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Ashleigh Hinde
Founder at Waldo Vision
Ashleigh Hinde is the founder and CEO of WALDO, a global e-commerce brand that specializes in delivering high-quality daily contact lenses directly to consumers at an affordable price. She is based in San Francisco, California, but WALDO operates with a headquarters in London, England.12
Background and Education
- Education: Ashleigh Hinde holds a Master of Management from Harvard University (2016-2017), a Bachelor of Social Science, and a PDEM from the University of Cape Town. She also attended St Andrews School for Girls.1
- Languages: She is proficient in Afrikaans and English.1
Career and WALDO
- Founding of WALDO: Ashleigh founded WALDO in 2017, driven by her frustration with the high cost and complicated distribution channels of traditional contact lens suppliers. Her goal was to innovate the eyecare industry by providing direct-to-consumer services.3
- Mission: WALDO aims to make eyecare accessible and affordable. The company has grown significantly since its inception, shipping over 50 million lenses worldwide.3
- Philanthropy: Ashleigh is committed to addressing avoidable blindness through partnerships with organizations like Sightsavers. WALDO's "Buy One, Give Vision" program supports this mission by providing vision care to those in need.3
Personal Achievements
- Wildlife Photography: Ashleigh is an avid wildlife photographer and won the BBC’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award at the age of 12. She is also the granddaughter of renowned South African wildlife photographer Gerald Hinde.3
- Entrepreneurial Journey: Ashleigh has spoken about the challenges of being a solo female founder, including facing misogyny and the importance of mentorship and clear business differentiation.4
Future Plans
Highlights
Jan 1 · 6sense.com
Waldo - Company Information, Competitors, News & FAQs - 6Sense
May 13 · forbes.com
Meet the Woman on a Mission to End Avoidable Blindness - Forbes
Aug 31 · podcasts.apple.com
Ashleigh Hinde, Founder and CE - Voyager Talks - Apple Podcasts
Jul 31 · Business Insider
This 28-year-old Harvard grad is taking on the contact lens industry - Business Insider


