Miamian Kaisa Levine is the founder of Fridababy, a company that manufactures a device to naturally decongest sick babies. After starting the company in 2007 with just $5,000 — and growing sales by over 100 percent each year for nine consecutive years, getting it on the shelves of every major US retailer — Levine sold the company in 2016 for $50 million to a private equity firm. Levine discovered her first product Nosefrida while in her native country Sweden with her newborn son.

Today, Levine works as a prolific philanthropist. In 2013, she began to volunteer for the Florida Foster Care Review, which advocates for abused and neglected children in foster care. She was soon promoted to panel chair and eventually in 2019, was named Volunteer of the Year. Levine is also an animal activist, volunteering with wild-life rescue at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, and a supporter of several other animal rescue organizations including My Animals Rock, Good Karma, 100+ Dogs of Everglades, Surfside Cats, Miami Beach Animal Advocates. Levine serves on the advisory board for Miami Beach Community Health Center. And she advocates and advances The Seed School, Breakthrough Miami, Lotus House and Kids Helping Kids Succeed.

Levine left her native Sweden for New York City in 1985, where she worked as an Emergency Medical Technician. She is the proud wife of Crunch Fitness founder Doug Levine and mother to teenagers Alex and Elsa. Here, she speaks to us in her own words.