a Connecticut hospital, struggled to supply her staff with enough PPE during the early days of Covid.
"She was writing procedures that called for her nurses to reuse the disposable face masks because they just didn't have enough," she said. "And I thought, 'Oh my God. There's got to be something I can do to help.'"
She first used her overseas connections to begin manufacturing masks but has begun shifting operations to the states. Currently, Olivian has created at least 50 new manufacturing jobs between its facilities in Richmond and Houston with additional growth on the horizon, Scelia said.
"We're able to produce and distribute the highest quality of masks for consumers and businesses," Scelia said. "I feel very fortunate to be in the position to help."
Each Olivian mask has three layers -- two moisture-absorbing layers encasing a high-density filter made of melt-blown fabric that can filter out 95 percent or more of air-born bacteria and particles.
Masks are available on Olivian’s website for $24.50 per box of 50. Scelia said the company also recently launched a subscription option, making a box of 50 masks $20 per month, and a box of 500 masks $150 per month.
"The subscription service was a request from a customer, which was surprising, but at the same time it was very satisfying," she said. "All we know is that when we go outside, we need to protect ourselves and protect others."
The company is also working to produce different color options, something Scelia said is often requested by customers, including her mother.
"My mom wears our masks pretty religiously, and one day she asked me if I could make a green one to match her outfit," she said. "The additional colors are something we're working on and will be coming down the pipeline soon."