Running your own business is no easy feat. It takes a healthy dose of passion, discipline, and commitment. Ever wonder what a day in the life of a small business owner and founder is like? We’re here to give you a glimpse!
This week, we’re talking with Michelle Fno, the founder and CEO of AROMEO Diffuser, the only sleep aid and stress reliever in the world that uses the combined power aroma, light, and sound therapy. Michelle is running an Indiegogo campaign to bring the Aromeo to an international audience.
But enough with exposition — here are the details of a typical day for Michelle, and as well as a brief Q&A to get to know her better and get inspired!
6 A.M. I wake up just before the sun rises so that I can catch sunrise. I love the tranquility that sunrise gives me, and it really sets the tone for the day.
7 A.M. ‘Me time’, which includes meditation and mindful drinking of warm green tea with some writing.
8 A.M. Mindful walking. Workout at the gym near the office. Mindful eating.
9 A.M. Plan my thoughts about key issues at work. I do this either by writing on the whiteboard or in my journal.
10 A.M. Daily scrum meeting with the team. Each of us talks about the status of what we have been doing, and what we plan to do for the day.
11 A.M. Check product development status and sales status.
12 P.M. Team lunch. It’s part of our company culture to share a meal together and have some warm conversations about what’s been going on in our lives, what new hobbies we’re picking up, or cool ideas we want to try.
1 P.M. Answer emails, engage with backers and followers on social media.
2 P.M – 6 P.M. Focus sessions: each session is centered on one topic at a time with different team members. For example, industrial design focus session, or customer experience focus session.
7 P.M. Wrap up work, update status and jot down to-dos for the next day.
8 P.M. Travel back home, mindful cooking. Mindful eating the nutritious meal I prepared for myself.
9 P.M. Call home and self-care (read: skincare) time 😉
10 P.M. Get ready for bed, ending the day with a total body relaxation and light reading.
Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of what her day is like, get more inspiration in our exclusive Q&A with Michelle Fno below!
INDIEGOGO: How and why did you become an entrepreneur? Was it something you always intended for yourself?
MICHELLE FNO: I grew up in a plastics factory that my grandmother built from scratch; she was an immigrant child who grew up trading scrap plastics, and she created a plastics factory to provide a livelihood for her community. As a kid I looked at how the factory created many products that end up creating value to the customers, and how the workers would come every Saturday, collecting their week’s pay and sharing stories about what’s happening in their lives. This is why I want to become an entrepreneur, because I believe an entrepreneur can really make an impact in this world – by creating better products that create value in the society, and by providing livelihood and a sense of community for its stakeholders.
INDIEGOGO: What makes your Indiegogo project unique?
MICHELLE: Aromeo Sense is unique because it’s the only sleep aid and stress buster in the world that uses aroma, light, and sound therapy. In 2015, I struggled with anxiety and chronic stress. Through natural therapy, I discovered my peace and became a stronger person. Now, I want others to be happier and healthier too, especially in this challenging time. From this, the concept of Aromeo Sense was born. Our team designed this device to have aroma, light, and sound therapy because our sense of smell, vision, and hearing are the main instruments that we use to gather information about the world around us. By affecting these faculties, we can shift our mood into a more desirable state, and promote better sleep.
INDIEGOGO: What’s your biggest piece of advice for women who want to start their own business?
MICHELLE: If you have decided to start a business, then do it as early as possible. Because your business and skills need time to grow. Doing it early will give more time for you to grow a fan base, develop your intuition, and learn from the parts that you may be lacking.
INDIEGOGO: What tools (gadgets, apps, books, podcasts) would you recommend to anyone starting their own business, crowdfunding campaign, or project?
MICHELLE: Gadgets – Aromeo Sense to manage my time and make sure I do one thing at a time and dedicate 100% of my focus onto it.
Apps – For work I use Slack (team communication), Notion (task management), Figma (design), and of course Zoom. For meditation I use the Calm app, and I think it would be cool to integrate it with Aromeo Sense. For writing I use the Bear app.
Books – For work: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, Sprint by Jake Knapp. For life: You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh, What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey.
INDIEGOGO: What’s your favorite Indiegogo campaign, or a campaign you’ve recently supported?
MICHELLE: NeoRhythm – I think it’s a great idea to control your mood using a headband. I think it could be used together with Aromeo Sense for a synergy effect – Aromeo Sense can provide the multi-sensory stimuli using aroma, light and sound, while NeoRhythm can provide stimulation through vibrations.
