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Daniela Arredondo Shares Her Entrepreneurship Tips for Women in Technology (VIDEO)

: November 16, 2013

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Click on Daniela Arredondo's picture to learn more about her, message her, or add her to your network!

Daniela Arredondo is a mother, a female entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of Kitu Kids – a company that creates bilingual and educational apps in Spanish and English for children to learn about the world, geography, history, and culture. Daniela is married and has two young boys who inspire her as a woman in technology to create meaningful content to open the eyes of adults and children and appreciate the uniqueness of our diverse and culturally rich world.

Throughout her professional career, Daniela has managed start-up projects in different capacities and in the summer of 2013 she joined the Millennial Train as a mentor to young entrepreneurs traveling across the United States. In 2012 she was invited to share her story about being a female entrepreneur and woman in technology at the Byakko Shinko Kai GIFT Symposium in Tokyo, Japan. Here, Daniela shares her smart tips and secrets to success for female entrepreneurs and women in technology.

My inspiration for creating Kitu Kids came from my own children.

Kitu Kids: Technology + Education

What inspired you to become a female entrepreneur and create Kitu Kids?

My inspiration for creating Kitu Kids comes from my own children. When I became a mother I wanted to connect with my kids. I found that when I learn something new, that’s when I really can connect with them, through my life and through new experiences. Traveling is something that has always excited me. I ran with that excitement and thought, children really need an opportunity to learn about the world in a positive way, and how about doing that through stories? That thought process was how I began my journey into becoming a female entrepreneur, and I found technology to be a great ally.

How did your background and two boys influence you to create Kitu Kids?

I'm originally from Monterrey, Mexico, and learning English was an important part of my upbringing. Now I'm on the reverse side where learning Spanish will be very important for my children. As I was researching statistics for Kitu Kids Apps, I found that many women are interested in their families learning another language. 20% of the U.S. population is bilingual and the Spanish population is a very important part of that percentage. They have $1.3 trillion in purchasing power and 1 in 4 children are Hispanic. I found that other mothers were experiencing the same need I was facing for teaching a second language within the home.

Can you tell us about your two apps for the iPhone and the iPad that teach children bilingual skills and about the world?

The first two products that we launched were Deep in the Rainforest and Amazon Rainforest Discovery, and they are both available as apps for the iPad and the iPhone. It was such an interesting experience to create them. With the interactive stories that comprise these apps, children, and also their parents, will be able to travel virtually into the Amazon rainforest, and through animated adventures, all the while learning about diversity, plant life, and the interesting species that you can find in the wild. It’s an opportunity for children to learn how every person and every animal is related to one another. And it teaches geography at the same time. When I started this project, I didn’t know that the Amazon rainforest was part of 9 different countries. Now, my son knows about six of those countries such as Colombia and Venezuela. I’m very interested as a female entrepreneur and as a mom in learning and seeing how children are reacting to the apps. As a company, we’re very, very excited for what's ahead.

You have to understand why you’re doing this.

Your 'why' will get you through the ups and downs of running a business.

Where does your passion for education, history, geography, and culture come from as female entrepreneur?

My passion comes from both my children and also from myself. I think as a female entrepreneur you have to understand your 'why;' why you’re doing this. Your 'why' will get you through the marathon and process it takes to run a business. If you understand your 'why,' as a female entrepreneur or mother entrepreneur, that will carry you through the ups and downs of running a business. Also, the 'why' is going to help you connect to other people who are going to possibly help you. I call it a 'Wizard of Oz' experience. As you’re walking on this journey, you will meet people who will say 'no' to you. You just have to take a step back and realize why they’re saying no and then listen to the people who are saying 'yes!' Listen to the people who are supporting you. But most importantly, listen to your customers because that’s the reason you’re working. I’m working for the children, so that every time I see a kid play my app or download my app, as a woman in technology, I’m given the incentive to keep on going and creating. You’ll feel the same excitement as a female entrepreneur, I can assure you of that!

What is your dream for your family and Kitu Kids 10 years from now?

My vision and dream for Kitu Kids 10 years from now, and for my family 10 years from now, is rooted in health and happiness. If you have that covered, you’re on a good path. I would love for my children to speak Spanish. I would love for Kitu Kids apps to be produced in many more languages and in many more countries. There is possible interest in both China and Europe. Did you know in Europe about 98% of the population considers it essential to learn a foreign language? And those are just the families that speak one language. There are even more families who want to be fluent in three languages, or four. I think as long as we’re living in this globalized world, Kitu Kids has a place because people can see the world through other perspectives and connect through stories. My vision would be for Kitu Kids to have many more stories reaching out across the globe. History and geography can help us learn about other countries and appreciate people who are different from us. Knowledge brings us together, and children, empowered by knowledge, will move forward with hearts and minds in a connected spirit.

Once you connect to your customers, they’re going to make your company grow and your journey pay off.

Daniela Arredondo: Female Entrepreneur + Woman in Technology

Can you tell us about your entrepreneurial story?

My story as a female entrepreneur started when I became a mother. It’s important to know that things don’t happen overnight. You have to learn various skills, make connections, and network. Before becoming a mother, I had many different work experiences that proved helpful for me as a female entrepreneur and woman in technology. What I have to tell female entrepreneurs, or those who aspire to be one in the future, is to take all job opportunities and learn something from them. If you have a career or a job right now, think about what you can learn from that situation so that one day you can take that wisdom to becoming a female entrepreneur. Try to find out what you really want to change in the world and what’s worth it to occupy your time. Your work will become time consuming, but you’re going fall in love with your project. You’re going to be sleepless, you’re going to be trying to do your best to take your project out into the world and sustain it on a larger scale.

Try to find your passion that you want to bring into the world. Ask yourself, 'what is the need?' Ultimately, some people find the need in their current job, or in their same path. I found that need in my life when I became a mother. So try to think, 'What can I learn from this job right now? Who can I connect to? What is the industry that I really want to work in?' Try to see what skills are transferable and see your path as stepping-stones. As female entrepreneurs, I think we can connect to a sensitivity that’s very special. We can bring things to the table as mothers and as women that men are not thinking. Think about what the world needs to find your entrepreneurial path.

Also think about collaborating. Maybe there’s not just one founder of your start-up, but co-founders. You can be the CTO, or the COO; there are different ways for you to contribute. Think about unique ways of being a part of something you really want to watch succeed. Entrepreneurship can go in different ways, as I’ve witnessed, and be successful with different partnerships.

Watch Daniela share why she created Kitu Kids

Find your passion that you want to bring into the world.

Ask yourself, 'what is the need?'

What have been your greatest lessons learned building Kitu Kids and your iPhone and iPad apps for early education?

My greatest lesson learned would be that finding the investors necessary to fund a project may not be as easy as you initially think it will be. I had the preconceived idea if you build a great product and put it out into the world, all of these investors are going to simply be thrilled and magically reveal themselves. In reality, first you have to find out where and who these investors are. Then you have to start building a community of people who can support you; people that can make you a successful founder. Part of that step involves having a good board of advisors. I was able to find those advisors in people I had worked with previously in my career path. These people had different skill sets that I needed, and they mentored me.

Also, it’s crucial to connect to your customer. Customers are key, and if you launch with the model of the lean start-up, as soon as you start launching your first product, you’re going to start getting empirical validation. Some of my greatest validation came from my own family, children, friends and the children of my friends. But in addition to that feedback, I went to the Boys and Girls Club to test my product. I was showing it to the boys, and there were lots of 'Wows' and 'Awesomes.' I remember, one of these little kids came over to me and he said, 'I really like your apps, and I like them because they were made by you.' You have no idea what that felt like; how much that really touched my heart. That was worth much more than money can buy, than any plans or visions or goals can reach. These little nods of inspiration will be the ones that carry you through. Once you connect to your customers, they’re going to make your company grow and your journey pay off.

I would tell my younger self, 'You will find a life partner who will be your greatest co-founder.'

It will be the best investment in your life and the best partnership you’ll ever have.

What advice would you give your younger self about being a mother and female entrepreneur?

The advice I would give my younger self would be, 'You will be very lucky.' Well, you will be lucky! You'll go through some boyfriends (I called it 'research') so don't feel bad if you haven't found 'The One' right away because it's all about finding the right person for you. I would tell my younger self, 'You will find a life partner who will be your greatest 'co-founder.' It will be the best investment in your life and the best partnership you’ll ever have. Once you find that cofounder, then your children will come into being and you’ll learn a lot from them too. You might lose your patience, but they’ll make things much more fun. They’ll give you a lot of kisses, a lot of hugs, and you will be able to see the world through their eyes.

So, to my younger self, I would say, 'You have a really good future coming to you.' I would also tell my younger self something that my mom once told me; 'In order to teach your children to be courageous, you need to be courageous, and to teach them to have empathy for others, you must first have empathy.' So we as mothers, we really have a power. We tend to forget it. Children can be jumping and running and out of control, and in those moments we tend to forget that we get to create the space where they can learn and be themselves. We do have the power, and know that everyday is a new day. Children will make you happy, they’ll let you have fun, and they’ll put a lot of things into perspective. To those who are just starting to grow a family or dating, you’ll get there. Look at new relationships as learning experiences and enjoy the journey.

Watch Daniela share her advice for bSmart members!

What do you want all bSmart members to know about your story that would help them ‘bSmart’ too?

My advice for the bSmart community, and I love being a part of this engaging community, would be from someone I truly respect, Ana Flores, an inspiration to me as a bilingual mom. She says, 'Bilingual is better.' If you can learn a new language, do it now. It will give you great opportunities and experiences in life. The other advice I would give to the bSmart community would be from the one and only Gloria Steinem. You can only imagine what I felt when I first met and talked to her. The first thing she ever told me was to get out there! I think it’s very important that we realize our space and the opportunities we have to work and connect and be there for each other as women and as a community. The final thing I’d like woman to think about comes from Whitney Johnson, who I met through Twitter. Her book, Dare Dream and Do helps women understand how we can be there for each other. My advice for you to 'bSmart' as a female entrepreneur, woman in technology, and as a mother is to do just that. Know you have every right to dare, dream, and do!