2024 Fellow Focus: Melinh Rozen + Euki
Co-creating accessible digital health tools for people and communities facing barriers to sexual and reproductive healthcare
2024 Fellow Melinh Rozen, Founder of Euki shares more about her journey as a social impact entrepreneur.
What life experiences propelled you into the entrepreneurial space and made you decide to be your own boss?
Ultimately, as a nonprofit leader I still have "bosses": the constituents we serve and our mission. My commitment to our mission of co-creating accessible, private, and secure digital health tools with and for people and communities facing barriers to sexual and reproductive healthcare comes from both my lived experience as a member of those communities and my professional experiences having worked for many years in tech. Over time it has become clear that the tech industry broadly doesn't center the needs of marginalized communities and in many cases tech tools compound existing inequities in our society.
What do you enjoy most about being a founder?
I love that whatever I put in to the work, I know my community will benefit - but I myself also benefit from learning new things and meeting new people almost every single day.
What do you wish someone had told you before you started your entrepreneurial journey?
That you shouldn't have to force yourself or your venture fit into any particular box that doesn't seem authentic to you or the mission. Be open and receptive to feedback, but be discerning. Especially in the early days, the right people will get it and will support both you and the venture to grow in a way that is true to your strengths and values as well as the venture's.
Tell us about an experience you had as an entrepreneur or in starting your company that exemplified one of Camelback's core values: "Belief in Mission + Vision"; "Unafraid of Failure"; "Constant Learner"; "Humble + Hungry"; and "Give First."
Constant Learner: Although I have lived and volunteer experience in sexual and reproductive health - I am a newcomer to being a professional within the repro movement and I am by no means a subject matter expert on the Health side of things. I am so lucky to have a co-founder and founding board members who are deep in this work and subject matter experts each in their own right - I find that I am constantly learning new things from each of them and not to mention from our movement partners.
Let's talk about your legacy. What is your vision for the kind of world you hope to create through your venture?
Ultimately, we envision a world where everyone has secure and private access to the information and tools that empower them to live healthy, safe, and pleasurable lives free from sexual, reproductive, and gender based repression and stigma.
What's your favorite book or podcast that you draw entrepreneurial inspiration from?
Though not specifically about entrepreneurship (at all), I often come back to the teachings of the late Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk (Thay) Thich Nhat Hanh. Thay's ("teacher" in Vietnamese) works, particularly "Zen and the Art of Changing the World" help me stay grounded in my sense of purpose and connection; his teachings on mindfulness help me show up the way I need to for my co-founders, teammates, partners and the communities we serve.
We know balancing the demands of entrepreneurship and life can be challenging. What are some of your favorite ways to prioritize your self-care?
Spending time with my dog or in nature, or, best of all, spending time with my dog in nature.
Shoutouts to my team…
I have to again shout out my co-founder Ana Maria Ramirez and our small but mighty team. Having the right co-founder and team that bring complementary skills, that are equally invested in the mission, and that you enjoy working with makes a huge difference in the early stages of starting a venture.
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