#NEXTFounderChats: Ingrid Grozavu
Ingrid Grozavu is a Next 36 entrepreneur and the founder of Lytebulb.
Tell us a bit about you and your venture! What was your inspiration for creating Lytebulb?
Healthcare isn’t perfect: there are long wait times, not enough doctors, patients are often confused. I find this concerning. I know doctors aren’t superheroes, but their patients rely on them, and sometimes quite heavily.
But what if this wasn’t the case? What if patients understood their health more profoundly? They could not only take better care of themselves, but also make better decisions and have smart conversations with their doctors. This is what we are trying to achieve.
Our goal is to put more of healthcare into the patient’s hands. We plan to accomplish this with a novel technology that tracks biomarkers in your saliva that are indicative of your health. This will allow patients to make informed decisions at the doctor’s office but also at home. Ultimately, we hope that this will improve the way patients interact with their healthcare system both inside the clinic and remotely.
What inspired you to take the leap into entrepreneurship?
I recently completed my BSc in Molecular Genetics and Neuroscience at the University of Toronto. In my final year, I sneaked my way into a Capstone course with Biomedical Engineering, where I worked on improving the workflow of the surgical staff in the operating room. After completing the course, I decided to continue in the entrepreneurship field and joined NEXT Canada’s Next 36 program.
What do you know today that you wish you knew when you first started as an entrepreneur?
I wish I’d realized earlier that’s it’s not about the transaction, it’s about the relationship. If somebody remembers you it’s because they remember the impression that you leave on them. It’s important for that impression to be a good and strong one, regardless of whom you’re leaving it on — from local barista to Mr. Satchu. I’m more of an introvert so I don’t do this naturally, however, I’ve noticed that I’ve become more insightful and also kinder since I began working on growing “transactions” into relations.
Did you ever deal with contention from anyone (i.e. family) concerning your entrepreneurial pursuits?
Very much so! If I become interested in something, I’m inclined to pursue it full-speed ahead. After I got into grad school, I told my parents that I was going to start a company, too, and they told me that that’s crazy. Then I told them I’m going to build biosensors, and then they said that’s even crazier. My friends agreed, as did my boyfriend and so on. None of them really doubted my ability to do it, but they were concerned as to how I would handle grad school and building a company. It honestly sounds a bit crazy to me, too, but I’m also very passionate about both my research and my venture. I wake up early to get to work and stay up late because I genuinely live and breathe this stuff.
What are 3 books, blogs or newsletters you recommend for entrepreneurs?
In terms of how to become a successful entrepreneur, I’m a big fan of Steve Blank’s “getting out of the building” philosophy. He presents a strong and detailed case about why customer development should be any startup’s #1 priority. I’d recommend starting with The Startup Owner’s Manual, and then exploring his website, blog posts, and further reads.
I also think it’s important to keep up with the current state of knowledge of the field you operate in. For example, I subscribe to NCBI updates for daily research articles published on biosensing. Of course, this is my venture’s niche, but any sort of daily or weekly newsletter with authoritative expertise is important to read regularly.
Lastly, I’d like to encourage entrepreneurs to keep up with the news. I think it’s important to understand the broader context in which you’re building a business in. Plus, you never know when opportunities, such as a change in healthcare regulations, could be just around the corner. My favourite news outlets are The AP and The Economist.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and what would you ask them?
A younger me! It would be interesting to see what my younger self would think of me in the present day. I’m not sure how I could get this kind of feedback otherwise. When I ask others for feedback, I have to keep in mind that they come with their own set of expectations, biases, and beliefs. Instead, I would like to see how a younger me would react to the person I’ve become, understand how I’ve changed, and think about who I want to become in the future. I’d also love the chance to give my younger self some advice and encouragement!
What are your habits for a productive workday?
One is staying organized, and the other is getting the work done. It’s a simple as that!
I use Asana to keep track of all the different projects that I’m working on, and Get Plan to stay on top of my to-do’s and calendar. I’ve seen different ways in which my friends and other entrepreneurs keep their work organized, so it’s really about using a method that works well for you.
What do you think is the most important innovation of your lifetime?
I think that’s the internet. Not so much the idea and concept of it, but more about the ways in which you can apply it. I think it has revolutionized the way global society behaves and operates. Starting from browsers and email to make telecommunication easier back in the 90s, it has expanded so much since then, ranging from the incredible Google search engine to blockchain, cryptocurrency, and who knows what more is to come!
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