from the very beginning of our entrepreneurial career we have always
entrepreneurial career we have always
entrepreneurial career we have always been a team in fact we have another
been a team in fact we have another
been a team in fact we have another woman that makes up our trio but
woman that makes up our trio but
woman that makes up our trio but speaking in front of people is in her
speaking in front of people is in her
speaking in front of people is in her strong suit so she decided we should
strong suit so she decided we should
strong suit so she decided we should take this one she’s in the audience
take this one she’s in the audience
take this one she’s in the audience somewhere the three of us have been a
somewhere the three of us have been a
somewhere the three of us have been a team that has evolved over the past six
team that has evolved over the past six
team that has evolved over the past six years of friendship three of those years
years of friendship three of those years
years of friendship three of those years on intense journey has brought us here
on intense journey has brought us here
on intense journey has brought us here today we like to think that the way we
today we like to think that the way we
today we like to think that the way we met was fate we met in our very first
met was fate we met in our very first
met was fate we met in our very first architectural drafting class at
architectural drafting class at
architectural drafting class at university Madeline had come from a gap
university Madeline had come from a gap
university Madeline had come from a gap year in India Lizzio transferred schools
year in India Lizzio transferred schools
year in India Lizzio transferred schools and I was switching majors we had no
and I was switching majors we had no
and I was switching majors we had no connections to each other but somehow
connections to each other but somehow
connections to each other but somehow gravitated towards one another looking
gravitated towards one another looking
gravitated towards one another looking back we were uniquely different women
back we were uniquely different women
back we were uniquely different women with a shared spirit to be out of the
with a shared spirit to be out of the
with a shared spirit to be out of the ordinary and an inherent drive to do
ordinary and an inherent drive to do
ordinary and an inherent drive to do something big
something big
something big separately we were three strong
separately we were three strong
separately we were three strong individuals but together we were one a
individuals but together we were one a
individuals but together we were one a hell of a powerful unit Henry Ford says
hell of a powerful unit Henry Ford says
hell of a powerful unit Henry Ford says coming together is a beginning keeping
coming together is a beginning keeping
coming together is a beginning keeping together is progress working together is
together is progress working together is
together is progress working together is success we can finally say we’ve reached
success we can finally say we’ve reached
success we can finally say we’ve reached stage 3 and would like to impart some of
stage 3 and would like to impart some of
stage 3 and would like to impart some of what we’ve learned along the way being 3
what we’ve learned along the way being 3
what we’ve learned along the way being 3 woman’s navigating the tech startup
woman’s navigating the tech startup
woman’s navigating the tech startup world has been an adventure that never
world has been an adventure that never
world has been an adventure that never ceases to amaze and surprise us almost
ceases to amaze and surprise us almost
ceases to amaze and surprise us almost on a daily basis we have grown
on a daily basis we have grown
on a daily basis we have grown individually as women but more
individually as women but more
individually as women but more importantly have grown as a team we have
importantly have grown as a team we have
importantly have grown as a team we have been a team in all sense of the word we
been a team in all sense of the word we
been a team in all sense of the word we were a team navigating through
were a team navigating through
were a team navigating through University and Design School we were a
University and Design School we were a
University and Design School we were a team facing a parents divorce cancer
team facing a parents divorce cancer
team facing a parents divorce cancer death and an incurable diagnosis and we
death and an incurable diagnosis and we
death and an incurable diagnosis and we were a team deciding to start our first
were a team deciding to start our first
were a team deciding to start our first business our junior year of college some
business our junior year of college some
business our junior year of college some friends come together when spirits are
friends come together when spirits are
friends come together when spirits are high and there is something to celebrate
high and there is something to celebrate
high and there is something to celebrate others come together in grief and in
others come together in grief and in
others come together in grief and in support we came together to face it all
support we came together to face it all
support we came together to face it all a quote from Winston Churchill that
a quote from Winston Churchill that
a quote from Winston Churchill that perfectly describes us and how we now
perfectly describes us and how we now
perfectly describes us and how we now define success success is stumbling from
define success success is stumbling from
define success success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of
failure to failure with no loss of
failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm through our time together
enthusiasm through our time together
enthusiasm through our time together we’ve learned that failure is a huge and
we’ve learned that failure is a huge and
we’ve learned that failure is a huge and inevitable part of life what sets you
inevitable part of life what sets you
inevitable part of life what sets you apart from your failure is your ability
apart from your failure is your ability
apart from your failure is your ability your ability to accept the failure and
your ability to accept the failure and
your ability to accept the failure and have an enthusiasm and willingness to
have an enthusiasm and willingness to
have an enthusiasm and willingness to keep going life is 10% the things that
keep going life is 10% the things that
keep going life is 10% the things that happen to you 90% how you react to those
happen to you 90% how you react to those
happen to you 90% how you react to those things we’ve developed a mantra on our
things we’ve developed a mantra on our
things we’ve developed a mantra on our fan trip friendship that we’ve
fan trip friendship that we’ve
fan trip friendship that we’ve integrated into our company today fail
integrated into our company today fail
integrated into our company today fail fast fix fast and learn fast a lot of
fast fix fast and learn fast a lot of
fast fix fast and learn fast a lot of people ask us how we can be such close
people ask us how we can be such close
people ask us how we can be such close friends and run a business together to
friends and run a business together to
friends and run a business together to live together also there’s a lot of work
live together also there’s a lot of work
live together also there’s a lot of work together all the time if we boil it down
together all the time if we boil it down
together all the time if we boil it down it actually comes down to the stamina
it actually comes down to the stamina
it actually comes down to the stamina that we’ve been able to maintain through
that we’ve been able to maintain through
that we’ve been able to maintain through every last hiccup one of our first
every last hiccup one of our first
every last hiccup one of our first failures in business was when we decided
failures in business was when we decided
failures in business was when we decided to enter a business plan competition our
to enter a business plan competition our
to enter a business plan competition our junior year of college we had decided we
junior year of college we had decided we
junior year of college we had decided we were going to start a virtual interior
were going to start a virtual interior
were going to start a virtual interior design company we didn’t know exactly
design company we didn’t know exactly
design company we didn’t know exactly what it meant all we knew is that we
what it meant all we knew is that we
what it meant all we knew is that we were going to start charging for a
were going to start charging for a
were going to start charging for a service that we were already providing
service that we were already providing
service that we were already providing our friends and family designing their
our friends and family designing their
our friends and family designing their spaces through photographs and online
spaces through photographs and online
spaces through photographs and online shopping something we definitely knew
shopping something we definitely knew
shopping something we definitely knew how to do around that time our
how to do around that time our
how to do around that time our university was hosting a school-wide
university was hosting a school-wide
university was hosting a school-wide business plan competition with a $60,000
business plan competition with a $60,000
business plan competition with a $60,000 prize to start your first business the
prize to start your first business the
prize to start your first business the power of three made us courageous enough
power of three made us courageous enough
power of three made us courageous enough to say let’s apply so we had two weeks
to say let’s apply so we had two weeks
to say let’s apply so we had two weeks to write an executive summary small
to write an executive summary small
to write an executive summary small problem what’s an executive summary
problem what’s an executive summary
problem what’s an executive summary we attended a lecture for all of the
we attended a lecture for all of the
we attended a lecture for all of the applicants to get to know one another
applicants to get to know one another
applicants to get to know one another and to learn how to write this so-called
and to learn how to write this so-called
and to learn how to write this so-called executive summary and business plan and
executive summary and business plan and
executive summary and business plan and as we sat there in the lecture it was
as we sat there in the lecture it was
as we sat there in the lecture it was filled with mostly business and grad
filled with mostly business and grad
filled with mostly business and grad students and of course mostly men then
students and of course mostly men then
students and of course mostly men then we were really actually the first people
we were really actually the first people
we were really actually the first people from our design school to apply so as we
from our design school to apply so as we
from our design school to apply so as we sat there listening we felt very blonde
sat there listening we felt very blonde
sat there listening we felt very blonde very out of place and very intimidated
very out of place and very intimidated
very out of place and very intimidated something special about our trio is that
something special about our trio is that
something special about our trio is that when one of us stumbles when one of us
when one of us stumbles when one of us
when one of us stumbles when one of us doesn’t have the courage the other two
doesn’t have the courage the other two
doesn’t have the courage the other two are there to pick us up
are there to pick us up
are there to pick us up luckily we have a knack for each
luckily we have a knack for each
luckily we have a knack for each stumbling at different times so there’s
stumbling at different times so there’s
stumbling at different times so there’s always been someone there with the
always been someone there with the
always been someone there with the silver lining and this case was no
silver lining and this case was no
silver lining and this case was no different one of us we won’t name names
different one of us we won’t name names
different one of us we won’t name names did not want to go through with it and
did not want to go through with it and
did not want to go through with it and the other to whip her into shape so
the other to whip her into shape so
the other to whip her into shape so needless to say we spent countless
needless to say we spent countless
needless to say we spent countless grueling hours poring over exactly what
grueling hours poring over exactly what
grueling hours poring over exactly what it meant to start a business and we came
it meant to start a business and we came
it meant to start a business and we came out with our heads held high with the
out with our heads held high with the
out with our heads held high with the executive summary of the century we
executive summary of the century we
executive summary of the century we submitted the proposal the next day and
submitted the proposal the next day and
submitted the proposal the next day and we got a response rejected our first big
we got a response rejected our first big
we got a response rejected our first big step starting our business and it was a
step starting our business and it was a
step starting our business and it was a big fat fail we don’t didn’t know what
big fat fail we don’t didn’t know what
big fat fail we don’t didn’t know what we were doing and apparently the idea
we were doing and apparently the idea
we were doing and apparently the idea wasn’t even good enough to be given the
wasn’t even good enough to be given the
wasn’t even good enough to be given the chance to put a business plan together
chance to put a business plan together
chance to put a business plan together this could have ended our journey right
this could have ended our journey right
this could have ended our journey right there we could have said we’re proud of
there we could have said we’re proud of
there we could have said we’re proud of ourselves we tried it is what it is
ourselves we tried it is what it is
ourselves we tried it is what it is luckily we had the naive ignorance and
luckily we had the naive ignorance and
luckily we had the naive ignorance and ego that 20 year olds have and decided
ego that 20 year olds have and decided
ego that 20 year olds have and decided to take what we had learned in our
to take what we had learned in our
to take what we had learned in our one-page executive summary and put words
one-page executive summary and put words
one-page executive summary and put words into action we had someone in our class
into action we had someone in our class
into action we had someone in our class put together a very basic website and
put together a very basic website and
put together a very basic website and printed business cards and we were ready
printed business cards and we were ready
printed business cards and we were ready for action what followed was two years
for action what followed was two years
for action what followed was two years of constant and we mean constant ups and
of constant and we mean constant ups and
of constant and we mean constant ups and downs failures and small wins in both
downs failures and small wins in both
downs failures and small wins in both our personal lives and in our business
our personal lives and in our business
our personal lives and in our business through it all we had our one constant
through it all we had our one constant
through it all we had our one constant we were a team that accepted failure we
we were a team that accepted failure we
we were a team that accepted failure we were a team that found humor in our
were a team that found humor in our
were a team that found humor in our little and big dejected moments and we
little and big dejected moments and we
little and big dejected moments and we were a team with a prevailing commitment
were a team with a prevailing commitment
were a team with a prevailing commitment to learn and to just keep going Arianna
to learn and to just keep going Arianna
to learn and to just keep going Arianna Huffington says that failure is not the
Huffington says that failure is not the
Huffington says that failure is not the opposite of success failure is
opposite of success failure is
opposite of success failure is being stoned to success it’s with that
being stoned to success it’s with that
being stoned to success it’s with that mentality that we enter darkness next
mentality that we enter darkness next
mentality that we enter darkness next business competition shark tank we were
business competition shark tank we were
business competition shark tank we were coming out of two years of hustle we
coming out of two years of hustle we
coming out of two years of hustle we were the designers the executives and
were the designers the executives and
were the designers the executives and wait for it the Handy men installing our
wait for it the Handy men installing our
wait for it the Handy men installing our own designs I am so happy to say that we
own designs I am so happy to say that we
own designs I am so happy to say that we have mastered the art of the drill we
have mastered the art of the drill we
have mastered the art of the drill we have won that’s true we had grown and
have won that’s true we had grown and
have won that’s true we had grown and there was real money flowing into the
there was real money flowing into the
there was real money flowing into the business but it wasn’t sustainable
business but it wasn’t sustainable
business but it wasn’t sustainable something big had to happen shark tank
something big had to happen shark tank
something big had to happen shark tank was big 8 million viewers money a mentor
was big 8 million viewers money a mentor
was big 8 million viewers money a mentor that’s what we needed so we went for it
that’s what we needed so we went for it
that’s what we needed so we went for it cold emailed casting and we were
cold emailed casting and we were
cold emailed casting and we were accepted into the application process
accepted into the application process
accepted into the application process whoo-hoo what ensued was six months of
whoo-hoo what ensued was six months of
whoo-hoo what ensued was six months of video applications and a self-taught MBA
video applications and a self-taught MBA
video applications and a self-taught MBA we read text books watch tutorials and
we read text books watch tutorials and
we read text books watch tutorials and even learn the basics of accounting all
even learn the basics of accounting all
even learn the basics of accounting all of this was going to be worth it because
of this was going to be worth it because
of this was going to be worth it because once we were on the show it could only
once we were on the show it could only
once we were on the show it could only go up from there well basically what
go up from there well basically what
go up from there well basically what we’re up here presenting as you can
we’re up here presenting as you can
we’re up here presenting as you can guess Shark Tank wasn’t all we had hoped
guess Shark Tank wasn’t all we had hoped
guess Shark Tank wasn’t all we had hoped it would be although we made a deal on
it would be although we made a deal on
it would be although we made a deal on air the terms were not favorable and it
air the terms were not favorable and it
air the terms were not favorable and it was not something we could go through
was not something we could go through
was not something we could go through with the episode brought traffic but
with the episode brought traffic but
with the episode brought traffic but nothing meaningful to turn things around
nothing meaningful to turn things around
nothing meaningful to turn things around for the future scale and growth of the
for the future scale and growth of the
for the future scale and growth of the business this particular failure brought
business this particular failure brought
business this particular failure brought about a poignant moment in our journey
about a poignant moment in our journey
about a poignant moment in our journey that brought us to a company today it
that brought us to a company today it
that brought us to a company today it was two months after the episode had
was two months after the episode had
was two months after the episode had aired and we were still dealing with the
aired and we were still dealing with the
aired and we were still dealing with the influx of traffic people liked the idea
influx of traffic people liked the idea
influx of traffic people liked the idea that was for sure but the economics not
that was for sure but the economics not
that was for sure but the economics not so much it was 2:00 a.m. we hadn’t slept
so much it was 2:00 a.m. we hadn’t slept
so much it was 2:00 a.m. we hadn’t slept we were swamped and then we had just
we were swamped and then we had just
we were swamped and then we had just gone an email that episode was rearing
gone an email that episode was rearing
gone an email that episode was rearing in a week defeated it is exactly how to
in a week defeated it is exactly how to
in a week defeated it is exactly how to define how he felt in that moment we
define how he felt in that moment we
define how he felt in that moment we this kind of exposure should be a
this kind of exposure should be a
this kind of exposure should be a positive not what was inevitably going
positive not what was inevitably going
positive not what was inevitably going to sink us
to sink us
to sink us something big had to happen we had to
something big had to happen we had to
something big had to happen we had to make a change so in that moment
make a change so in that moment
make a change so in that moment exhausted and hangry we all just kind of
exhausted and hangry we all just kind of
exhausted and hangry we all just kind of looked at each other and started
looked at each other and started
looked at each other and started hysterically laughing almost in a what
hysterically laughing almost in a what
hysterically laughing almost in a what the we can’t believe how badly
the we can’t believe how badly
the we can’t believe how badly is hitting the fan kind of life
is hitting the fan kind of life
is hitting the fan kind of life and somehow in our serie we sunk down
and somehow in our serie we sunk down
and somehow in our serie we sunk down out of our desk chairs and onto the
out of our desk chairs and onto the
out of our desk chairs and onto the floor where we lay there side-by-side
floor where we lay there side-by-side
floor where we lay there side-by-side taking it all in and as we started to
taking it all in and as we started to
taking it all in and as we started to calm down from our laughter we started
calm down from our laughter we started
calm down from our laughter we started to cry it was a feeling of utter
to cry it was a feeling of utter
to cry it was a feeling of utter weakness a moment when we stomped and
weakness a moment when we stomped and
weakness a moment when we stomped and didn’t fully know how we would move
didn’t fully know how we would move
didn’t fully know how we would move forward what if this was a failure that
forward what if this was a failure that
forward what if this was a failure that would break the camel’s back where would
would break the camel’s back where would
would break the camel’s back where would we go from here
we go from here
we go from here all we knew was that we had come too far
all we knew was that we had come too far
all we knew was that we had come too far and worked too hard to see it all end so
and worked too hard to see it all end so
and worked too hard to see it all end so right then in there we decided to make
right then in there we decided to make
right then in there we decided to make some substantial changes to fix the
some substantial changes to fix the
some substantial changes to fix the situation we were in what did we learn
situation we were in what did we learn
situation we were in what did we learn from this shark tank failure or shall we
from this shark tank failure or shall we
from this shark tank failure or shall we call it an experience number one we
call it an experience number one we
call it an experience number one we learned that we definitely needed some
learned that we definitely needed some
learned that we definitely needed some real investor money and number two we
real investor money and number two we
real investor money and number two we learned that we needed some key players
learned that we needed some key players
learned that we needed some key players to add to the team first step move to
to add to the team first step move to
to add to the team first step move to the west coast immediately to make one
the west coast immediately to make one
the west coast immediately to make one and to happen one of us left our
and to happen one of us left our
and to happen one of us left our husbands behind at medical school he’s
husbands behind at medical school he’s
husbands behind at medical school he’s not happy
not happy
not happy we sublet our apartments and we were in
we sublet our apartments and we were in
we sublet our apartments and we were in our headquarters a Starbucks in West LA
our headquarters a Starbucks in West LA
our headquarters a Starbucks in West LA within a week from there we met our
within a week from there we met our
within a week from there we met our game-changing partners and we were
game-changing partners and we were
game-changing partners and we were finally in the right place at the right
finally in the right place at the right
finally in the right place at the right time it took our unified ability to
time it took our unified ability to
time it took our unified ability to accept our failure a resolve to fix and
accept our failure a resolve to fix and
accept our failure a resolve to fix and learn from it and ultimately a belief in
learn from it and ultimately a belief in
learn from it and ultimately a belief in ourselves and what we were doing back to
ourselves and what we were doing back to
ourselves and what we were doing back to our friend Winston Churchill success is
our friend Winston Churchill success is
our friend Winston Churchill success is not final failure is not fatal it is the
not final failure is not fatal it is the
not final failure is not fatal it is the courage to continue that counts
courage to continue that counts
courage to continue that counts sometimes you need a little help to find
sometimes you need a little help to find
sometimes you need a little help to find that courage before one of my venture
that courage before one of my venture
that courage before one of my venture capital meetings I was in San Francisco
capital meetings I was in San Francisco
capital meetings I was in San Francisco at a coffee shop preparing Madeline
at a coffee shop preparing Madeline
at a coffee shop preparing Madeline called me task I was because this was
called me task I was because this was
called me task I was because this was not my first meeting and it was getting
not my first meeting and it was getting
not my first meeting and it was getting harder and harder to keep the stamina
harder and harder to keep the stamina
harder and harder to keep the stamina going I told her how do you think I’m
going I told her how do you think I’m
going I told her how do you think I’m doing not good I didn’t go to business
doing not good I didn’t go to business
doing not good I didn’t go to business school only 2.7 percent of female CEO
school only 2.7 percent of female CEO
school only 2.7 percent of female CEO startups get funding the odds are
startups get funding the odds are
startups get funding the odds are against us I shouldn’t do this her
against us I shouldn’t do this her
against us I shouldn’t do this her response was so what just go for it
response was so what just go for it
response was so what just go for it what’s the worst that can happen it’ll
what’s the worst that can happen it’ll
what’s the worst that can happen it’ll be another failure to learn from so she
be another failure to learn from so she
be another failure to learn from so she summoned the comp
summoned the comp
summoned the comp and courage that I helped her find and
and courage that I helped her find and
and courage that I helped her find and she went into that meeting with a power
she went into that meeting with a power
she went into that meeting with a power and fire that could only be created by
and fire that could only be created by
and fire that could only be created by accepting and embracing the possibility
accepting and embracing the possibility
accepting and embracing the possibility of more failure by just going for it we
of more failure by just going for it we
of more failure by just going for it we came out with our first two million in
came out with our first two million in
came out with our first two million in funding from a top VC firm
it was a good day since that first race
it was a good day since that first race we have continued to grow our business
we have continued to grow our business
we have continued to grow our business from a small founding team to a powerful
from a small founding team to a powerful
from a small founding team to a powerful team of 30 we have continued to raise
team of 30 we have continued to raise
team of 30 we have continued to raise more funding and through our success we
more funding and through our success we
more funding and through our success we have continued to experience failure
have continued to experience failure
have continued to experience failure time and time again our one constant
time and time again our one constant
time and time again our one constant aside from always having each other when
aside from always having each other when
aside from always having each other when we fail we fail fast we fix fast and we
we fail we fail fast we fix fast and we
we fail we fail fast we fix fast and we learn fast when you look at failure that
learn fast when you look at failure that
learn fast when you look at failure that way when you embrace it the times you
way when you embrace it the times you
way when you embrace it the times you fail are not definitive they become part
fail are not definitive they become part
fail are not definitive they become part of the journey the bumps in the road
of the journey the bumps in the road
of the journey the bumps in the road that make you bigger better and tougher
that make you bigger better and tougher
that make you bigger better and tougher we’re not standing up here today telling
we’re not standing up here today telling
we’re not standing up here today telling you that the courage to fail is all it
you that the courage to fail is all it
you that the courage to fail is all it takes in the end it takes hard work it
takes in the end it takes hard work it
takes in the end it takes hard work it takes dedication and it takes a will to
takes dedication and it takes a will to
takes dedication and it takes a will to just keep pushing through and maybe some
just keep pushing through and maybe some
just keep pushing through and maybe some sessions crying on the floor Elon Musk
sessions crying on the floor Elon Musk
sessions crying on the floor Elon Musk says that if you’re not failing you’re
says that if you’re not failing you’re
says that if you’re not failing you’re not innovating enough this is true in
not innovating enough this is true in
not innovating enough this is true in business and it’s also true in life
business and it’s also true in life
business and it’s also true in life failure is inevitable what you do with
failure is inevitable what you do with
failure is inevitable what you do with it now that’s up to you
”
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