Chasing My Dream and Risking It All
By Angela
I moved from a small town to study Computer Science Engineering at Ohio State University. I felt out of place because I was one of the only girls in many of my classes. I felt alone, isolated and wanted nothing more than to move back home.
Several weeks into the semester, I was shopping at a local grocery store. I had headphones in and was not paying attention to my surroundings. A man followed me for several aisles and attacked me. I now felt even more alone and depressed. My Dad would regularly call or text me to make sure I made it home safely. Without his support, I would have dropped out of OSU and moved back to my small town.
Eventually, I started making friends in Columbus and formed somewhat of a community. I wanted to be a good friend, and made sure none of my friends went through what I went through. Whenever we went out, I made sure my friends would arrive safely home. I was always telling my friends to text me when they get back. If my friends forget to update me, I would instantly get worried. I didn't want any of my friends to get attacked like I did.
As an engineer, this got me thinking about how I could build an app that brings me peace of mind and keep my friends safe. I had many ideas, but didn't believe in my coding abilities. I felt this way until OSU's 2018 OHI/O Hackathon, where I took first place with the proof of concept the safety app. The validation from winning the hackathon gave me the courage to form a team and turn this safety app into a company.
We decided to call our safety app Tego, after a spell in Harry Potter that puts an invisible shield around the wizards. With Tego, you select where you are going and who you want to update when you safely arrive somewhere. If you feel unsafe along the way, Tego instantly alerts your friends with the “silent alarm” feature. Also, it will share your latitude, longitude, speed, elevation, and many other data-points that can help authorities find you.
In March of 2019, we launched the first version of Tego. We received lots of press coverage and had thousands of downloads. There have been many success stories of people using Tego when leaving their houses, bars, libraries or any place where they needed another layer of protection.
Starting a company as a woman in college is scary. My co-founder and I put our entire savings into starting Tego. We also gave up full-time jobs to work on our dream. Choosing to follow your heart instead of having stability was a hard decision. My family was not very happy at first - their disapproval almost made me return to my 9:00 to 5:00 - but I remember my assault, and how I want to help other people.
If you have a dream, follow it. I believe everything in life happens for a reason, and there is a reason you have a certain dream. One of my biggest fears is going through life and wondering what would happen if I did something different. I’m so glad that I choose to be the CEO of Tego, and don't have to spend the rest of my life wondering how my days would be if I didn’t.
Without the help of other female entrepreneurs, I don't think I would be in the position I am now. From networking, advice and support, so many amazing women have gone above and beyond to help me build Tego. I make sure to pay it forward every day with my work by helping other female entrepreneurs at my college.
Starting Tego has been difficult, but I’m so glad I was able to push my limits and become a CEO. I now get to help thousands of people stay safe when traveling alone. Always listen to your heart - you never know where it could take you. To stay safe while chasing your dream, check out Tego!
