🌱The Bad Good Girl™ | Being a leader shouldn’t cost you yourself | For high-performing women done with pleasing and proving | Nästa Perspeqtiv startar 24 april i Malmö

There are two ways to succeed as a leader: 
1. Keep holding it all together, pushing and proving. 
2. Lead yourself first, in a grounded and sustainable way. 

Most high-performing women end up in the first. 

Because that’s what brought you to where you are today. 

You're competent and trusted. Reliable and loyal. You lead, deliver and do what needs to be done - often without anyone needing to ask.

But inside, something’s starting to feel heavy. It’s the weight of always being good:

>Good at showing up.
>Good at staying calm and keep things smooth.
>Good at reading the room and managing feelings (everyone else’s).

But the way you’ve learned to succeed has started to cost you. 

Maybe you recognize these thoughts:
— Why does it feel like I’m giving everything, and still not feeling enough? 
— How do I keep delivering at this level without losing myself?
— Is there another way – and where do I even begin?

You think the problem is that you need more discipline and better productivity tools. But the problem is that you’ve stopped listening to yourself, and what you need. 

Now imagine this:
You lead yourself with the same compassion and commitment you bring to others. 
> You still deliver results, and have energy left after work. > You still support others, without losing yourself.
> You feel present, grounded and in charge of your own capacity.
> You have a career that works with your life – not against it. 

If you’re wondering how that shift happens, this is where we begin. This is what I do. 

I help high-achieving women strengthen self-leadership from the inside out – with boundaries, self-trust and practical tools for committed action. 

Whether you’re in my 1:1 coaching or in one of my programs, I help you see and unhook from the good girl patterns that are draining you. 

While you’ve been looking for solutions and approvals outside yourself, you’ve already had the answers within. 

I help you stop self-compromising and start listen and trust yourself, so you can lead with more presence and energy, and room to breathe again.  

With me, you get: 
🌱 A holistic approach combining coaching, self-leadership and neuroscience. 
🌱 A warm, steady partner who listens – and challenges you.
🌱 A certified ICF coach committed to your long-term capacity, not quick performance hacks.

If you’re tired of being the good girl holding it all together, and want a different way to lead yourself – and others – let’s talk. 

Send me a DM or email me at annika.mohlin@growu.se
Based in Sweden. Working globally.
Languages: Swedish & English

Annika Mohlin

Oh no.... I think I've broken one of LinkedIn's unwritten rules:

I've forgotten to announce a new certification😉

This is definetely something to celebrate:

🎉I've become a certified Process Communication Model® Trainer and Coach🎉

PCM®...?

It's a Leadership and Communication model that identifies people's communication styles, psychological needs and predictable stress behaviours. 

It helps leaders and team members build stronger relationships, communicate more effectively and, ultimately, collaborate better as a team. It’s based on observable behaviours that you learn to decode and then 'translate' into a sort of practical playbook.

Thank you Masha Ibeschitz and Marion Mihatsch for bringing me on as your Impact Partner for Think Beyond Group in Sweden 🙏🏼.

Thank you Jamie Remsberg for your wonderful support during the certification process, and also our other teachers 🙏🏼

And thanks Angela, Gia Helena, Oleg and Velia for being the best study buddies I could wish for 🙏🏼

I really look forward to using this to make a difference for current and future clients. If you're curious – let's talk!

* * * * *
📧 If you like my content, I also have a newsletter: 
https://lnkd.in/dxcXdtKb

Hur kommer det sig att vissa nästan skryter om att de

> bara sovit 5 timmar
> aldrig har tid att träna
> sitter uppe sent, sent och jobbar
> aldrig hinner äta lunch utan får ta något på språng?

Lite som att ju mer du offrar, desto mer engagerad, viktig eller till och med oersättlig är du.

Och du kanske inte är den som säger det högt. 
Men du hör det... känner normen... och anpassar dig lite. 

Stopp. Det finns ingenting att vara stolt över i att försumma sitt välbefinnande. 

(Påminner det inte lite om hur man skröt om att man rökte när man var yngre? Tyckte att man var cool, fast.. var man det egentligen...?)

Det är precis så här den lojala, ansvarstagande ledaren börjar sudda ut sig själv. 

Det finns inget varken strategiskt eller smart i att driva sig själv på underskott. Tvärtom, det är så sämre beslut, kortare stubin och snävare perspektiv smyger sig in. 

Jag vet att det kan vara svårt att välja annorlunda, särskilt i kulturer där det nästan förväntas för att man ska känna sig som en i gemenskapen (been there, done that). 

Men ändå: 
Att gå och lägga sig i tid, ta en riktig lunch och stänga ner på kvällen – det är inte brist på driv. Det är professionell självrespekt. 

Och dessutom, om du oroar dig för hur du levererar: 
Det höjer kvaliteten i det du gör. 

Men ännu viktigare är att det gör att du kan dyka upp som den ledare du vill vara. Det kan du inte om du går på tomgång.

Och utöver kvaliteten i ditt ledarskap kommer det med en stor bonus: energi kvar att göra mer av det du älskar att göra ❤️

Jag är nyfiken – 
var märker du att normen och kulturen drar i dig, även om du egentligen vet bättre? 

📸 Regelbundna besök i gymmet. Ett favoritsätt för mig att ta hand om mig och mitt välmående.

No alternative text description for this image

Jag var 32 när någon för första gången sa att jag skulle bränna ut mig om jag fortsatte så här.

Jag skrattade lite åt honom och tänkte: vad vet han egentligen? Uppenbarligen känner han inte mig.

Så driven och kapabel som jag är klarar jag ju allt. Dessutom är jag grym på att strukturera, och effektiv som få. Vad är problemet?

⏩Fast forward 18 år.

Sen satt jag hos en psykolog som tittade allvarligt på mig och sa:
”Annika, du är med på att du har bränt ut dig?”

Det tog ett tag för det att sjunka in. 
Hur var det möjligt? 
Det är ju de klena som bränner ut sig, tänkte jag. 

🙈 Så fel jag hade. 

Idag vet jag att det är de drivna, ambitiösa, lojala och hjälpsamma som löper störst risk. De duktiga flickorna som alltid hittar ett sätt att få saker att fungera.

Och det kommer inte som en blixt från klar himmel. Det byggs upp av alla små, dagliga beslut som var för sig känns rimliga, och kommer ur viljan att göra ett bra jobb.

Det pratas ofta om signaler. 

Jag ignorerade dem, för jag förstod dem inte. Och jag fortsatte le lite överseende åt människor som ibland sa:
”Du kanske borde ta det lugnare.”

Jag? Alltså nej. Verkligen inte.

🙈 Så fel jag hade (igen). 

I efterhand har jag förstått att det inte var min ambition, kompetens eller förmåga det var fel på. Det var hur jag relaterade till ansvar, förväntningar och mina egna behov. 

Känner du igen dig? 

Beyond Good är för dig som vill fortsätta vara driven och kapabel, men utan att betala med din energi och välmående. 

✍🏼 Anmälan är öppen denna veckan. Vi börjar på tisdag. 
👀 Läs mer på min profil eller här: 
https://lnkd.in/dknmt_ht

”I’ve forgotten what I enjoy in life.”
That’s what one of the women shared last week when we kicked off Beyond Good. 

She sighed saying it, but there it was. The eyes around the room said that she wasn't alone.

Another said she’d spent years stepping in and setting the stage for others:

She was the one booking the meetings, writing the agendas, taking the notes. All the praise she got for it made it hard to stop.

A third talked about how the thought of stepping back felt like a small identity crisis: 

"Who am I if I'm not the one taking responsibility?"

What struck me is that the thing each of them thought was their struggle alone – it wasn't. Everyone sat with it. 

These are sharp, trusted, competent women. 

Over six weeks, we work on doing less: 

Less pleasing, less proving and less over-functioning (classic good girl behaviours) – so they can remain the high-performers they are, and also enjoy the life they’ve built.

Feeling well and performing well aren't opposites. 

On the contrary, the women who figure this out don't just feel better. They show up differently, and lead differently – both themselves and others.

The good girl strategies that got you here worked for a long time. At some point they just started costing more than they gave back.

✍🏼 When did you last stop to ask whether it's still worth it?

💌 If this resonates, read more in The Bad Good Girl Newsletter. Subscribe here: 
https://lnkd.in/dxcXdtKb

Visst är det lite störigt när någon säger "Vad var det jag sa?"
Den känslan fick jag förra veckan.

På ett bra sätt. 

Jag läste en studie från Jönköping University om att ledarskap utvecklas bäst i vardagen – inte i klassrum eller på kurs. 

Det är när lärandet anpassas till den egna verksamheten som det faktiskt fastnar. När man reflekterar kring det som händer, tar in nya perspektiv och tränar på riktiga situationer.

Det fick mig att tänka på David A. Kolb. 
"Vad var det han sa?"

Det är hans modell för erfarenhetsbaserat lärande som ligger till grund för Perspeqtiv. 

En cykel där erfarenhet följs av reflektion, som ger nya insikter och därefter ett nytt sätt att göra. Vilket ger nya erfarenheter... o s v. 

Därför arbetar vi med tre parallella spår i programmet:
→ Samtalen i rummet – reflektion och nya perspektiv tillsammans med gruppen. 
→ Arbetet mellan träffarna – där nya sätt att leda testas i den egna verksamheten. 
→ Individuell coachning – som fördjupar lärandet och självkännedomen.

När gruppen möts nästa gång har de med sig nya erfarenheter. Situationen från förra månaden har fått en fortsättning. Någon testade ett annat sätt att hålla ett svårt samtal. En annan började ställa fler nyfikna frågor i sitt team.

Program + vardag = sant ❤️

Precis som han sa 😉

💬 När sa du senast "Vad var det jag sa?" Eller när hörde du det senast? 

✍🏼 Blir du nyfiken på Perspeqtiv, så fyll i en helt obindande intresseanmälan – så hör vi av oss för ett snack: 
https://lnkd.in/e647B_JC

For many years I pushed myself to the edge trying to do everything and be everything. 

Looking back, I could've used this carousel as a checklist. 

Want to become your worst self? 

➡️ Start here. 

None of it will feel very dramatic at first. That's the trick. But the effect will compound.

Small, daily decisions driven by the will to do a good job, to be professional and not disappoint. 

Apply these consistently and you'll get there: 
Tired, irritable, disconnected and wondering where the real you went... 

That's how it happened for me.

If you recognize yourself a little too easily as you flip through this, we should talk.

Sustainable leadership requires a different relationship to responsibility, expectations and your own needs.

That's the work we do inside Beyond Good. It's a 6-week program for women in demanding roles who want to keep their ambition – and feel alive in it. 

✍🏼 Registration opens today. 
🔗 Link to more info in the comments and here: 
https://lnkd.in/dknmt_ht

12 ways for good girls to dilute themselves and their leadership

Du behöver inte vara på väg in i väggen för att detta ska vara relevant.

Beyond Good är för kvinnor som är bra på det de gör: ambitiösa, drivna, ansvarsfulla och leveranssäkra. Och som vill fortsätta vara det. 

Men kanske du:
> Tar ansvar för saker som inte är dina.
> Anpassar dig efter andras förväntningar istället för din egen kapacitet.
> Har svårt att landa i “good enough” när du vet att du kan mer.
> Dubbelkollar sånt som andra hade släppt för längesen.
> Är den som ser till att det är god stämning och alla mår bra. 
> Får dåligt samvete om du tar det lugnt när du vet att andra jobbar.
> Känner att du ligger som ett steg efter dig själv – fast allt flyter på så fint. 

Utåt fungerar allt.

Inuti känns det som att du står i ständig givakt för att svara, rycka in eller bara lösa något 'lite snabbt'. Du tänker inte på det, för du har så mycket att du inte hinner känna efter, men du är alltid påkopplad. Det har blivit ditt default-läge. 

Kanske tänker du att sakta ner innebär att du måste dra ner på dina ambitioner – och det vill du inte. 

Det behöver du inte heller. 

Du kan lära dig ett självledarskap som gör att du både mår bra och presterar bra, i längden (i själva verket är det ena en förutsättning för det andra). 

Beyond Good är ett 6-veckors program för precis det. 

Anmälan är öppen fram till fredag kväll. 
Läs mer och anmäl dig här: 
https://lnkd.in/dknmt_ht

För två år sedan pratade jag med en kvinnlig ledare som kände att något i hennes liv inte längre stämde. Inget var akut fel, men hon ville göra en förändring. Det skulle bara lugna ner sig lite först. 

När vi hördes igen nyligen såg det mesta likadant ut.
Hon väntar fortfarande på att det skulle lugna ner sig. Hon har inte kommit till skott.

Nu är vi snart förbi februari (helt otroligt). Januari är som alltid fylld av goda intentioner. Sen kommer februari och livet...fortsätter.

Det här händer så lätt, kanske särskilt för oss som är vana att ta mycket ansvar och tänka på andra. Vi skjuter upp oss själva utan att tänka på det. Vi bara löser och levererar i vanlig ordning.

Och tiden går. Ibland två år.

Det är såklart inget fel om du inte kommit så långt som du tänkte med dina intentioner för 2026. Men att ha medkänsla med sig själv behöver inte betyda att stå helt still 💛

Jag skriver mer om det här i dagens nyhetsbrev, och ger ett par tips på hur du kan tänka. 

Och nästa vecka kommer något för kvinnor i krävande roller som är trötta på att kompromissa med sig själva, och vill leda sig själv med samma medkänsla och tydlighet som de leder andra. 

Blir du nyfiken så titta bland kommentarerna eller här:
https://lnkd.in/dNGbMbjR

I'm still struggling with the fact that February is over tomorrow. How about you? January is loud with intention. February is where reality clears its

Open article: When good intentions meet real life (and then what to do next) by Annika Mohlin • 3 min read

When good intentions meet real life (and then what to do next)

Vi tror ofta det är våra svagheter som ställer till det som ledare. Lika ofta är det våra styrkor — som för en av deltagarna i Perspeqtiv. 

Hon driver egen butik och leder ett ungt team.

Hennes styrkor var också hennes fallgropar: 

Flexibel och inlyssnande 
> hon anpassade scheman och såg till att alla hade det bra.

Ansvarstagande 
> för verksamheten förstås, och minst lika mycket för allas känslor.

Driven och lösningsorienterad
> hon klev ofta in själv för att få allt att fungera.

Baksidan av hennes sätt att leda var att hon ofta jobbade mer själv, la mycket tid på pusslande och fick mindre och mindre energi över till sig själv. 

Samtidigt hade hon en tydlig ambition att expandera sin verksamhet. Men hennes tid och ork räckte inte till.

Genom samtalen och arbetet i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv började hon se både sig själv och sitt ledarskap klarare. 

Hon beskrev det så här:
– Hon tar inte längre ansvar för andras känslor
– Hon lägger mindre energi på sådant som inte spelar roll
– Hon är tydligare med vad som gäller
– Hon har slutat trycka ner sig själv

En viktig förflyttning handlade om identitet: från att vara "hönsmamma" till sin unga personal, till att vara chefen som möter dem i ögonhöjd. 

Men kanske var den viktigaste insikten denna: 
"Jag behöver fokusera på mitt mående. Har jag inte det faller allt annat." 

Där har vi den – kärnan i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv.
Ett ledarskap som börjar inifrån, med att leda sig själv först. 

Så att du mår bra, håller, och kan leda så som du vill leda. 
Och inte minst: har ork och kraft till mer. 

Tusen tack K för att du varit med och stort lycka till med din nya verksamhet. Den kommer bli smashing! ✨

🔭 Nästa grupp i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv startar i april. 
📧 Nyfiken? Hör av dig! 
✍🏼 Eller gör en helt obindande intresseanmälan:

https://lnkd.in/dg5GNT2N

Wife & Mother of 7 | Venture Capital | Scientist | TOP 30 Patent Drafters | United States Patent Examiner | Violinist | Polyglot | STEM Children's Author | #1 LinkedIn Global Influencer in Innovation/IP Law

Kathryn Vatt is a scientist, former USPTO Examiner, and devoted wife and mother of seven, with over 25 years shaping the future of innovation. Recognized as one of the Top 30 Patent Drafters and Prosecutors and the #1 LinkedIn Global Influencer in Innovation/IP Law, Kathryn has built a career at the intersection of science, law, and business—helping inventors, startups, and global companies turn creativity into competitive advantage.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.S. Biology) and Johns Hopkins University (M.S. Biotechnology), Kathryn is currently pursuing her Juris Doctor in Patent Law at the Franklin Pierce School of Law, one of the world’s leading IP programs. Her rare cross-disciplinary background gives her both the scientific insight and the legal strategy to protect ideas at the highest level.

At the USPTO, Kathryn examined thousands of patent applications, conducted exhaustive prior art searches, and made determinations that shaped industries and influenced global innovation. After leaving the Patent Office, she founded Vatt IP Management, where she develops bulletproof IP strategies, drafts airtight applications, and supports litigation teams in defending patents. She also mentors engineering and life science students through Arizona State University’s Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute and judges international startup competitions, nurturing the next generation of innovators.

Her entrepreneurial vision extends to her ventures:

My Startup Shield™, a founder-focused program that helps startups secure their innovations before they pitch. It protects ideas at the earliest, most vulnerable stage and positions founders to raise capital with confidence

My AI Examiner™, the world’s first proprietary patent search platform that combines examiner-trained AI Patent Examiners with Kathryn’s own human review. Unlike conventional tools, it doesn’t just search faster—it “thinks like an examiner,” offering inventors and startups clarity, precision, and strategy.

MyKidVentors™, a STEM-inspired children’s book series born from her seven children’s real “What if?” questions. Through these imaginative stories, she nurtures curiosity in the next generation, showing that every big invention begins with a single question.

For Kathryn, the same motherly instinct that guides her family fuels her professional mission: to protect, guide, and nurture startups with care, strategy, foresight, and integrity. She believes innovation doesn’t just start in labs or boardrooms—it starts in the curious minds of those brave enough to ask, “What if?”

Kathryn V.

OREOS FOR MOTHER’S DAY

At a small neighborhood shop, a man quietly changes lives.

He gives free food to kids who show him their grades...a reward not just for doing well in school, but for trying, for caring, for showing up.

In this video, one young boy steps up to the counter, offered the chance to choose anything he wants.

Today, he picks milk, bread, eggs...and cookies for Mother’s Day.
And the shop owner...touched by that choice...adds a bouquet of flowers for him to bring home.

Neither of them realizes that what just happened will be remembered for years.
Because kindness like that doesn’t end at the counter...it multiplies.

Every act of generosity plants a seed:
A child whose confidence blooms.
A parent who feels seen and loved.
A community reminded that humanity still shines bright.

So here’s to the everyday heroes: the ones who lift others quietly, who give without expecting anything in return.

You may never see the full impact of your kindness...but someone’s world is brighter because of you. 💛

BE A WING-GIVER

We don’t give people wings by fixing them.
We give them wings by believing in them.

By noticing their joy.
By saying yes when it would be easier to rush past.
By cheering softly, without conditions or expectations.
By helping when asked...and sometimes before the words are even spoken.

We give people wings by creating spaces
where they feel safe to shine,
safe to try,
safe to be exactly who they are.

Every one of us has this power.
To lift a child.
To encourage a friend.
To affirm a colleague.
To remind a stranger that they matter.

And there is nothing more beautiful
than knowing you played a small, quiet part
in someone seeing themselves
with a little more love,
a little more confidence,
a little more light.

May we all be wing-givers today, and every day. 💛

Three founders will leave my Arizona Tech Week event patent-pending!!

We’re getting closer…

My Patent Pending Party™ at Arizona Tech Week (April 6–12) is coming up, and I’ve already had the chance to speak with some truly impressive founders. 

I’ve even started getting requests to bring the party to other cities, including Miami, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, London, and Honolulu 😊 

We’ll be hosting:
• A founder panel featuring raw, honest conversations about the entrepreneurial journey: the highs, the lows, the mistakes, and what founders would do differently knowing what they know now.

• An “Ask the Examiner” AMA session,  where you'll get to ask questions about patents, intellectual property strategy, and how the system actually works from an investor who spent fifteen years inside the U.S. Patent Office deciding which innovations got approved and which ones didn't. 

• A live patent hackathon, where three pre-selected founders will leave the party officially patent-pending. On me.

We’ll also have investors in the room, and we’ll end the evening with time for networking with founders, investors, and builders from across the ecosystem.

If you want a chance to be one of those three founders, there is still time to apply.

There is only one Saturday left this month, and I’m using it to hold short 15-minute pitch sessions on Hubble.                                

The pitch session itself is the application process.

You get 15 minutes:
• 5 minutes to pitch what you’re building.
• 10 minutes for me to ask questions the way an investor with an IP strategist lens would.

From those conversations, I’ll select three founders to be invited to my Patent Pending Party™ during Arizona Tech Week.

And don’t worry...you don’t have to live in Arizona to apply.

If you’re selected, we’ll simply Zoom you in.

If you aren’t selected as one of the three, don’t worry.

You’ll either receive feedback on your pitch, or I may connect you with someone from my network of angels and VCs.

And you’re always welcome to come back and pitch again for the next party.

Ideas are everywhere.

Protected ideas are much more valuable.

If you want to pitch yours, you can book a slot here:
https://lnkd.in/g_jESdm3

Slots are limited.

Event details and RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gdZMJHB7


A special and heartfelt thank you to our sponsors Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University, Stearns Bank N.A., Orbit Capital, and 5 to 9 Society for helping bring the Patent Pending Party™ to life.🥳 

P.S.- If you’re a founder looking for real guidance and a community of experts who genuinely care about sharing their lived experience, I highly recommend checking out Hubble. It’s an incredible community where the support is real and the insights are invaluable. Built by founders, for founders. Kevin Jurovich Timo Gehrke

Open article: RSVP to A Patent-Pending Party #AZTechWeek | Partiful by partiful.com

RSVP to A Patent-Pending Party #AZTechWeek | Partiful

People often ask me how I manage it all.

A big family…
all the beauty and chaos that comes with it…
a career that stretches me in ways I never expected…
the constant pull in a hundred directions.

And I always smile a little when I hear that question.

Because the truth is...
what looks like “managing it all”
is really just having the right person beside me.

There’s a quiet strength behind everything I do.
A steady presence.
A kind of support that doesn’t ask to be seen,
but makes everything else possible.

It’s the reason I can show up the way I do.
For my parents.
For our children.
For the people I love.
For the work I care so deeply about.

The world may see what I do…
but I know it all starts with him.

My husband.

My partner.
My anchor.
My constant.
And my biggest cheerleader of all time.

I can do what I do because of him.

We were married at the start of spring,
the Persian New Year…
a season of renewal, of growth, of beginning again.

And in so many ways, that’s what our life together has been.

Not perfect.
Not always easy.
But always growing.

Always choosing each other.
Always beginning again.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life.
1000 years, 1000 more, and counting 💓

I’m honored to be returning for the second year in a row as a judge for Pitch the Pros® on April 10th in Greenville, SC.

As a former United States Patent Examiner I have spent more than 25 years helping founders and inventors protect what they build.

And I have seen how often founders focus on perfecting the pitch, raising capital, and gaining traction...only to think about protection later while losing ownership rights in the process. 

That is why this year, I am proud to personally offer a Protection Prize to the Top 3 presenters through moatly™.

Each of the top founders will receive dedicated intellectual property strategy support to help ensure what they are creating is properly protected. Not just celebrated. Not just visible. Protected.

Pitch the Pros® brings together a select group of founders, investors, and industry experts in an intentional setting. 

Ten founders will pitch live. The top three will also be invited to a private VIP evening featuring a Fireside Chat and networking experience with Daymond John of Shark Tank, along with dinner and live entertainment.

If you are building something meaningful and ready to step forward, I would love to see you there.

You can learn more here:
https://lnkd.in/eZyx78ge
Christopher Guerrera LSSMBB The Modern Inventor

Looking forward to supporting the founders who take the stage and helping them protect what they have worked so hard to create.

18 days...and counting...

I’m excited to share that Candace Pless, Founder & CEO of MTology Innovations, will be joining the Founder Panel at my Patent Pending Party™ during Arizona Tech Week.

Candace is building a medtech startup developing novel technology aimed at addressing one of the most significant unmet needs in global male reproductive health.

She has led MTology from early concept through intellectual property development, securing an issued U.S. patent with patents pending in 22 additional countries as the company advances toward regulatory strategy and commercialization.

Her work has earned recognition through programs including:
• NIH DEBUT Venture Prize
• VentureWell E-Teams Phase I & II
• NSF I-Corps
• Mayo Clinic & ASU Scorpion Tank
• ASU Lab to Launch eSeed Challenge
• ASU Venture Devils MedTech Venture

Candace holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and an MBA from Arizona State University, and is currently completing an M.S. in Industrial Engineering.

She represents a new generation of founders navigating the convergence of engineering innovation, intellectual property strategy, and the long journey of bringing breakthrough healthcare technologies to market.

Looking forward to a real conversation about what it actually takes to build a deep-tech company: the wins, the setbacks, and the lessons learned along the way.

A special and heartfelt thank you to our sponsors Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University, Stearns Bank N.A., Orbit Capital, and 5 to 9 Society for helping bring the Patent Pending Party™ to life.🥳 

RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gdZMJHB7

P.S.- If you’re a founder looking for real guidance and a community of experts who genuinely care about sharing their lived experience, I highly recommend checking out Hubble. It’s an incredible community where the support is real and the insights are invaluable. Built by founders, for founders. Kevin Jurovich Timo Gehrke

More than a thousand years ago, an army approached the gates of a Persian fortress.

Warriors gathered. Fear spread through the walls.

And then something unexpected happened.

A young woman rode out to meet them.

Her name was Gordafarid.

In the great Persian epic Shahnameh, written by poet Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi, Gordafarid sees her homeland under threat. 

Warriors gather. 
Fear spreads through the fortress.
So she does something no one expected.

She fastens her armor.
Mounts her horse.
And rides into the battlefield herself.

Even her enemies were astonished. They had never seen such bravery from someone so young.

But Gordafarid was not written as a fragile figure or a symbol of tragedy. 

Ferdowsi portrayed her as a strategist as well as a warrior. When she realized she could not defeat her opponent by strength alone, she relied on her wit, delaying the enemy long enough to protect her people.

For many Iranians, Gordafarid has become a symbol of something timeless:
the courage of women.

Today, on International Women’s Day, I find myself thinking about that courage. 

Not just in ancient stories, but in the lives of women all around us.

Women who stand up.
Women who speak out.
Women who lead.
Women who lift others even when the path is difficult.

Because women have always done this.

One woman opens a door.
Another holds it open.
Another widens the path so others can walk through it.

We all rise when we lift each other.

Today I want to honor women everywhere.

And I want to dedicate this day especially to the women of Iran whose courage continues to inspire the world.

Your courage has reminded the world that the strength of women is one of the most powerful forces on earth.

Across centuries, from Gordafarid’s battlefield to the voices we hear today, one truth remains:

The courage of women cannot be extinguished.

Happy International Women's Day to all of the amazing women in the world 💐

DOLPHINS IN THE DESERT 🐬🌵

Today is the day, Arizona!!

I am so excited to be serving as a panelist and workshop speaker for Dolphin Tank with Springboard Enterprises.

For more than two decades, Springboard has been accelerating women-led, high growth companies with an extraordinary track record:

850+ portfolio companies
$36.4B+ in value created
225+ exits
26 IPOs

And today, Dolphin Tank is happening at Grand Canyon University.

This is not your average pitch event.
It is a true launchpad. Women founders receive real time, thoughtful feedback from investors and operators who genuinely care about growth, strategy, and long term success.

I am honored to join an incredible panel and lead a special session during the Founder Workshop from 3-5 PM focused on protecting what you are building before you pitch, scale, or raise.

Joining me on the panel:
• Mitzi Krockover, MD, CEO, Founder, Investor at WomanCentered and Women’s Health Council Member at Springboard Enterprises
• Azin Radsan van Alebeek, Co founder and General Partner at Emmeline Ventures
• Rory Bidinger, Community Development Officer at Stearns Bank N.A.

If you are a founder, investor, operator, or supporter of women entrepreneurs, this is where you should be.

And Arizona…it is not too late.
🔗 Dolphin Tank RSVP: https://lnkd.in/eQDSywgq

🦾 Founder Workshop (3 to 5 PM): https://lnkd.in/ei4XZGSW

Come support the founders who are bravely stepping forward to pitch what they are building.

There is something powerful about watching vision meet opportunity in real time.

Proud to support this right here in Arizona. 🌵🐬

There is something defining about walking into a room and realizing you may be the only woman there and deciding that you belong anyway.

I have felt that in government spaces. In investor meetings. In high level technical discussions. In rooms where expertise is tested before it is trusted.

What I have learned is this. Leadership is not about blending in. It is about standing grounded in who you are, even when the room was not designed with you in mind.

My path began internationally, where at 21 I cofounded a company in Pakistan and learned firsthand that leadership is rarely about position and always about responsibility, requiring conviction, cultural awareness, and resilience. I later served as a United States Patent Examiner, and went on to found and lead my own firm, invest in innovation, mentor founders, and raise seven children. 

Each chapter has shaped how I understand leadership, not as authority, but as stewardship.

As Women’s History Month begins, I am honored to join a panel at The New York Public Library on March 4th for a conversation on growth and leadership alongside remarkable women whose journeys are equally layered and powerful.

We will be speaking candidly about what it truly takes to build influence, the pivots, the pressure, the persistence, and the quiet strength behind the scenes that rarely gets highlighted.

If you are building something, a company, a career, a life, while trying to remain fully yourself, this conversation is for you.

Grateful to James Corry for creating space for this meaningful dialogue and for bringing together such an inspiring group of women. I look forward to sitting alongside Christina Mitine, Laura Kavanagh, Olga Alcaraz, and Rechelle Balanzat for this important conversation.

👉🏼 Join us this Wednesday: https://lnkd.in/gtz_23Eu

Sr. GTM Leader at AWS | Head of GTM at Women in AI | Agentic AI Strategy & Digital Transformation | Industry Speaker

I know what it feels like to be the only woman in the room. If you’ve ever navigated climbing the leadership ladder while authentically showing up, this conversation is for you.

As Women’s History Month begins, I’m honored to be a panelist for “Five Powerful Women: Their Journeys of Growth and Leadership” on March 4th hosted by The New York Public Library.   

I’m joining four resilient women to share our career journeys and dive into the real grit required to build influence in both the corporate and government sectors.

Huge thank you to James Corry for hosting this important conversation! See you soon, Kathryn V., Laura Kavanagh, Olga Alcaraz, Rechelle Balanzat. 

👉🏼 Join us this Wednesday: https://lnkd.in/gtz_23Eu

#WHM2026 #WomensHistoryMonth #LeadingTheChange #IWD2026 #GiveToGain #WomenInTech #NYPL #Leadership

Open article: Five Powerful Women: Their Journeys of Growth and Leadership by nypl.org

Five Powerful Women: Their Journeys of Growth and Leadership

I was one of the lucky ones who got to sit in a room and witness Mick Hunt’s genius in real time.

But what struck me most is that his intelligence, as extraordinary as it is, actually pales in comparison to his kindness, empathy, and genuine care for the people around him.

He has a rare presence. 
The kind that immediately shifts the energy in a room.
A genuine gift.

If you ever have the chance to hear him speak or simply spend time in his presence, take it. You’ll understand exactly what I mean.

I build leaders who own the room when the pressure is highest. The Voice of Modern Leadership.

The room decides before you finish your second sentence.
Most leaders don't know that.

Research shows that in any high-stakes room: a boardroom, an investor pitch, a crisis call... people form a trust verdict in 7 seconds.

Not 7 minutes. Seven seconds.

And the entire time you're reciting your job title, the room has already moved on.

Here's what nobody teaches you: every room you walk into is silently running 4 questions. Fast. Unconsciously. Before you know it's happening.

I call them The Four Zones of Curiosity.

Zone 1: Identity. Not your title. Your truth. Who are you when the stakes are real and the room is watching? Lead with that.
Zone 2: Authority. What problem do you OWN? Not manage. Not oversee. Fix. The brain is a prediction machine. Give it something specific or it moves on.
Zone 3: Stakes. What happens if the problem goes ignored? Humans process loss at twice the weight of gain. Name the cost calmly, specifically, and the room cannot look away.
Zone 4: Credibility. Why you? Not credentials. Earned experience. A 60-second scar story builds more trust than a five-minute resume. Every time.

Four zones. Four questions. Answer them with clarity and conviction and you don't introduce yourself.

You lead.

Most leaders lose the room not because of what they say. Because of what they skip.

Which zone are you skipping?
Drop it below. I'll tell you how to fix it.

Jamie Heldt Karl Sherrill Anthony Randall, DMin, ICF PCC Kathryn V. Jason Feifer Tom Larsen Robert Irvine Brian Langerman

The Four Zones of Curiosity

Building something from nothing...believing in it before anyone else does… carrying it on the days when it feels heavy...that’s not easy.

And yet, this is the path.

Good things take time.

It doesn’t take everyone believing...just a few. 
Sometimes just one. 
Sometimes just you.

So keep going.

Keep talking about what lights you up.
Keep showing up for the thing that won’t leave your heart alone.

Because the right people will find you. 
And when they do...everything changes.

Kevin Jurovich, thank you so much for this deeply heartfelt reminder. We all needed it more than we probably realized. 🙏✨

To all my founders out there. Stay at it 🚀

Founders: if you are fundraising, you do not want to miss this event.

And if you can, make sure you are in Bettina’s room.

I am not just saying that because she is one of my dearest friends. Bettina is truly one of the most thoughtful, caring, and brilliant investors I know.

The level of care and intention she brings to every founder conversation is rare. 

She listens deeply, asks the questions that actually matter, and shows up for founders long before there is ever a deal on the table.

That kind of stewardship is something special in venture. 💛

Silicon Valley Angel Investor (Pre-Seed) + LP | AI + FinTech + DeepTech + B2B SaaS + Sports Media + CPG | Ex-GoPro + Semiconductors | Hubble Advisor + Boardy Deal Partner + Incubator Mentor | Skiing + BucketHat Lover

Are you #FundRaising?  Come join me, along with 100+ other VCs, Angels, FO's

I'm hosting a networking room at the VC Virtual Conf on March 31 hosted by Max Pog.    There will be 40+ breakout rooms & 6 hours of VC networking & insights.

If you’re interested in joining the discussion
Register here:   https://vcconf.com?172

See you on the 31st... 
I'll probably be the only one in a #BucketHat

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES

And this...this is exactly why I love Hubble.

Not just for what it is...but for the story behind why it exists.

Because the best things aren’t built from perfection...
they’re built from perseverance, from belief, and from showing up when no one is watching.

I didn't go to an Ivy League.

I actually dropped out one semester before graduation because I signed an NFL contract with the Eagles.

My NFL career lasted 2.5 years.

After that, I somehow landed at Morgan Stanley as a financial advisor. I didn't know much about stocks or bonds…I remember sitting in the interview and I was the least qualified of the group by far.

I passed my Series 7 with a score of 72. In finance, we call that a perfect score because it's the minimum passing grade. Had I missed one more question, I would've failed. I'll never forget the joy of passing…I studied so hard for that test.

After four years, I was managing almost 100 million in AUM. But I wasn't happy.

So I packed everything I owned into one car and drove 30 miles north to San Francisco.

I didn't know what company I was going to start. Just that I needed to start one.

For four years I wandered. Failed launch after failed launch. My diet was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. That was just life.

I didn't quit though. I kept moving. Literally.

I walked around SoMa listening to founder podcasts…I'm talking 20k steps a day everyday for years. That's how I learned. And I quickly realized that starting is easy. Building something people love is insanely hard.

Then I started writing on LinkedIn. Not with a plan. Just to help founders win…to share lessons, inspire, or just make them laugh. I knew how hard it was and I just wanted to help.

As my following grew, DMs poured in. For years, I tried to help every founder who reached out…calls, chats, whatever it took. I always showed up.

That's when I found it. My real passion.

Helping others win.

That's what led me to build Hubble…a community for founders who see this journey the same way I do. Tough. Hard. But somehow worth it.

If I can go from nearly failing my Series 7 to surviving on PB&J to this…

One conversation and a little bit of perseverance really can change everything. 💙

#startups #entrepreneurship

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Kathryn V.

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The Battle

Annika Mohlin

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Annika Mohlin's LinkedIn Performance

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