Success stories usually follow a general theme. For an entrepreneur, success is the result of endless hours of grit and a moment of brilliance. This year, the CU Boulder New Venture Challenge kickoff night featured six exciting lightning talks from various entrepreneurs. One Lighting Talk that stood out was Garmai Matthew who spoke about her venture named Guwala Da Nele. She shared about her journey to become a micro-entreprenuer through embracing her native culture and pushing through the traditional barriers entrepreneurs have to overcome.
Garmai went to a pitch event at the behest of her sister when she was 20, with just a glimpse of a business idea incorporating her native African roots into a fashion brand. She talked about the nervousness she felt when she looked around the room and saw technocrats and scientists ready to make their pitch for the next 'breakthrough' that will revolutionize the world. Instead of being intimidated, she decided to embrace her vision and its utility to her future customers. That spirit has kept her going on her journey to become a successful creator and entrepreneur.
To all other entrepreneurs out there who believe that maybe their idea is not going to change the world- well, it doesn't need to. The important part is having faith in your vision and pitching your product to an audience in a way that explains its usefulness. Just like Garmai did!