What were you doing before this?

In 2010 I began noodling on an idea to re-imagine what an urban bathhouse with a smarter and more environmental footprint could look like. It’s premise? What if investing in local urban enclaves defined a new approach to wellness that made it more accessible to everyone?

I successfully raised seed money to prototype the idea and spent the next five years negotiating contracts and managing stakeholders. I was prominently featured in magazine pieces across the country for my views on democratizing wellness. I sat in panel discussions with leaders from the NRDA, not always sure I should be in the same circle. But learning along the way. There wasn’t enough time, money, and ingenuity to see this project across the finish line before lockdown.

Over the following years and while responding to lockdown conditions, I obtained professional experience working at my first tech company and before that a cannabis company - in their executive offices as an assistant. I already knew P&Ls and I knew vision and brand. But I didn’t have corporate experience at scale with PE money and boards that influenced decision making. Being up close to M&A deals, the due diligence process, and investors from across the globe deepened my respect for business communications and the power of knowing how to read a room.