Her Story
About Adriana
Adriana Reis is a Safety Advocate and the founder of SafetyMat®, a company dedicated to preventing falls and promoting home safety for families, seniors, and caregivers. She spent 20 years building her career in marketing, graphic design, and web development, working with national and international companies after graduating from Full Sail University with a degree in Digital Arts and Design in 2010. In 2023, her life took an unexpected turn when she encountered a problem she couldn’t solve—losing her grandfather to a fall in a nursing home bathroom and witnessing her one-year-old daughter slip despite a suction cup mat. Recognizing that home safety is often reactive rather than proactive, Adriana set out to create a better solution, combining her design expertise with a deep commitment to preventing accidents before they happen.
Through meticulous research, testing, and collaboration with manufacturers, Adriana developed a peel-and-stick, ultra-thin, slip-resistant mat that is waterproof, hygienic, customizable, and even glows in the dark for nighttime visibility. Her patent was recently approved, and SafetyMat® products are now available on Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and through the company’s web store. Adriana’s mission is to bring smart, design-forward solutions to fall prevention—creating products that are not only functional and safe but also beautiful additions to the home. As a mother of two daughters less than 14 months apart, she bootstrapped the entire business while raising toddlers, demonstrating both entrepreneurial grit and a personal commitment to safety in everyday life.
Prior to founding SafetyMat®, Adriana cultivated extensive experience in multimedia design, marketing strategy, and brand development. She has led campaigns and creative projects for organizations such as Samsung, MoneyGram, and Digicel, specializing in brand identity, web design, motion graphics, and digital strategy. Her multidisciplinary background informs every aspect of her approach to safety, allowing her to combine functional innovation with aesthetic appeal. Today, Adriana is expanding SafetyMat® into nursing homes, hospitality, and daycare centers, ensuring that proactive safety becomes an integral part of environments where families and seniors spend their time.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Adriana
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, dedication, and loving what I do. Having a mission has been what has changed everything and what has made me continue doing this. It's not just about building a business - it's about preventing the kind of tragedies that happened to my family from happening to others. That sense of purpose, combined with my refusal to give up even when things got challenging, has kept me going through all the trials, the back-and-forth with manufacturers, and the difficulties of bootstrapping a startup while raising two toddlers.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Your past doesn’t carry you—your present does. No one measures your potential by your past wins—they measure what you deliver now. That mindset keeps me grounded, focused, intentional, and accountable to show up with purpose and deliver my best in everything I do.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don’t wait to feel ready—start building. Confidence comes from doing, not from waiting. Learn the fundamentals, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to take up space. Most importantly, focus on solving real problems—because that’s where real opportunities are created.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is that safety is still largely reactive instead of proactive. Even with all the data, regulations, and awareness, preventable incidents, especially falls, continue to occur at a persistently high rate, which shows that the issue is not only compliance, but also behavior and design.
At the same time, this presents a significant opportunity. There is a clear shift toward design-driven safety, smarter materials, and data-backed prevention—solutions that integrate seamlessly into everyday environments rather than being added as an afterthought or after an accident.
The future of this industry is not just better equipment; it is about rethinking how safety is built into daily life. That is where innovation and meaningful impact happen.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my professional and personal life are integrity, kindness, and honesty. I strive to approach every situation with transparency and ethical judgment, building trust and respect with colleagues, clients, and those around me. At the same time, I believe in treating everyone with compassion and empathy, fostering positive relationships, and creating environments where people feel valued and supported. These principles guide my decisions, my work ethic, and the way I interact with others, ensuring that my actions align consistently with my commitment to doing what is right.
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