Crystal Brown

Crystal Brown

I have spent my career focusing on both for-profit companies and non-profit organizations at the start-up and growth phase in the areas of strategy, management, operations, finance, business development and relationship building.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalsbrownsf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/crystlclr2me
San Francisco, California, United States
Member since March 18, 2015
Quote
Life is for the living! Quote_down
  • About
Investor interests
Type of investor None
Locations of interest
Credentials None
Activity
Advisory positions Krystallize Technologies, Taproot Networks, Ribbon Labs
Education
Lafayette College , BA , Biology
I am a(n):

Entrepreneur

Companies I've founded or co-founded:
Educate Our State
Companies I work or worked for:
Taproot Networks, Schaffer&Combs, Krystallize Technologies, The Learning Accelerator, Ribbon Labs, Brown&Toland Medical Group, Educate Our State
Achievements (products built, personal awards won):

"Forward Thinkers" awarded by California Forward 2011
"Women Making History 2011" awarded by the Board of Supervisors in SF.

If you're an entrepreneur or corporate innovator, why?

I want to change the world.

My favorite startups:

LOLA, Beautycounter, Stowaway, Thrive Market

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation?

The basic idea of innovation is that you are navigating uncertain territory - which can be rewarding and scary at the same time. Disrupting industries and making change is the ultimate reward.

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs/innovators make?

Not executing fast enough - hestitating

What are the top three lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?

1) Team Matters
2) Personal relationships and networking is time consuming, but extremely helpful
3) Fundraising can be hard, but it is an important part of the eco system

Full bio

Crystal has worked in healthcare, education, and social improvement ​for more than 15 years. First, leading Operations and IT at Brown & Toland, Stryker, and later as a management consultant with firms such as TeraHealth, Certus Corp & Schaffer&Combs.

After founding Educate Our State, an education advocacy organization that expanded to more than 250,000 supporters in just three years, she returned to the tech world and currently serves as an advisor to a variety of socially-conscious-based for and non profit start-ups, including Krystallize Technologies, Taproot Networks, Netgym, Ribbon Labs, Sally and Squish.  

When not immersed in reading about healthy choices, products, and technology, you can find Crystal on a run, at the farmers market, listening to live music, or playing with her three daughters.