RED FLIGHT MOBILE INNOVATION

Consumer applications across mobile, web and emerging platforms with a social impact charter to bring STEM learning to girls.

I love creating digital products that help shape the way we interact with the world around us – there are several challenges waiting to be solved through the use of technology and it’s a constantly evolving, exciting space. I get to help brands and companies think differently about how to engage customers through mobile, social and other interactive digital formats and at the same time, use my expertise to help inspire the next generation of technologists through our STEAM workshops. These workshops create a space for upliftment and empowerment – encouraging girls to be leaders, entrepreneurs, programmers and makers.

When I first started my business, I was driven by an ambition to create something truly on my own – to set my own standards for success and be the master of my own canvas. The word “entrepreneur” scared me to death, but I wanted to grow beyond my comfort zone and focus on cultivating projects that brought out my best – projects that allowed me to stretch beyond my perceived limitations and grow personally. I was curious about how company culture is created at the leadership level and what it means to truly lead. I was backed by a confidence that I could do it – and the view that failure was only based on me not trying. Since then, being an entrepreneur has shown me a whole new dimension and definition of success – one that represents passionate purpose and a commitment to perseverance.

LA is such an easy city in contrast to other places I’ve lived. Running a company is hard enough as it is so you want to be in a city that fosters balance, nature and a sense of peace. Because of the proximity to the beach and hiking trails and of course the great weather, it makes the hard days of running your company a bit easier because you can find a space to breathe and recalibrate just by stepping outside. Los Angeles is also very small business friendly so the plethora of resources makes starting a business less onerous.

How to bill clients. When you first start out, your business typically kicks off with people you know (word of mouth and referrals). I probably was too lenient on iron clad contracts and payment terms for the sake of closing the deal. I learned the hard way that in all aspects of business, you have to treat everything transactionally and not personally in order to make sure that your invoices don’t age too long because of loose payment terms or not having an accountant manage invoicing. It can quickly get overwhelming. There are tons of growing pains in the start-up process but either through hard-knocks or training, it’s par for the course.