blinger® started with a dream
One night, Angie Cella, a single mom of four, dreamed about a device that put gems in her hair. She woke up the next morning in love with the idea and believed she could invent it. A few weeks later, she had a second dream. In this one, God told her, “I want you to make this product.” What followed was a long and arduous journey. She hired four different engineering firms over four years, and none of them could produce a viable prototype. But she kept going, even with all the letdowns, and failed attempts, determined to answer the call God had put on her heart. Ultimately, after hiring her fifth engineering firm with the last of her money, she had a working prototype similar to the device we have today. Nonetheless, she had used all her savings, was maxed out in debt, and had been rejected by every investor she had approached.
The only way to bring her product to market would be to make one more and pretty big sacrifice, but this would be too large to not make sure her children were on board. She gathered them all in the kitchen and asked, “What if we sell the house and I’ll build the [manufacturing] tool myself in China? We’ll just live in an apartment for a year or two. What do you think?” They all looked at her with blank stares, and then her oldest, Cambria, said, “You’ve got to do it Mom.” That’s all she needed to hear. Within a couple months, Angie had sold their home, half their belongings, rented a townhome, and begun manufacturing blinger®.
Five months later, in October 2018, she took blinger® to Dallas Toy Fair and the Women in Toys event in Texas, where she had the opportunity to present her product to Walmart. By the end of the first day, it was a hit. blinger® has now been distributed all over the world.
Read the whole story in her book
blinger: An Entrepreneur's Faith-Based Journey
Read about Angie's remarkable journey in her book,
blinger: An Entrepreneur's Faith-Based Journey.
a note from Angie...
Most of the journey was tough, so much so, I thought God had made His first mistake in choosing me. But I kept going, even when it was really hard. Everyone asks me now how I persevered, and my answer is because I really just couldn’t quit – it was simply something I had to finish. Plus, with God as my business partner, I knew it had to work out eventually. After all, there is no obstacle too big for Him.
“All things are possible to the person who believes.”
~ Jesus, Mark 9:23
I'm happy and excited, but also very humbled, with the launch of blinger® for women. It's amazing to be here finally, bringing the full vision of my product, my dream, to life. I want girls and women of all ages to shine brightly and to feel confident in who God created them to be. Our motto is to "Brighten Lives" and that's what I hope we do. Thank you for being apart of my journey, and my dream!
OUR MOTTO
Brighten Lives
OUR MISSION
Shine so brightly as a company that others can’t help but see the evidence of God’s goodness and faithfulness in our lives.
OUR VALUES
Integrity ~ Commitment ~ Transparency ~ Community
MEET THE
blinger® team
Angie Cella, Inventor & Chief Dreamer
Angie is a mom of four beautiful children. She’s an inventor, an entrepreneur, a Christian business author, and a woman of profound faith. Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to hard work and persistence, and to motivating and supporting others to achieve their dreams. She believes that everyone has a God-given purpose and that discovering this will lead to personal growth and fulfillment – true success – in life.
Heather Fink, VP of Marketing
Heather brings over 30 years of experience in beauty marketing, with major companies such as L'Oréal, Lauder, and QVC. She is blown away by what Angie has created with blinger®. The product, the brand, the community, the mission, and the team all feed Heather's passion for product and innovation. When asked what she loves most about blinger®, Heather replied that it's the expression on people's faces when they see the gems in their hair for the first time!
Jane Kaunga, Director of Operations
Jane brings over 15 years of experience in Supply Chain and Global Logistics having worked with global telecom solutions providers that served major companies such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and TELUS. With her passion for optimization and innovation, she is excited to contribute to blinger's growth while spreading the blinger mission to the world, delivering sparkle and joy, one blinger® at a time!
Malia Ladd, Chief Growth Officer
Malia has 25+ years of experience safeguarding the world's most recognizable brands by supporting solutions to grow and protect their brands in the online environment. Malia is excited to contribute to blinger®'s growth and spread some sparkle worldwide. Aligned with the company's mission to brighten lives, Malia finds joy in the idea of coordinating hair gems with her favorite sports teams, believing they bring an extra touch of good luck.
Bradley Bennett, Chief Financial Officer
Bradley Bennett, CPA started his career with Big 4 firm KPMG, after which he has taken fractional financial and accounting managerial positions in multiple organizations ranging from non-profits, construction supply distributors, private real estate investment groups, and now blinger! He specializes in efficiency and effectiveness of accounting, financial reporting, and organizational processes. Brad's favorite thing about blinger is how it is a fun product that brings joy to the ladies and girls that get blinged up!
Cambria Cella, Social Media Mgr & Chief of GSD
Cambria is the daughter of Angie Cella and has grown up most of her life with blinger! Cambria is a US Army National Guard Military Police soldier studying Biblical Studies and Business at Southeastern University. Through working in various departments of blinger since she was nine years old she has experienced first-hand the value and journey of faith and hard work. Now she is focused on sharing God's dream with all of you! What Cambria loves most about blinger is how the Lord chose such a small device and some tiny crystals to be used to bring light to fashionistas everywhere!
Rylee Horine, Social Media Marketing Coordinator
Rylee is dedicated to showcasing the brand’s sparkle! What excites Rylee most about blinger is its ability to inspire creativity and confidence, making everyday moments feel extraordinary. Her unique insights into consumer behavior and trends help her craft engaging content that connects with blinger’s audience on a deeper level. When she’s not creating content you’ll find Rylee exploring Charleston’s historic streets or relaxing on the beach with her sweet chocolate Lab, Oakley. Rylee’s mission is to spread the joy of blinger while staying grounded in her faith and purpose.
Jason Ward, Creative Director
Jason has a passion for photography, graphic design, and brand creation. He has over 20 years of experience working for global A-brands and maturing startups, with a core strength in creative / design leadership roles. Jason has built award-winning brands with his talent of integrating the brand with the experience. He also has an extensive and broad background in marketing, from print to digital advertising and filmmaking for and across many platforms.
Glenn Massina, Legal Counsel
Glenn has over 25 years of experience guiding businesses on the protection and commercialization of intellectual property. He provides expertise on contracts; patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret protection; intellectual property clearance; and licensing. Glenn’s focus is the integration of an IP strategy with the overall business plan. Glenn is a member of the PA and NJ Bars, the US District Court for the Eastern District of PA, and is registered to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office.
