It started out with just a two year degree in clinical engineering where actually worked on medical devices in hospital, in a hospital setting. I was very bad at that job, and it's not a very good job to be very bad at. You're putting people's lives at risk. And so I wound up stumbling upon a management position within the engineering space on DSO. I knew I could manage, but I just was not a good technical resource. So I went up moving to Cleveland, Ohio, to work as a manager for a clinical engineering firm in that particular company was about to start doing some acquisitions, and I sent a note to the CEO and said, I don't know anything about mergers and acquisitions, but I would love to and he got back with me and said, If you would like a second full time job and no more pay, we could use help doing this And so I said, Okay, so I literally worked two full time jobs for the same company for the same pay and we did 04 acquisitions and then we sold that business to General Electric. Um, I was with G E and did by default. Mind you, I still had my two year degree by default. I want up working on some medical device or medical services, Uh, M and a work. And, uh, we ultimately left G to start another company. We bought 12 companies over the course of 18 months, did a roll up, sold that business back to jog. And ever since then, I've basically Annette, let's say, starting in 2000, I've been working with private equity backed companies to help turn the business around and or grow it to an exit. And so I clawed my way to where I am, but it Z, but I've had a lot of fun along the way. I did leave the health care industry and get into the natural products and wellness industry, and that's where I've been working for the last 14 years.

this the role I'm currently in. It's kind of a late stage startup, and so most of my responsibility is in raising money and expanding the business. I also oversee all of the sales, marketing and, you know, kind of the go to market side of the business. I have a president and CFO who works with me, who handles the operation side. So I handle the other side of the business. Um, but really? So you know, my primary job is to make sure that we always have cash in the bank, that we can expand the business. And then ultimately, I mean, my riel objective is making decisions day in and day out that build value in the business, so that when we ultimately go to sell this business and, you know, provide a return for the investors, then that's what we do. So the priorities right now are raised money, expand the business and then, um, make sure that we grow the business the right way. In a more mature business, your responsibilities or different, they're more geared towards responsibility to the board, making sure the employees were taken care of and then ultimately, with the last company, were in it was selling that business to a large multinationalI'm so I'm one of those types. I'm kind of always working, but but so I probably worked 50 or 60 hours a week, But, you know, in some of that, um is for my CEO role, and then I'm also on six or seven boards, so that keeps you busy. So but it's probably 50 60 hours a week, which now, compared to the past, feels like part time work.

My two biggest senses of responsibility is the CEO is you know, number one. It's to our shareholders and number two. And I'm talking, You know, a very, very close second is to our employees. Our customers are, you know, super important to us, But I kind of look like, especially in a late stage startup. We have about 30 employees now, and all 30 of those people left another job to take their job with our company. So I take the responsibility to those people in their families very, very seriously. Um, the same thing with our investors. Um, you know, we have some funds, you know, from venture capital funds in our in our investor, you know, list are cap table. Um, but we also have some just individuals. And so, um, you know, for all of those, I feel a strong personal responsibility. So we have Thio. We have to make sure that when we hit some point of inflection where something needs toe happen, we need to do something for the business. Um, I always have to look at, you know, what's the right thing to do for shareholders? What's the right thing to do for our employees and what's the right thing to do for our customers. And so, you know, I'd say that my key approach has been, um, you know, just there's always a right thing to do. And doing the right thing each time very intentionally is super important, especially in a role where, you know, your job is to set an example and to, um, you know, to be a good leader in a business.