Meet Our Members: Scott Randolph of TOWELSAFE

 

Meet Scott Randolph, Co-Founder and CEO of TOWELSAFE.

Why did you choose to become a Hub LA member?
Great energy, great location and most importantly great people!  I needed somewhere local for TOWELSAFE to call home and the Hub put the whole package together.  It put me in touch with many brilliant and like-minded individuals, provided an awesome workspace, and created a culture and energy that I want my company to be a part of. 

What are you most exicted about regarding your Hub LA membership and the Hub LA space?
Working together with leaders in the community to synergize and achieve our utmost potential as social entrepreneurs.  

Describe one of your most powerful/affecting stories regarding the impact of CARESAFE, your social impact division of TOWELSAFE that provides pocketed towels with toiletry kits to homeless. What keeps you going in the face of sometimes seemingly insurmountable homelessness in LA?
There was a homeless guy name Rob who used to sit outside the convenience store next to my home.  I would see him once in a while and would say hello, even sometimes making small chat.  He was well spoken and always polite.  After a few months, I stopped for a minute and curiously asked how he ended up here and what he was doing.  Rob proceeded to tell me a story of how he was a stock broker in downtown LA and lost everything in the economic downturn….his job, house, family and friends.  His story really hit home for me.  For the next couple of months, I bought him some food and even a beer on the occasion when running my errands.  I wasn’t sure how else to help.  Towards the end of summer, I was cleaning out my closet and came up with an idea.  I grabbed a brown paper bag from my kitchen and put together about 4 full sets of my older clothes, an older pair of shoes and some random toiletries I had laying around.  I drove down to the store and gave them to him along with about $50 from my wallet and told him that I believed that he can do better and to get cleaned up.  He was surprised and thanked me but still looked puzzled when I left.  For the next couple of months, I didn’t really see him around and honestly had forgotten about our conversation.  One random Saturday afternoon I saw him walking by.  He stopped me and said thank you for making the effort and believing in him.  He told me that he now had a part-time job, was working with a program to get back on track and was really trying hard to turn things around.  He said that it’s a tough battle and wasn’t there yet, but was definitely trying his best.  For me, that was more than I had ever expected. 

In Los Angeles alone, there are upwards of 80,000 homeless people living on the streets.  That’s a staggering number and I don’t think most people realize this.  The goal of the CARESAFE product is twofold:  (1) provide a tool that can help the community and organizations reach out to the homeless and (2) bring awareness to the problem of homelessness.  When things get tough, I always take a step back and remember my experience with Rob.  The smallest gestures can sometimes make a world of difference. 

What are some of your new business goals that you hope to achieve or ways in which you hope to grow now that you are a Hub member?
As a social entrepreneur, my goal is to bridge the gap between the consumer market, business and the homeless community.  I want to connect with professionals, companies and organizations that work together to make a material difference in ending homelessness. 

What’s your idea of a perfect LA day (given that you have a jetpack and don’t have to sit in traffic)? Don’t forget to include your favorite spot for a bite of food!
My perfect day in LA would be to wake up on a yacht in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  That’s where I would catch up on the most peaceful sleep I have ever had in my life.  No noise, no city lights, just myself and the ocean.  After waking up I would do a nice long swim  and get ready for my day.  Eat breakfast on the boat, preferably something I caught that morning or the night before.  After breakfast I would jet pack to Glendora where I would have lunch with my sister, mom, and nephew.  Then jetpack down to Laguna Beach and meet up with some friends; maybe go on a hike or a snorkel adventure.  After that I would probably grab a beer, hang out for a little bit, and then jetpack home back to the yacht in the middle of the ocean.  Maybe meet a few friends back on the boat, tell stories, and do what we do best: have fun.

Learn more about TOWELSAFE and their product line, follow them on Twitter, or stop by a retailer like Big 5, Bed Bath & Beyond, or Sport Chalet to purchase a FITSAFE, BEACHSAFE, GOLFSAFE, or MINISAFE towel of your own.

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