Alumnae Entrepreneurship Series: Risk, Resilience, Reward

This school year the Alumnae Association proudly offered a four-part virtual series featuring inspirational stories and advice from trailblazing Laurel alumnae entrepreneurs. Motivated by the number of alums who have dreamed and dared to start their own businesses, the goals for the series were twofold: to highlight, for other alumnae and students, the paths taken by these role models and to encourage female entrepreneurship.

The pandemic made the topic even more timely with side hustles on the rise and millions of women leaving traditional jobs to find other ways to advance their careers. An important takeaway from the series is that developing an entrepreneurial mindset can benefit anyone, not just those thinking of starting their own business.

1. Entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviors (such as curiosity, creativity and resilience) aren’t necessarily inherent, but they can be developed. Cultivate them now, so that when an opportunity arrives, you will be ready.

2. Develop a passion for solving problems. However, don’t try to sell a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist—listen to what your customers’ pressure points are.

3. The most successful entrepreneurs don’t actually have, on average, better ideas, they just have many more. So it’s important to be good at failing, managing the downside of risk and learning from mistakes until you find what works.

4. Acknowledge that fear around doing something new is normal. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. You get to choose whether or not you’ll let fear/discomfort stop you or simply come along for the ride.

5. Know your why; it can keep you going when progress feels tough.

6. Build relationships with other entrepreneurs. The best way to connect with investors is through other founders of companies, especially those who have already made money for the investors.

7. Start raising money before you need it, as the process can often take 6-9 months after an introduction to an investor. Raising capital is like dating—investors want to see if an entrepreneur is loyal, reliable and hits the milestones they have in place before supporting them.

8. Be intentional about building relationships. Go about every interaction genuinely—if you’re passionate about what you are doing, you can express that to others without “overselling.” Remember, you are always planting seeds and never know when you will harvest the crops.

9. People generally want to help others, so don't be afraid to reach out. The answer will always be “no” if you don’t ask.

10. And finally, get out there, even if you don’t feel ready yet!

Did you miss any of the events? Watch the recordings under Past Events at alumlc.org/LaurelSchool. Click “register” and then “join event.”

• Is Entrepreneurship For You? • Mindset: How to Think Like an Entrepreneur • The Finances of Entrepreneurship • Networking

(Left to right by row)

Lyn Butler ’68 | Founder and CEO of Still Standing Cynthia Benjamin ’81 | Co-Founder and CEO of Together Senior Health Elizabeth Bernier Lamont ’84 | Founder and CEO of Salient Care LLC Neeti Sundaresh ’95 | Co-Founder of Granovsky & Sundaresh PLLC

Carey Jaros ’96 | CEO of GOJO Industries Suzy Hile Niemann ’97 | Founder of Kenmore Consulting Maia Hunt-Ledford Rucker ’97 | President of the Laurel School Alumnae Association Ann Auletta Konkoly ’99 | Founder of Authentic Koaching

Nichelle McCall Browne ’01 | Founder of Bold Startups Jamie Taylor ’02 | Founder of the Black Golf Directory and JT Mobile Training Noelle Bonner ’06 | CEO and Principal of Bonner Communications and Founder of TheNOBO Mitali Rakhit ’08 | Co-Founder and CEO of GUARDARA

Dorothy Illson Hollabaugh ’09 | Founder of Needle’s Eye Media Alison Leddy ’11 | Founder and CEO of Bust A Move Olivia Wenzel ’20 | Founder and CEO of AltruTec