Kelley Higney & the Bug Bite Thing
A Fresh Story, season 3, episode 18
We had the chance to talk to CEO, and working mom, Kelley Higney! Kelley is brilliant, lovely, and so passionate about changing the world with her product, Bug Bite Thing. We chatted with Kelley about her career change, making fresh starts, being a working mom, becoming a CEO, and of course…going on Shark Tank!
Kelley Higney is the founder and CEO of Bug Bite Thing, the leader in providing consumers with chemical-free first aid products, including its insect bite relief suction tool which is Amazon's #1 seller for insect bite relief with nearly 90,000 reviews and its tick remover tweezer tool approved for both people and pets that launched this summer.
It was her determination to find a natural alternative to the available remedies on the market that would alleviate her six-month-old daughter’s constantly suffering from mosquito bites, led to her discovery of an unfamiliar product that uses suction to remove the irritant. Then, after securing exclusive distribution rights to the product, she branded it Bug Bite Thing and has since been a “Mom on a Mission,” educating the world on the most effective, chemical-free solution for insect bite relief.
The company gained national recognition in October 2019 when Kelley and her mother, Ellen McAlister, appeared on ABC’s hit show, ‘Shark Tank.’ All the Sharks were biting with offers to invest in the business, but it was Lori Greiner’s ‘Golden Ticket’ offer that secured the partnership. In April 2021, Kelley and her mother returned to ‘Shark Tank.’ This time, they shared details on the company's transformation into a multi-million dollar enterprise following their first appearance on the show.
Kelley is a member of the Fast Company Executive Board and Forbes Business Council and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gold Stevie Award for ‘Female Executive of the Year’ by the 2022 Stevie Awards for Women in Business and named a “Top Mamaprenistas” by the 2022 Entreprenista 100. She is active within the South Florida community where she resides and teaches teens through Bug Bite Thing's Entrepreneurship in Action Program in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County. She lives in Port St. Lucie with her husband and two daughters.
Learn more about Kelley and Bug Bite Thing on their website, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.