GLAM Business Pitch Winner's Stories: Building Community During Hospital Stays

We’re so happy you’ve joined us for another interview in GLAM’s Business Pitch Winner’s Stories! Today, we're chatting with Navya, a member of the winning business pitch team from the 2019 GLAM Event with eBay in San Jose, CA.

First, what does GLAM mean?

GLAM is an acronym that stands for Girls Leadership Academy Meetup, a nonprofit organization that offers both online and in-person leadership and STEAM programs for girls aged 8 to 12. Through the generosity of sponsors and donors, GLAM is able to offer these programs to girls across the world free of charge! Girls participate in coding and vision boarding sessions to help them realize their dreams and gain confidence in themselves. Girls learn valuable skills through presentations and mentoring from C-suite female Keynote speakers, young entrepreneurs, as well as UK's multi-award-winning public speaking expert and business mentor. Together, GLAM helps girls build their self-confidence and prepares them for public speaking, business planning and pitching, as well as leadership roles in various STEAM fields.

Who is Navya?

Navya is a GLAM Event alumni, GLAM Ambassador, and a current high school student. She attended her first GLAM Event in 2017 and knew that she wanted to come back. During her second GLAM Event in 2019, Navya focused most on Keynote presenter Chelsey Baker, CEO and Founder of National Mentoring Day. Navya wanted to improve both her public speaking and business pitching skills this time. She certainly accomplished those goals and more… as Navya and her team developed and presented the winning business pitch!

What was the winning business pitch idea?

The ‘iFriend’ is a tablet that connects patients through a secure server that is unique to each hospital. The iFriend tablet allows patients to create an online community with other patients who can relate, share, and support each other’s lived experiences of being in the hospital. In addition, Navya and her team wanted to provide a more effective way for patients to directly communicate with their nurses and doctors. Over the course of this GLAM Event, Navya and her team created their business plan, practiced public speaking as a group, pitched their business idea to a panel of industry judges, and were named the Overall Business Pitch Winners. Well done, Navya!

Navya and her iFriend team, 2019 Overall Business Pitch Winners

How can I learn more about GLAM and its programs?

• Discover your own superpowers through free, anonymous Superpower Survey for Girls on the GLAM website

• Watch highlights from the 2109 GLAM Event with eBay in San Jose, CA and other cool content on the GLAM YouTube channel

• Read more Business Pitch Winner’s Stories on the GLAM blog

• Follow @GLAMReadyToLead on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter

More about Navya

Since attending two live GLAM Events in 2017 and 2019, Navya has been attending high school. She has become an active member of technology clubs and tech-related school activities. She has also joined the debate club and participates in public speaking opportunities whenever possible. In addition, Navya has also gained the confidence to help others around campus with technology issues! To learn more about Navya, read her Superpower Role Model profile here.

More about Stephanie

Stephanie started out as a GLAM Mentor in 2018 and is now an Operations Specialist on Team GLAM. She enjoys mentoring and advising people. Stephanie believes that helping others achieve their goals is one of the greatest gifts. She is currently studying at UC Davis, pursuing a PhD in School Organization and Educational Policy. When she’s not studying, Stephanie enjoys playing tennis, as well as spending time with her family and friends. To learn more about Stephanie, read her Superpower Role Model profile here.

Watch the interview

If you want to empower more young leaders and change makers like Navya, please email Team GLAM at glamsquad@glam-readytolead.com for information on how your company can sponsor a GLAM Event.

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