Leadership can be a tough concept especially for certain people. However, everything simply follows if you have the right mindset and a genius idea.
The 30-year-old co-founder and CEO of SOLS, the innovative 3-D printed insoles, just told Entrepreneur.com how she shifted roles since becoming CEO.
Kegan Schouwenburg tells her tale about how the concept came to life.
The idea of this technological concept eventually arrived, and she started her seed rounds when she was in her late 20s. Her gender and age didn't hold her back - but youth was a factor and investors were looking for female leaders in companies.
Her educational background did not involve an Ivy League school. Her forte was in design, and not in computers. While founders flock together in jeans and button-up shirts, our girl made quite an appearance. She stood out among the rest, with her awesome platinum blond hair and her gorgeous white eyeliner.
Schouwenburg admits there were times that she had doubts. She says, "There were definitely moments raising our seed round where I wished that I had gone to Harvard or Stanford. Or I would think about, am I wearing something slightly too masculine or too feminine or not feminine enough? Is my hair too weird? How can I show investors that I'm somebody they can trust and that I'm going to build a great company?" These questions plagued her mind.
But the leader wouldn't give up. She may not be able to change her alma mater, age, or style but she banked on her passion and her vision. The CEO said, "Ultimately, if you have a great idea people are going to back it." She was motivated with the desire to push through with the project and the result was simply astounding.
From a founder to being a Chief Executive, it was certainly a huge jump. "Being a leader and a CEO and a manager is a whole other thing from being a founder. It's something you either grow into or you don't grow into." She was feeling a bit pressured as she started hiring people who held more experience than her.
This was definitely not a simple course but Schouwenburg was able to pull it off. She is beginning to transition from the process, one that has taught her to grow up a lot.
