Embracing Community: A Founder’s Journey Through Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship often carries an aura of glamour and excitement, but beneath the surface lies a challenging journey demanding resilience, creativity, and—perhaps most importantly—a strong community of support.
As the Founder & CEO of Upace and Co-Founder & Director of DC Startup Week, I’ve come to realize that a startup community isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the backbone that supports innovation and helps navigate the inevitable highs and lows of building a business. This understanding has shaped every step of my entrepreneurial path.
My journey began during my college years, sparked by the recognition of a gap in how fitness and recreation centers connected with their members. This insight wasn’t just a fleeting idea; it became the driving force behind Upace, a mobile platform designed to enhance community engagement in these centers. What started as a simple concept to support members quickly evolved into a comprehensive tech solution aimed at improving operations, member engagement, and retention—underscoring the power of a vision rooted in community.
However, bringing that vision to life wasn’t without its challenges. Navigating the tech industry, as a non-technical founder, especially in an industry often dominated by men, added another layer of complexity. Being the only woman in the room during networking events or pitching sessions was daunting, but it fueled my determination to push through the stereotypes and barriers. Choosing to bootstrap Upace wasn’t just a business decision; it was a commitment to sustainable growth and authentic relationships. This approach allowed us to cultivate strong, lasting connections with our clients and stakeholders, growing organically over the past decade.
But even with determination and a clear vision, I quickly learned that the entrepreneurial journey is far too complex to be traveled alone. The sleepless nights, the relentless pursuit of innovation, and the constant balancing act require a community that understands these experiences firsthand. I first experienced the power of such a community through the incubator program at American University’s Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship. It’s there that I saw just how crucial it was to have a group of fellow early-stage founders to learn from and face challenges alongside—a lesson that proved invaluable to our early success.
This realization led to the creation of DC Startup Week, a project I embarked on with Chida Sadayappan shortly after graduation from the incubator program. Our vision was to build a community for entrepreneurs, startups, innovators, and investors—a space where people could come together no matter their industry or background, to grow, share failures, find partnerships, and celebrate successes. Today, DC Startup Week is more than we ever imagined, a vibrant, diverse community of over 16,000 members continually growing through our events, engagements, and annual conference.
Reflecting on this journey, I am immensely proud of what the DC Startup Week community has become and deeply appreciate the startup communities that have supported me along the way. My success with Upace and DC Startup Week is rooted in these communities, which have stood behind me through every challenge and triumph.
If there is one piece of advice I can offer to fellow entrepreneurs, it’s this: surround yourself with people who believe in your vision, who are building their own innovation, and who can offer the mentorship and support you’ll need.
Building this kind of community for yourself will not only help you navigate the complexities of building a startup but will also transform the way you experience and approach the entrepreneurial journey.
In the end, community will be your greatest ally, a catalyst for your success, and a key to achieving your dreams.
