You don’t have to burn yourself out to build a successful business.

I learned that the hard way.

On paper, everything looked great.
✔ Built three businesses to $200M in revenue
✔ Bootstrapped a service business to $25M with 25 people in five years
✔ Scaled a VC-backed tech company to $28M ARR in under two years with just 12 people
✔ Made a double-sided consumer marketplace profitable in three months with a five-person team
✔ Raised $30M in venture capital

But behind the scenes, I was exhausted, constantly putting out fires, and convinced the business would fall apart if I stepped away.

So I pushed harder, thinking that was the only way.

Then life forced me to stop.

I ran headfirst into a glass window. A concussion took me out for eight weeks. No emails, no meetings, no problem-solving. For the first time, I couldn’t step in to fix things.

And when I came back, I was shocked. The business hadn’t just survived. It had thrived.

That moment forced me to question everything.

I always thought the key to scaling was working harder and building better systems. And systems did help. But what really made the difference wasn’t the business. It was me.

I had built a company that depended on me, not because it had to, but because I didn’t know how to let go. I believed that stepping back meant losing control. That if I wasn’t involved in everything, things would fall apart.

That belief had to change.

Learning to trust my team, step back, and stop being the bottleneck wasn’t easy. But once I did, everything changed.

The systems worked because I let them. My team thrived because I gave them space. And the business grew faster than ever, not because I was in every decision, but because I wasn’t.

Now, I help founders do the same.

Most founders come to me because they feel stuck. They’re scaling, but at the cost of their time, health, and freedom. It doesn’t have to be that way.

If you’re ready to build a business that grows without you being in the weeds, join me for daily insights on scaling, leadership, and personal growth.

Let’s get started.
—--
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Let’s connect:
Email: hello@christinecarrillo.com
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Christine Carrillo

No one stays for the perks.

They stay to feel seen.

Too many leaders think loyalty comes from money.

You can offer top salaries.
Perks. Bonuses. Company shares.

But if your team feels invisible?
They'll leave.

Here's what actually builds loyalty:
→ Being seen.
→ Being heard.
→ Knowing their work matters.

Team members aren't asking for a parade.
They just want to know their work means something.

Because when they feel appreciated:
→ They care more.
→ They give more.
→ They show up more.

Without ever being asked.

You want people to go above and beyond?
Start with a simple "thank you."

How do you make your team feel valued?

♻️ If this hits home, share it with your network.
Follow Christine Carrillo for more leadership insights.
Ready to build a big business with a tiny team? This is the playbook: https://lnkd.in/gQCveimB

Co-Founder & CEO of Curious Cardinals — reimagining education for an AI world✏️⭐️ 

I paused Stanford to pursue a radical idea: what if learning started with what students actually care about?

While everyone's racing to build tutor bots, we're doubling down on what only humans can do: inspire curiosity, unlock potential, and help young people discover who they are.

Today we're a thriving global platform serving thousands of students worldwide through 900+ college mentors. Because in a world where kids can Google anything, what they really need is someone to help them figure out what questions to ask and why they matter.

Forbes 30 Under 30 at 19. Featured on CNN, CNBC, Today Show. Speaker at DVF InCharge Conference. Raised $7M from Anthos Capital & Audacious Ventures.

Audrey Wisch

Hot take: I’m usually skeptical of VC as a path for most entry-level people.

As a young founder, I’m seeking seasoned investors as partners. 

Fara Bakare is my one exception to that rule.

I’ve watched her since her freshman year at Stanford. I eventually referred her to Anthos Capital, our lead investor, because I’ve never met anyone more obsessed with consumer trends and where the world is going.

While she's early on in her career, I’m placing my bets on her to be a breakthrough investor. 

Last week, she asked if I'd co-host a gathering she was putting together in SF with Anthos Capital. I invited my smartest founder and operator friends, but Fara did everything else. 

Her humility is her superpower. She pulled me aside beforehand and asked:

"Audrey, as a founder, what would make this different from every other VC happy hour?"

We brainstormed how to make it actually high-value. The solution? A "Give/Get" whiteboard that turned the room into a hilarious, high-stakes marketplace.

The board had everything:
- The Gets: A founding engineer, VC intros, and... someone looking for love.
- The Gives: Seed equity, legendary restaurant recs, and growth hacks.

It was seamless, fun, and high-utility.

Fara doesn't just "network" the convention way. She builds community by asking the right questions and ruthlessly connecting the dots.

Founders: connect with Fara Bakare. She's curious enough to ask all the questions and bold enough to try what's never been done before. 🚀

CEO of Curious Cardinals | Forbes 30 Under 30 | We’re hiring!

One thing you may not know about me is that I am unapologetically authentic.

Yes with my words.

But also with my facial expressions 🤣🤣

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I used to roll my eyes at "building in stealth" posts.

So I'll keep this short :)

We're building a new product at Curious Cardinals. It's in stealth. And today, we had our first student beta test it. Live. In our office. While we watched.

We had just spent hours agonizing over the next feature to prioritize on our roadmap. Which matters most? What do we build next?

Then a 16-year-old sat down, opened the product, and answered every single question we'd been debating... just by using it.

Her face told us everything.

55 days until we ship.

A lesson I keep relearning as a founder:

Stop debating in conference rooms. Go watch your users.

The product will tell you what to build... if you're actually in the room!

I have one regret from high school.

Junior year, I dropped honors math because I was afraid of getting a B+.
I was capable of staying. But the idea of a "bad grade" was so painful that I opted out entirely.

Classic Achiever Mode: I'd rather shrink my world than risk imperfection.
Meanwhile in humanities? I was on fire.

I loved my Constructing America class at Riverdale Country School so much that when my section wasn't reading The Great Gatsby, I created a 1920s literature independent study just because I wanted to go deeper.

I remember the boy I had a crush on making fun of me. Called me a "kiss-ass." Said I was "just doing it for college."

That hurt. Because I genuinely lit up learning this material.

But high school is brutal. You want to be cool. You don't want to fail. And peer pressure is one of the invisible forces that pushes kids OUT of Explorer Mode, where real learning happens.

I didn't have language for this until I read Rebecca Winthrop and Jenny Anderson's The Disengaged Teen. They identify four learning modes every student cycles through, and I lived three of the four in a single semester.

The forces holding kids back from peak learning mode? They're not always obvious. It's not just boredom or bad teaching. It's anxiety. Perfectionism. Peer pressure. Fear of standing out. Fear of falling short.

That's what we obsess over at Curious Cardinals. Because behind every "disengaged" kid is a fuller story, and you can't help them if you don't know it.

A dream candidate said no to a role.

Then we convinced them… and they said yes.

Two days later, after an enthusiastic yes, they changed their mind again.

And said no.

It was an emotional roller coaster. Honestly, a bit heart-wrenching.

Today they sent an apology. I told them the truth: it’s genuinely okay. We want what’s best for them.

And then I did something I rarely allow myself to do as a founder.

I admitted I was sad.

Because I think they’re extraordinary. And I was genuinely excited about the chance to build something together.

As founders, we train ourselves to see the cup half full.  

Every obstacle is an invitation to keep moving.  
Failures are lessons.  

Setbacks are momentum in disguise.

Optimism becomes muscle memory.

Which is why admitting sadness can feel strangely difficult.

But letting myself feel it… even briefly… made all the difference. It made it possible to respond with real grace. To truly mean it when I said: no hard feelings. We’re rooting for you.

And we are.

Yes, the 48-hour reversal was tough. And yes, it’s sad we won’t get to work together.

But we’re okay.

Onwards and upwards. 🚀💛

Alec and I usually leave the office last. Last night, we didn’t.

As we headed out, Julia was still at it. 

The level of work it takes to build a startup is intense. There is nothing glamorous about the late nights, long days, and the nonstop nature of the job. 

I’ve always been in awe of Jules’ work ethic, but perhaps what's most profound is her gratitude and thoughtfulness.

More than the hours, it's the "why" behind them that means the world to us. 

Julia started with Curious Cardinals as a mentor at Northwestern University. It's been a privilege to have her join our full time team.

As a founder, you hope to build a mission people truly believe in. Our goal is to unlock this kind of purpose for our students. So when our own team feels that same alignment with our North Star, there is nothing better.

That is what we celebrate.

Yesterday, I posted that we're building something new.

I didn't say what it does. Didn't mention features. Didn't even hint at a price.

By this morning, Curious Cardinals parents were sliding into my DMs asking if they could try it.

I had to re-read my own post. Did I accidentally explain the product???

No. They just... trust us that much.

That moment clarified something Alec and I had been debating on the walk home from the office:

In a world where "software is dead" — where anyone can build anything overnight — what's actually our moat?

Not the product. The relationship.

Three things no competitor starting from zero can replicate:

→ Community that moves before you ask. We announced a product, not a pitch. And demand came anyway. That's not marketing. That's years of trust compounding.

→ Cumulative context. We already know these families. Every session, every student breakthrough, every parent fear... it builds. The tool we're building deepens that knowledge. Anticipatory intelligence that gets sharper over time.

→ Craftsmanship. In a world of infinite options, people choose the experience that feels made for them. That's what we're building.

54 days to launch. First student tested it yesterday. Parents are coming to our office next week to tell us everything that's wrong with it.

We're building in stealth, but in public. Stay tuned. 👀

How do you stay close to your customers?

You invite them to your office.

A few weeks ago, Temi reached out about her son. Instead of a phone call, I said: come in.

So she did. She brought her son — bright, curious, inpossibly polite.

Our whole team got to meet him. And apparently he thought it was the coolest thing to visit a real startup office! 

Tomorrow, another parent and student are coming for a Q&A.

People overcomplicate “customer closeness” like it’s some strategic initiative.

It’s not. It’s an email. A conversation. A kid sitting in your office asking questions.

But here’s what it actually does:

When your team knows the names, faces, and stories of the people you serve… they work differently. They push harder. They care more. They give their absolute best.

It’s not rocket science.

But it’s rocket fuel.

The best role models don't fit neatly into a box.

They make you realize you don't have to, either.

Meet Cynthia Medina, a Yale University student studying Ethics, Politics, and Economics, who played cello for six years, shoots on film, and is currently helping plan New York Fashion Week events for a magazine based in Boston, New York, and Paris.

She's a philosopher. A musician. A fashion producer. A UNICEF advocate from the high school club level all the way to the national stage.

And she's a Curious Cardinals mentor!

Here's what I love about Cynthia: she obliterates the myth that you have to "pick a lane."

Too many students hear: "What's your thing?" As if passion has to be singular. As if you can't love Kant AND couture.

But Cynthia doesn't just have range. She has depth in every direction. She cares about how institutions shape real lives AND how art trains us to notice what other people overlook. She coordinates fashion events across three time zones AND shows up to mentor with patience and clarity.

That's not scattered. That's unique. And it's the kind of person who fundamentally shifts what a student believes is possible for themselves. 
Because here's what actually happens when a 14-year-old meets someone like Cynthia:

They stop asking "what's my thing?" and start asking "how do I follow my curiosity with intention, without ever trying to fit into a box?"

That question changes everything.

Cynthia, we're so lucky to have you as a mentor at Curious Cardinals!

If you’re a people pleaser and a founder, this is your wake-up call:

You have to drop the people-pleasing.

You’re not running for “most liked.”
You’re running a company.

And there’s a big difference between being liked and being respected.

I’m still learning this.

Every week I get emails:
“Can you speak to my child?”
“Can you hop on a quick call?”
“Can you give advice to a new founder?”

And every time I say no (respectfully), there’s a part of me that aches.

Because I genuinely care.
Because I remember being the one asking.
Because I want to help everyone.

But I have a company to run.
Ambitious goals to hit.
A team of incredible educators whose job is to guide students and families.

Leadership means using your team meaningfully.
It means protecting your time.
It means understanding that “just one call” is never just one call.

One becomes two.
Two becomes ten.
And suddenly you’ve outsourced your focus.

People pleasing feels kind.
But clarity is kinder.

Your job as a founder isn’t to be endlessly available.
It’s to build something that outlives your calendar.

I’m still practicing this. But I know this much:

Respect > being liked.
Every single time.

"But I'm not good at anything."

That’s what a 10th grader kept telling me.

His mom was worried. “He has no idea what he’s interested in.”

Five minutes into our call, I knew that wasn’t the real issue.

It wasn’t lack of interest.
It was lack of reps.
And lack of confidence.

So many parents jump to the wrong diagnosis.

Before deciding your kid “doesn’t know what they’re into,” ask yourself:

1️⃣ Am I even the right person to have this conversation, or will they filter everything because I’m their parent?

2️⃣ Is it really lack of direction, or fear of claiming something before they feel “good enough”?

3️⃣ Is it lack of passion, or simply lack of exposure and experience?

You don’t discover passion by thinking about it.

You discover it by doing. By trying.

When kids lead the conversation, when they feel ownership, everything shifts.
Confidence isn’t magically found. It’s built through evidence.

If you’re wondering whether your child needs more “direction” or simply the right space to explore what distinguishes them, that’s exactly what we help uncover in our Curious Cardinals consultation calls.

Because when they’re in the driver’s seat, they stop doubting and start deciding. That’s how confidence and clarity are built.

Five and a half years ago, we started Curious Cardinals in the midst of the pandemic. Sent home from college, we saw an opportunity: we could match students to their ideal mentor regardless of location, connecting kids to mentors across the globe.

We soon realized the problem was much bigger. Our education system is broken. The pandemic exacerbated this issue, but it has long predated it. Parents got a front-row seat to their kids' education and saw firsthand that much of the way we teach kids is antiquated and failing them.

Then on November 30, 2022, OpenAI launched ChatGPT. It reached 1 million users in 5 days and changed education forever. For the first time, we had technology that could personalize learning to each student, and combat our one-size-fits-all education system.

But ChatGPT also changed something else fundamental: the future our students are preparing for. When AI can read, write, and solve math problems, we have to raise the bar. An AI future demands critical thinking, problem solving, human connection, asking the right questions, and learning how to learn.

Parents are obsessed with college acceptance, and we meet them there. But the real value of project-based learning runs much deeper. When students build something meaningful, learn to pitch it, iterate, and think on their feet, they’re developing the exact skills an AI future demands. 

College differentiation is the Trojan horse; what we’re actually building are the capabilities that matter long after acceptance letters arrive.

Soon after ChatGPT launched, we jumped on the AI bandwagon. We'd always relied on mentors to personalize sessions, but as we grew beyond our initial cohort of closest friends and inspiring peers, that became difficult to maintain consistently. 

In January 2023, Alec and I got giddy realizing AI's implications for our business: it could amplify what mentors already do well, not replace them. We started with lesson notes, using AI to minimize the burden on mentors while letting them focus on what they do best.

Now it's three years later, and every day we've been asking: how can we use AI to improve what we do? More fundamentally: in an AI world, what are humans uniquely suited to do versus technology?

Can't wait to share what's coming next... We've been hard at work. 👀 💛 🚀

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