What is the one thing that you wish someone told you before you became a founder?

I wish someone had told me about the importance of building a strong support network early on.

Having mentors and peers to lean on for advice and encouragement can make a huge difference.

What has been your biggest challenge in achieving capital efficiency and how have you navigated it?

The biggest challenge has been balancing growth with cost management.

I've navigated this by prioritizing investments that drive long-term value and continuously optimizing operational processes to reduce waste.

What advice would you offer first-time women founders who are bootstrapping and struggling with capital efficiency?

Focus on prioritizing spending. Identify areas that drive growth and allocate resources there. It's easy to get distracted. Leverage your network for mentorship and partnerships that provide value without significant cost.

Also, embrace the lean startup approach by testing ideas quickly and iterating on them based on feedback to avoid unnecessary expenses.

Being creative can often compensate for limited capital.

Can you share your story about a significant mistake you made when you were first starting and the lessons you learned from it?

My biggest mistake was being too conservative with fundraising. I initially tried to bootstrap everything, thinking it would give us more control and flexibility. This actually slowed our growth and caused us to miss key market opportunities.

The lesson?

Raise as much money as you can early on when the market conditions are favorable.

This gives you the runway to experiment, hire top talent, and scale faster than your competition.