Connie Lo‘s story of founding Three Ships Beauty at the The DMZ x BDC Women in Tech Breakfast left me truly inspired by her authenticity and supportiveness 😍

🌟 Key Takeaways:

• Believe in yourself more; you’re capable of more than you think.
• Impostor syndrome never truly disappears. “Fake it till you make it” is real.
• Keep a record of your wins and successes. Create a digital folder or a wall hanging for your achievements.

🧘‍♀️ Taking care of your mental health:

• Distinguish between reality and the inner critic.
• Guard your time, say no to notifications.
• Your identity is more than just your role as a founder.

🌱 Early business learnings:

• Hire earlier. Don’t wait until it becomes excruciating. Your time is invaluable, and the unlock is significant.
• It’s okay to turn down partnerships. Partner only with those whose customer profiles align with yours. Prioritize quality over quantity.
• Document your journey and cherish your startup’s early days; you’ll look back fondly.

🤝 Hacking the cofounder relationship:

• Find a co-founder with a skillset opposite to yours, but aligned in values.
• Trust their call in their domain. Clarify who has the last say. After the decision is made, be aligned in your step.
• Develop a user guide for yourself. Tell your co-founder how you communicate, work, and collaborate.
• Monthly co-founder feedback. Be open because the appreciation and feedback given here comes from a place of love.

Connie’s talk was incredibly inspiring, and I’m really glad I had the chance to hear her speak.