Q&A with Jessica Olson of Life with Extra Heart

Take a moment to meet Jessica Olson, prior CO.STARTERS graduate and current participant of our first incubator program!

Q: Share a bit about your business and who your target customers are! 

A: Life with Extra Heart is inspired by the unique way parents of children with special needs navigate the world, wearing their hearts on their sleeves and fostering deep connections.

Multiple studies have shown that parents of children with special needs experience greatly Increased stress levels, and Life with Extra Heart Is here to support them In meaningful ways.

Future offerings:

• Holistic retreats, Including activities such as yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture, nature, education

• Postpartum support for parents with a new diagnosis

• Opportunities for parents/caregivers to pursue their own passions

• Monthly parent group

• Respite care

Our first mini-retreat is planned for May 11th!

Register here: https://lifewithextraheart.myflodesk.com/cwrkpxict7

Visit @lifewithextraheart on instagram or email jessica@lifewithextraheart.com

Q: What do you hope to get out of the incubator program? 

A: I hope to continue to dedicate time to launching other pieces of Life with Extra Heart, and to continue to learn from entrepreneurs before me.

Q: What is your motivation and inspiration for pursuing your business idea? 

A: I’ve always been drawn to helping parents, and when my youngest was born with Down syndrome, I knew this would be part of how I wanted to help. With an educational background in mental wellness and as a yoga instructor, I am passionate using my knowledge to help others care for themselves and connect with each other in authentic and sustainable ways.

I want to provide holistic wellness support to parents and caregivers of people with special needs and complex medical needs. We help parents discover and address “root cause” areas instead of bandaid solutions, and have resources to take care of themselves in healthy ways.

Q: Share a little bit about yourself, your background, and your hobbies and interests!

A: I live in Rochester with my husband, Ryan, and our three sons and dog.  I’ve worked in a variety of fields, most recently as a school counselor and yoga teacher.  I’m currently home with my two youngest boys.  

I am currently on a path of more intentional and meaningful living and enjoy music, being outdoors, and connecting with others.

Q: How has being involved in Collider programming and CO.STARTERS been of assistance to you so far in your business journey? 

A: CO.STARTERS opened my eyes to what was actually needed to start a successful business.  It gave me support and accountability, and I’ve also met some amazing people!  I am looking forward to continuing to grow with the incubator program and am grateful for the opportunity.

Q&A with David Razidlo of Game Haven

Take a moment to meet David Razidlo, a graduate of our very first CO.STARTERS cohort in 2022, volunteer and co-facilitator for following CO.STARTERS cohorts, and current participant of our first incubator program!

Q: Share a bit about your business and who your target customers are!  

A: Game Haven is a web app dedicated to board gaming - helping people find new games they will like, people to play with, and board gaming events near them. More than that, our goal is to help people connect with their communities and create meaningful interactions. Our target customers are any people who find fun in playing games - from very casual, social gamers all the way to very serious board gaming groups - as well as businesses who host gaming events or sell games.

Q: What do you hope to learn from and get out of the incubator program? 

A: At each stage in the development of Game Haven, there have been new challenges and risks. Now that our web app is ready for adoption, we need support in how to launch, gain traction, market our product, and scale our reach. I am excited for the Incubator program for mentorship and guidance on this new phase of our startup, to help make connections with experts, and to build my professional network in Rochester. 

Q: How has being involved in Collider programming and CO.STARTERS been of assistance to you so far in your business journey? 

A: Collider programs including CO.STARTERS have been crucial for our business development. As a solo-preneur, it has been incredibly powerful to build a network of business professionals and connect with the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rochester. These programs have provided structured mentorship and access to experts in all aspects of building a startup, and have kept us on track with the essentials in starting a business. The feedback from other entrepreneurs has been so supportive and has been critical in helping my dream become a reality.

Q: What is your motivation for pursuing your business idea? 

A: Board games provide a way for people to connect in person - either with people they know or with complete strangers. Anyone can play games together, regardless of their backgrounds or even their languages. But it can be challenging to find people who like to play the same types of games, or find the places and dedicated times to play. The more I talk to people, the more I find that other people feel the same way. I wanted to help people make those connections and increase positive in-person interactions, and happiness* in the community. 

*As part of our Terms of Service, Game Haven claims 1% of all happiness generated by board games!

Q&A with Dinalynn Rosenbush of The Language of Play

Take a moment to meet Dinalynn Rosenbush, a graduate of our winter CO.STARTERS cohort and current participant of our first incubator program! 

Q: Tell us a bit about your business! 

A: I am growing a coaching/consulting practice for parents.  The focus is for parents to know how to help their children that have speech/language delays, build communication and listening skills.  I already have a good following through my podcast called The Language of Play.

Q: What do you hope to learn from CO.STARTERS and the Incubator Program? 

A: I have quite a few holes in my foundation in this business.  I don’t know /understand legal stuff, how to market, and have a plan for finding my clients. I am hoping these programs help me connect the dots!

Q: What is the  motivation behind pursuing your business idea? 

A: My motivation is very multifaceted! As a SLP (Speech-Language Pathologist) , I know that nation-wide there are more needs than SLPs available to meet the needs. This is an attempt to fill the gap using our greatest resource:  Parents!  I want to equip parents to help their children so that they can team with the SLP, and leave the only the hardest issues for the SLP by showing parents how to teach specific skills to their child, building confident, successful parents along the way! Also, after a debilitating illness, I decided that I want to change career and still use my skills.  This is my chosen path. I want to build a vision that has existed in me for many years.  I want to have an income that I determine, and I want to learn to leverage and multiply. 

Unleashing the Power of Design Thinking

So, you've got this awesome idea bubbling in your mind, right? Well, guess what? Design thinking can take your idea to the next level – and it's not as complicated as it sounds. Think of it as your secret ingredient for turning your idea into a real-life business.

Step 1: Understanding Your Future Customers

First things first, we need to get into the minds of the people who will be using your product or service. What's their day-to-day life like? Where do they hang out? What are their dreams and goals? This step is like putting on their shoes and walking a mile. The better we understand them, the better we can help them. Try creating a simple user persona to really get to know your future customers.

Step 2: Nailing Down the Problem You're Solving

Now that we know who we're helping, let's zoom in on the problem we're solving for them. It's like putting a spotlight on the exact thing that's bugging them. Maybe jot down a list of the challenges they face or the frustrations they encounter. Once we've got that crystal clear, we can brainstorm some solutions.

Step 3: Let's Get Creative – Brainstorm Time!

This is where the fun begins! Grab your favorite snacks and gather your friends or team. We're going to throw around as many ideas as we can – even the crazy ones! No idea is too wild at this stage. Try using brainstorming techniques like mind mapping or rapid ideation to get those creative juices flowing.

Step 4: Bring Your Ideas to Life with Prototypes

Now, let's turn those ideas into something real. It could be a simple drawing, a mock-up on your computer, or even a cardboard model – whatever helps you visualize your idea. This step is like building a mini version of your future product or service. Don't worry about making it perfect – the goal here is to get something tangible that you can test.

Step 5: Test, Test, Test – and Improve!

Time to see if your prototype flies or flops! Show it to your friends, family, or anyone willing to give you feedback. Watch how they interact with it and listen to what they have to say. Then, take their feedback and use it to make your idea even better. You might need to go back to the drawing board a few times, and that's okay – it's all part of the process!

Step 6: Share Your Awesome Solution

You've done it! Now that you’ve put in all that work, it's time to show off your amazing solution to the world. Share it with your team, potential investors, or anyone who needs a dose of your great idea. You’re on your way to starting a business or creating a product that can really succeed! Consider creating a pitch deck or presentation to showcase your idea in the best possible light.

So, there you have it – design thinking in a nutshell. It's all about understanding your customers, getting creative, and testing your ideas until they're the best they can be! 

Q&A with Collider Board Member Stefan Madansingh

At Collider Foundation, we are grateful to lean upon the expertise of our board, which is made up of individuals with valuable experience within the Rochester community. Take a moment to learn more about a recent addition to our board, Stefan Madansingh!

Q: What brought you to the Rochester area and what would you say keeps you around? 

A: My now-wife (then-partner) and I moved to Rochester in 2017 to pursue our post-doctoral research fellowships at Mayo Clinic. I’ve been at Mayo now for almost 7 years in a few different roles and – as cliché as it may sound – the uniqueness of Mayo Clinic and the interesting work that is being done in every corner of the institution is what has kept me here.

 Q: What do you do for work? 

A: I work at Mayo Clinic in the Department of Business Development, specifically supporting Mayo Clinic Ventures (MCV). MCV does a number of things within Mayo Clinic, but most notably acts as the technology transfer office for the institution. This means we are responsible for working with the many innovators across the Mayo Clinic enterprise to protect and commercialize their healthcare innovations. For MCV, I support faculty from the Department of Neurological Surgery across the three Mayo Clinic campuses and lead a Technology Development team focused on medical device and digital health solutions. What I do is help faculty to identify new areas for innovation, develop plans with them to advance their ideas and help them secure funding to bring their ideas to reality. It is our team’s ultimate goal to partner with outside organizations so that these healthcare innovations make it outside the walls of Mayo and help patients all over the world. In my free time, I lead Research and Development for Zibrio, a healthcare startup based out of Houston, Texas. At Zibrio, we are focused on predicting and managing fall risk with the goal of empowering older adults to live a safe and healthy life.

 Q: What drew you to Collider and sparked your interest in becoming a board member? 

A: I’ve had the pleasure of being in the orbit of the Collider ecosystem for a number of years now and was very excited to learn of an opportunity to support their board. In my previous role at Mayo Clinic, I led the Rochester branch of the Office of Entrepreneurship which is an education-focused initiative within Mayo Clinic to develop a culture of clinical innovation and entrepreneurship among the staff throughout the institution. We worked closely with Collider leadership around a number of events, including the Walleye Tank life-science startup pitch competition (in partnership with the University of Minnesota), which has its founding roots alongside Collider. I’ve also had the opportunity to host 1 Million Cups, which was started in Rochester by members of the Collider community. I’m very grateful to be able to work with the team at Collider again.  

 Q: How do you hope to impact the entrepreneurial community through your involvement with Collider? 

A: In my day-to-day, I typically focus on innovation and entrepreneurship solely at Mayo Clinic. By joining the Collider board, I hope to be able be a resource to innovators in the community and bring another unique perspective to founders who are beginning their journey.

 Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests? 

I have a tendency to become passionate about any challenge in front of me, which has led to a laundry list of hobbies and interests over the years. Most consistently though: I love to cook (eat) and travel. I’m also passionate about personal fitness and trying to live an active life … mostly to support the eating and traveling. Let me know if you have any restaurant suggestions!