Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lulan Shen, Project Lead of TrustCare, located in Montreal, QC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Do you have loved ones living alone or living in care facilities? Ever worry about the quality of care they are receiving when you are away? TrustCare is an AI-based monitoring system composed of an Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) collecting module and a mobile phone app designed to receive the information. ADLs are used clinically as indicators of personal functional status, significantly impacting a senior's quality of life. TrustCare collects ADLs through a monitoring system inside the senior's room. This information is then analyzed and transmitted to family members or care staff's mobile phones. These customizable messages would include alerts such as falling and general information such as diet, sleeping, information about the residents' location (i.e., bed, chair, bathroom), and movements (or lack thereof). The mobile phone app summarizes the data and provides relevant parties with a holistic and analytical understanding of a senior's daily activities. Our product targets two different customer streams: CHSLDs and family members that have smartphone access and whose seniors live alone.
Tell us about yourself
I'm currently a Ph.D. candidate specializing in machine learning and possess an M.Sc. degree in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing from the University of Oxford. I have worked for three years as a system engineer at Bosch Automotive to design vehicle platforms and functions. In September 2020, I initiated my venture idea and found my co-founder through McGill's goLead Move Program. We inspire and encourage each other, grow TrustCare into a bigger team and. One of the key factors to motivate us to make steady progress is that we believe we can contribute our machine learning expertise to this business idea which has great potential to benefit and impact society.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
This March, I led TrustCare to achieve the third prize in McGill Dobson Bootcamp and Cup Competition. Personally, I think the biggest accomplishment I made is that I discovered and recruited the right people, and all team members have been working well together since they joined the team.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I think to manage10 full-time graduate students to work together with certain commitments using our spare time is difficult.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First, don't think about failure. It's always easier to fail compared to achieve success. Just do it and enjoy it. Second, trust your teammate and collaborate. The energy and expertise of an individual are limited. You can build a stronger team if you can allocate resources well. Third, learn more about the market and focus on the problem. People will always pay for the solution which can save the problem and bring a better life. The trend of the market is always changing, and make sure you always stick with the problem.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://trustcare.github.io/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lulan-shen/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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