Let The Healing Continue
Katlyn Grasso
In light of the recent events impacting our nation, what advice would you give to people in order to help them navigate the uncertainty?
While some people associate uncertainty with unknown challenges, I have always viewed uncertainty as a pathway to explore unlimited possibilities. Everyone is currently living in a very challenging situation, but I believe that we can use this time as a springboard to new opportunities. To help people navigate uncertainty right now, I think it is important to focus on achieving one small goal every day, whether that is taking a walk or calling a friend, before you transition into thinking about your long-term goals.
Please share one or two available resources that can help people right now.
Throughout the summer, we will be hosting virtual panels that allow our community to learn from successful leaders across the country, so please check out www.genheration.com to view new opportunities every week. Thank you, Tierra for being a featured expert during our Community Connection Series this spring!
I also recommend reading the book Shoe Dog by the founder of Nike, Phil Knight. It is an autobiography that is a true testament to the power of perseverance.
What is your personal mission in life?
My mission in life is to start companies that have a BIG impact on the world!
What is one of the biggest challenges you have overcome?
When I first started my company, I was a 19-year-old college student and I needed Fortune 500 executives to believe in my idea before I even had a product, customers, or employees.
What was one action that helped you overcome this challenge?
I reached out to anyone and everyone in my school’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, including alumni entrepreneurs, professors, and community leaders, to learn from their experiences. This process helped me learn about a variety of topics, ranging from product development to managing a team, and how to prioritize the most important tasks needed to start a new venture.
How do you define leadership?
Leadership is learning how to utilize your talents to bring out the best in others. The most effective leaders empower others to work together in pursuit of a shared vision and create opportunities that nurture their team members’ personal growth.
What advice would you give to someone that is ashamed to share their story?
There is always someone out there who can learn from your story. By sharing your story, you will become a source of inspiration for others who can apply the lessons that you learned from your journey, to transform their own lives.
How can people reach you?
You can reach us online at www.genheration.com.
Katlyn Grasso Bio
Katlyn Grasso is the Founder and CEO of GenHERation, which is a network where young women and companies connect. In her role as CEO, she has created GenHERation Discovery Days, hosted the GenHERation Summer Leadership Series, developed original GenHERation webisodes, and has grown the GenHERation community to reach more than 300,000 young women. Katlyn is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she received a B.S. in Economics with concentrations in finance and strategic globalization. She is the inaugural recipient of the Penn President’s Engagement Prize, which provides graduating seniors with $150,000 to develop ventures that have the potential to change the world.
Grasso speaks internationally about entrepreneurship, technology, leadership, and the advancement of women. She is a frequent radio and television contributor and her work has been featured across national media outlets, including CNBC, NBC, Bloomberg, CBS, Forbes, Fast Company, Yahoo! Finance, Seventeen Magazine, and SiriusXM Radio. Katlyn is a member of the Penn Fund Executive Board, Penn Nursing Center for Global Women's Health Advisory Board, and is the Tri-Chair of Momentum 2020: The Power of Penn Women.