Some people think that the key to success lies within their daily routines. Do you agree with this, and if so, what is your daily routine?
I think a certain amount of success relies on your daily routine for sure. I am a big list maker, and I like to understand what my biggest priorities are for the day. The way that relates to success is understanding the most important things to accomplish no matter what you’re doing. My routine is I make a list the night before, so I don’t have to think about what to focus on and can unplug. When I get up, and I start with the highest priority things, I make sure to block out time for the things I know give me energy, like working out or spending time with my family, and then work my way through the list.
Looking back at your teenage years, did you have any entrepreneurial interests?
I was always interested in new business ideas and coming up with new products and services that could help people. I started young with a paper route and the typical lemonade and vegetable stands and then got into owning my first business when I was in college.
Is there a specific time of day when you feel most productive?
I am definitely a morning person. I can tell by 3 o’clock in the afternoon my creativity starts to go down, so I try to put the mos
Do you think there is one character trait/skill that is important to have in order to become a successful entrepreneur in today’s world?
Yes, I think it is grit and being able to persevere through some of the rough patches. There’s a lot that goes into grit. It’s having confidence in yourself and knowing that every day is not going to be your best day and working through those. I think there are so many unexpected things that can come up in the course of trying to build a business. That willingness to stick it out is super important.
Has being a woman in the business world affected you positively or negatively, and how so?
I would say a mixture of both. I spent a lot of my early career at Amazon and I was often the only woman in the room. In my 20 years there, I never had a female boss. That made it hard to learn from other women but it also made me independent and confident and able to go into a room full of men and state my opinion and have a seat at the table. I wish I had been surrounded by more female leaders but I did develop a great group of female peers and we were able to rely on each other which I would say was a real positive.
What is one major goal that you wish to achieve by 2030?
In the business that I am working on now, our mission is to help people expand their health span and add more healthy years to their lives. By 2030, I really hope that we are helping millions of people understand how to do that and to also understand and be less fearful of what happens as you get older.
Who is your biggest influence, and why?
My mother. I think she taught me from a really early age that my gender didn’t need to get in the way of my dreams and so I didn’t limit myself in terms of the types of things I tackled. She had a really big influence on how I approach my work today and was also the inspiration behind my interest in how we all age.
If you could pick one female entrepreneur, who would you say is your biggest inspiration?
I don’t have a single person I would point to. There are a lot of amazing female entrepreneurs out there who have led the way and made it easier for people like myself to get started. There are also venture capital firms out there, that are intentionally targeting funding female lead businesses which I think is really important too.
What has been the most formative advice you have received and why?
You have to find joy in the work you do every day because if you can’t find a way to enjoy it, you won’t do your best work. As you’re deciding what job you’re going to take or what project you want to work on, think a lot about the things that get you super excited to get out of bed in the morning and then figure out jobs that include those things. You will do your best work when you’re working on something that really matters to you.
What has been the most impressive/memorable question anyone has ever asked you?
One of the questions I appreciate the most is what mistakes I’ve made along the way. Sometimes it’s really easy to look at the successes people have had, but it’s helpful to also understand their mistakes and what led to those mistakes.
If you have siblings, are they also entrepreneurs?
I have two sisters, one older and one younger. My older sister is a lawyer and my younger sister is a clinical psychologist. We all ended up pursuing careers that help people, just in very different ways.
Do you think the drive to become an entrepreneur is born with or is learned?
I think it’s learned. I think you get inspiration from the people that you see and the ideas that really spark interest in you. It’s having examples and role models you can point to and say, “I want to do that, or that’s actually possible for me.”
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