Grechen Huebner is a self-taught designer who has helped thousands of kids learn how to code. She is also an entrepreneur running her own company Kodable as a chief product officer.

Together with Jon Mattingly, her long-time friend, they launched Kodable in 2012. They didn’t possess an office, so they operate in Louisville dorm rooms. Over time, she has managed to engage more than 10 million children in developed countries. Grechen Huebner once appeared in 30 under 30, Forbes’ list. She also won the Westly Prize in the same year.

She enjoys giving children the opportunity that she yearned for while young. Most of the time, Grechen Huebner likes hanging around with her pet dog Mo.

As I grew up, I felt my technology skills were very low. When I was taking my course in college, I decided to engage more in technology. Within a few months, I had done several personal projects that helped me secure several internship offers. So, I was a web designer part-time as I study Communication at Louisville University. The freelancing money was enough to satisfy my upkeep.

Then, at one point I started thinking, “What if I knew this while I was a kid’. I was very passionate about doing something different to have an impact on the kids. Jon Mattingly was a friend whom we worked with on a variety of projects.

One day I decided to mention the issue of kids, and he was overwhelmed with it. He was a man who believed one should start coding while young. To my surprise, Jon opened up on how he started coding while 6 years old. At that point, we decided to ‘teach kids how to code’ which gave rise to Kodable.

My days are very different, and I don’t think the word ‘typical would be great. Most of the day, I am collaborating with my team on a certain project. We always engage teachers, parents, and their kids to see how we can improve their education using Kodable. On other days, I engage in talks with a company that needs a certain product. We will discuss with the product team and plan to tackle the task.

Furthermore, I work closely with the school curriculum to ensure Kodable gives the student a quality experience. Kids are always happy when they are being taught new things which they implement on the computer.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with ideas that pull me to the other side. But I prefer utilizing the morning hours because that is when my brain functions accurately. In the afternoon, I will work on less important things. At some point, I feel I can’t take it in anymore, I shift to another working location. In addition, going for 20 minutes walk is helpful.

Whenever I have a new idea, most of the time it appears like a picture. I will put it down on paper to stretch and see its limits. As we know, humans forget quickly, so whenever you write it down it sticks. Then, I weigh the idea to see if it’s up to the mock level. If a client has brought a new product, we have to try with Figma and illustrator first.

For the new campaign, I will divert the work to canvas to get the real visuals then drag it to other applications to release a new version.

When it comes to trends in technology, I do like the 3D designs. Grechen Huebner is a great fan of Star Trek. The way replicator comes to life looks fun. Fantasy and science fiction stories have influenced the tech industry to try and reach those levels. The 3D printing industry has changed a lot. The current product cannot be compared to 10 years item.

To remain productive, I believe in waking up and doing my things early. It’s always better to prioritize physical activities over others. Sometimes I spend my time playing with friends outside my business. In another moment, I will go hiking and climbing at the gym, which brings peace of mind to my life.

To younger Grochen Huebner, kindly trust your gut. The belief that women cannot be opinionated is sucking us. I would rather voice my ideas and opinion than go with the wave. When you depend or rely on others, you won’t trust your own words. From there, I trust my voice through sharing my ideas with others, sometimes it’s a challenge, but I am fighting it.

For anyone running a business, engage with clients or customers. Talk to them and get feedback as soon as possible. This should be your first step when you are starting your business. And if you climb the ladder, don’t forget that customers are your priority. It’s a necessity at every stage.

My strategy is to focus on the things that are important fast. While you are setting up a business, it becomes easy to indulge in many activities. However, as time goes by, you realize how ambiguous it becomes tackling all those things. When you do one task, and you repeat it, it becomes part of your habit. It adds value to the business. To grow, you need to act quickly. Then, put things that you value on the highest rank.

In my early days, scaling my team with different tasks was a difficult task. The hiring process was also hectic because you are not sure if this candidate will perform what you want. We hired the wrong candidates. After some time, we had to fire them and get new employees. For over three years we have stayed with our employees who are also comfortable. We learn from each other.

Also Read:

• The success of Abraham Lieberman, Co-founder and CEO, Click Talent
• The Success of Fresh N’ Lean, Laureen Asseo

There are a million business ideas in the world. Most smartwatches and other wearable tech inputs over-function. They are not really what I need. I wish a person could relate the analog and digital assets and try to combine their designs. In short, I want a watch with an analog physical appearance but with digital functioning. I cherish the analog designers, they were way more beautiful than the current watches.

Not that I like watches, but they make a person look lovely. Currently, I want more watches to match my outfit, I am ready to pay for them.

If someone gives me $100 right now, I will enroll in the gym. This can go on for over a year, but I like paying in monthly installments. I feel happy when climbing the gym with friends. There was a moment when I moved to California, and it was very difficult to make new friends. So, I made sure all the gym members are my close friends. That has become a routine in my life. Sometimes, I feel my mental and physical health should be the priority.

To keep our conversation going in Kodable, we use Slack software. It offers you the possibility of creating channels for your team. Since we have some remote employees, it becomes easier to manage them through slack. We talk daily to make sure we support each other. Everyone must be conversant with the company’s culture.

Eric Reis describes how you can manage and run a startup in the popular book “The Lean Startup”. He talks about focusing on heavy and valuable tasks. You need to try out things in an iterative process to get the balance. Through consistency, you gain the momentum that your startup can rely on. The knowledge from the book has helped me manage to run Kodable. It has expanded my mind. Although I feel full, I am always craving more knowledge. I will advise everyone to read it.

Life has its challenges. You have to learn how to fight a difficult battle. Never be afraid because there is no shortcut. If you put in a little effort into what you do, you will win.