Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My sister is the reason aegis exists. She suffered from seizures and woke up from one being sexually assaulted, unable to speak, unable to call for help. That moment became my mission. I'm also deeply inspired by Emma Grede, a Black woman who built billion-dollar companies from purpose, not privilege, she is a badass, and Jamie Siminoff, who modernized the doorbell when everyone laughed. He proved safety could be reimagined.

How do you stay motivated?

I think about my sister and know I can't stop. But I also think about the woman who told me she'd finally feel safe running again with aegis after she was attacked on a trail. And the person who said they'd stop dreading the parking garage at night after a long day of work. Real people. Real moments. That's what keeps me going. We aren't building a product chasing a trend, we're building infrastructure that should have existed years ago. That urgency doesn't go away. It compounds.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Safety shouldn't be a luxury, it should be infrastructure. This funding goes toward getting aegis into the hands of people who need it most. Activating college campuses so parents can protect their children when they can't be there. Launching Safety-as-a-Benefit so employers invest in their people beyond the workplace. Amplifying real stories that move people to act. aegis grows when people feel safer, and that's exactly what this money builds toward. No one should go through what my sister did.