Hey there! My name is Emily Siegel, and I’m the founder and CEO of Trek Gum, an all-natural chewing gum company that incorporates functional ingredients into every chew. My startup story originated when a childhood idea and a portable oral care dilemma decided to cross paths. As a kid, I always dreamed of having a gum that could clean my teeth on-the-go, because I was horrible at remembering to brush before school yet always had minty gum in my backpack that I tricked myself into thinking was effective. As college student, my oral care routine was the least of my worries while drowning in class work, at least until the cavities started to catch up with me.
Whether you’re thinking about starting your own company, or you’re like me and are currently navigating the startup world, there’s one thing I’ve noticed that all successful entrepreneurs have in common, and it’s grit. Being able to push forward and persevere when there are hold ups, hiccups, insistent doubters, or even healthy distractions in your life, is something I’ve found separates those who get ahead from those who don’t. Many startups fail early on because the founders hit their first barrier and instead of being resilient and working hard to solve the problem, they become discouraged - resulting in a mindset that their issues can’t be fixed or overcome. I can almost guarantee to you that no fruitful startup has gone from ideation to the market place without having multiple roadblocks along the way. Roadblocks are a sign that you’re trying, so be persistent, and think of them as stepping stones to reaching the final destination – a successful product launch. While startups are sadly not as easy as Shark Tank makes them look, I have found three ways to stay gritty and relentless while on the startup pursuit:
