Co-creation and connections: Managing a startup in times of crisis w/ Katherine Jin

Timing can be crucial to any startup - enter the market at the wrong time and it’s an uphill battle, enter it at the right time and things can really take off. But even the best timing can’t protect a fledgling business from incorrect product assumptions that can cost valuable resources. Two key factors that improve a startup’s survival rate are great industry advisors and a passion for getting to know the end-user. In today’s episode, Katherine Jin, CTO, and Co-Founder of Kinnos, speaks openly about her startup’s challenges. She shares her take on how good timing helps, but the support of key industry opinion leaders and a willingness to co-create with end-users, are equally critical to success. Tune in and get Katherine’s insights on what it means to be a young entrepreneur managing a startup during a pandemic - and see how they’re making it work.   Here are the show highlights: The ups and downs of taking a college idea into the world of startups (7:38) Key opinion leaders: The difference between getting a ‘no’ or a ‘yes’ when pitching for funding (10:49) Why proof and efficacy are not interchangeable (13:12) Getting to know your end users can pay off in big ways (15:57) Co-creation can put assumptions to rest and give rise to better solutions (18:18)  Awards and accolades are great for startups, but, the real prize is the connections that you make (24:57) Good timing can drive big success, but patience and the ability to pivot in times of crisis is critical for startups (28:40) The pluses and minuses of supply chain issues (33:38)   Guest Bio Katherine Jin is CTO and Co-founder of Kinnos, a New York-based company that is pioneering color technology to revolutionize how the world uses disinfectants.  Their first product, won several awards, is used by the New York Fire Department and has been field-tested by NGOs and healthcare workers in Liberia, Guinea, Haiti, DR Congo, and Uganda. Katherine earned her BA in Computer Science and Biology from Columbia University in New York City, has several academic publications to her name. She is also a recipient of the Forbes 30 under 30 in Healthcare award If you’d like more information about Kinnos or the Highlight solution, you can touch base with Katherine at Katherin@kinnos.us, visit their website at Kinnos.us, or find them on LinkedIn at Kinnos.