By: Soraya Darabi

It’s a great time to be a female entrepreneur, as we are surrounded by so much support. In the industries in which we find ourselves most networked, there are a bevy of groups for women (Women in America, The World Economic Forum’s YGL Women’s Network and The Li.st, among others.).

In comparison, when my mother was a young PhD candidate getting her start in the field of public health at New York City-based Columbia University (and academia in general), there were fewer formal networking groups for her to join to help her on her path.

I feel very fortunate to have been raised by a proud feminist in an era where women are encouraged to pursue their professional dreams. My mother was always the first to encourage me to be ambitious, studious, thoughtful and curious.

There have, of course, been challenges. As millennial female entrepreneurs, we’ve certainly encountered bias, so we work doubly hard to demonstrate how deeply we understand the landscape we work in.

During challenging times, my mother’s best advice always kicks in.  I remember these tips in particular:

“You cannot worry about what you cannot control or change, and you will feel better in the morning.” Predictable, classic mom advice, but somehow it holds true to just about any upsetting situation. As a co-CEO, if I allowed myself to become anxious about everything in our business that I can’t control, I would go insane. And if I don’t get at least seven hours of sleep each night, I will inevitably be less productive and happy. So I release control. And make sure to get plenty of sleep.

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