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When I enrolled in Francis Tuttle’s entrepreneurship program a year ago, I never imagined I’d leave the program with $6,000 in seed capital for a new business I’d launch during my senior year of high school.
I’ve always been interested in a career in business but wasn’t sure which direction would be best for me. Exploring entrepreneurship seemed like a good first step. Like many career paths, entrepreneurship allows you to work toward something that can have a big impact on people and communities. But unlike other jobs, it’s not always clear what the outcome will be until you arrive. Entrepreneurship allows you to take significant steps, learn along the way, and build something little by little.
In the entrepreneurship course taught by Abby Williams, I learned how to develop an idea into a business. My business, “Bananabilingo,” a resource to reduce language barriers in the healthcare industry and improve communication with Spanish-speaking communities, was born thanks to this course.
I conducted market research, created a business plan, identified measures of success, identified target customers, calculated revenue and costs, etc. I met successful local entrepreneurs like Allison Watkins of Watkins Conti, who was kind enough to take the time to introduce me to her connections in the healthcare industry and share advice from her own experience building a startup.
I am grateful that our community has so many organizations like Stride Bank, Francis Tuttle, and others who want to support young entrepreneurs like me.
The seed funding I received from Stride will help me launch my business, build a prototype, begin manufacturing, and distribute Bananabilingo flash cards and booklets to local clinics, hospitals, and university programs.
Thanks to the generosity of Robinson Park and Gardner Tannenbaum, I have been given a seat at Convergence Development’s Venture Studio when it opens next year, which will give me the resources I need to realize my dream with office space, mentorship, and a strong community of fellow founders, experts, and potential investors to support me.
With your support, we hope to help Bananabilingo grow into the app healthcare professionals can rely on to improve communication with their patients.
I feel more prepared to enter the workforce than I ever imagined I would have been able to imagine just a year ago, and I have accepted an offer to attend the University of Central Oklahoma in the fall semester where I hope to earn a business degree while continuing to grow Bananabilingo as an entrepreneur.
I went into the entrepreneurship program without any expectations, but this program has brought about many positive changes in my life. More than anything, this program has helped me grow and given me the courage to take the plunge even when I’m scared. No matter where I go in life, I will continue to try new things. Entrepreneurship has taught me how to take the plunge without fear, and I intend to continue doing that.
Fernanda Rojo Arteaga, a senior at Edmond North High School, won first place at Future Founders Pitch Night held at the Francis Tuttle Technology Center.
