Ayan's Homepage

Tag: entrepreneurship

  • From Bedside Nurse to Nurse Innovator and Entrepreneur

    From Bedside Nurse to Nurse Innovator and Entrepreneur

    Where is started:

    I’m Ayan – a mom, registered nurse, entrepreneur, innovator, artist, philanthropist and my dedication and passion for nursing, healthcare, startups and innovation began while working at Mayo Clinic as a bedside registered nurse in 2017. It was in 2019 where my nurse colleague invited me to cofounded Navi Nurses, an on-demand private duty nursing service that provides compassionate care to patients for in home care.

    As a nurse, I witnessed firsthand the challenges and limitations of traditional healthcare systems. Nurses face so many obstacles when trying to provide the best care possible and patients become overwhelmed at the thought of going home – there must be a better way. With Navi Nurses, we set out to solve just that problem by creating a more holistic, individualized, patient centered approach that allowed patients and their loved ones to hire a nurse on demand, for any healthcare needs like post surgery or in-home care for seniors.

    Resources that Helped Me in my Entrepreneurial Journey:

    Before my nursing career, I’ve maintained an entrepreneurial spirit and immersed myself in the business world. I’ve read countless books on mindset, personal development, business, technology, attended startup conferences and meetups like Phoenix Startup Week, and participated in hackathons like ones led by SONSIEL – Society of Nurse Scientists Innovators Entrepreneurs and Leaders. Events like these have empowered me and allowed me to combine my passion for healthcare, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

    Giving Back is in my DNA:

    While working at Navi as Chief Operating Officer, my team and I created and funded a $25,000 nursing scholarship at Arizona State University’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation, a grant that supports nursing students who aspire to become nurses. This is a cause that is very close to my heart, and it’s an honor to be able to support the next generation of nurses and healthcare leaders.

    I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve accomplished at Navi Nurses, and I’m grateful that our efforts have been recognized by the American Nurses Foundation, who honored me as a Nurse Innovator for my work with Navi. Another highlight of my career is being interviewed by journalists from Johnson & Johnson, where I discussed entrepreneurship, nurse innovation, the power of community, and more.

    Getting my Street MBA:

    During my time at Navi, I participated in two major accelerators in Arizona: the Arizona Technology Council’s Venture Ready program and the Flinn Foundation Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program. These programs provided our team with grant funding and mentorship instrumental in my and my company’s growth.

    My Mission:

    My work is driven by my dedication to using my skills and expertise to create positive change in the healthcare industry through fostering relationships, innovation, entrepreneurship, building community, and more. With my unique background in nursing, passionate advocate for meaningful the healthcare industry, and entrepreneurial spirit, I hope to make a deep impact on healthcare and my community.

    I invite you to join me on this journey. Whether you’re a fellow nurse entrepreneur, a founder, parent, or simply someone who cares about the future of healthcare, I believe that we can work together to create a better, more equitable, and more accessible healthcare system for all. Let’s empower nurses, innovate in healthcare, and build powerful and thriving communities.

  • Utilizing Local Resources for Entrepreneurial Success: Lessons from My Experience

    Advice to Registered Nurses and others looking to launch their entrepreneurial journeys:

    Starting a business can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. As a nurse and entrepreneur, I’ve found that utilizing local resources has been critical to my success. There are many local resources available, both free and paid, such as local entrepreneur meetups, incubators, accelerators, networking events, and business classes held at libraries, among others. These resources are great because they offer mentorship, various opportunities, and a supportive community to help you understand the landscape, launch, and grow your business.

    a nurse innovator and entrepreneur named Ayan Said, a Phoenix local, is wearing copper color scrubs, holding her stethoscope, and smiling at her laptop screen as she's talking a call on zoom

    Utilize Local Resources:

    When I first started out as an entrepreneur, I believed I needed to get a coaching certification or purchase an expensive course from a well-known nurse guru in the community, but this wasn’t the case. Instead, I focused on the following:

    • Attended meetups like 1 Million Cups and Startup Week, which provided opportunities for me to immerse myself in the startup scene, connect with other entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors in my local community.
    • Participated in a low-cost business boot camp, SeedSpot, which provided me invaluable resources and mentorship to help me understand foundational business concepts, marketing, and gave me an opportunity to pitch in front of a live audience.
    • Attended business library classes that were put together by local business development centers like S.C.O.R.E to get resources and support for starting and growing a business. Some of these classes were workshops and had ample opportunities for me to obtain mentoring from a local, seasoned business mentor.
    • Attended networking events and surrounded myself with like-minded individuals.
    • Joined an online business mastermind community that met weekly to connect and support other entrepreneurs.
    • Started an official mentorship relationship with mentors from a local startup. This helped tremendously with accountability and gave us an opportunity to brainstorm and get feedback as our business grew.

    Conclusion:

    By utilizing these local resources and building relationships within your community, you can position yourself for success in the business world. So, if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, don’t be afraid to get immersed in the startup world and ask for help!

  • Lined + jagged outsider

    We moved around a lot when I was younger, never spending more than 1-2 years in one place. This made it really hard for me to make and keep friends so I always felt like an outsider. My home environment was inconsistent and tumultuous. This recipe was a catalyst to entrepreneurship. Both the seedling and soil.

    What remained constant was the library, and the incredible stories and new worlds contained in the books.

    I remember the first few books that enchanted both my mind and soul as a young child.

    My dad would take me to the library every week. As soon as we got there I would make a beeline to the children’s’ section and grab as many individually packaged bags that I could – bags that contained a singular picture book and it’s companion audio cassette tape. When we came home I would run to my mini radio boombox and insert the first tape. The sound of the voice narrating Cat in the Hat wafted into the living room and into my ears and my heart. Dramatic – absolutely, but it was love at first sound.

    Love at first story, my little heart pitter pattered, just wholly reveling the remarkable words strung together. Words into sentences, snapped together perfectly like legos building a magical, fantastical story in my head.

    I learned English this way.

    I would listen over and over, enunciating along, rewinding, stopping, eyes bright, finger tracing the jagged black outlines of the wild and beautiful green ham.

    I think this is where it began.

    The library and books. The art, and stories.

    They helped shape me.

    They helped me break rules, to learn, listen before I spoke, to create, to be strange, to not settle. They cultivated in me a desire for something different. To crave a better, bolder world. They were an escape. A dialogue between myself and my soul, between me and the author.

    A story, my story – a path, an imperfect trail. Onward.