2023 Fellow Focus: Alan Hipólito + suma
Dreamer, community advocate, Conscious Tech entrepreneur…2023 Fellow Alan Hipólito of suma shares more about his journey as a social impact entrepreneur.
What life experiences propelled you into the entrepreneurial space and made you decide to be your own boss?
I have a serious problem with authority, which was disruptive until I became an entrepreneur.
What do you enjoy most about being a founder?
I enjoy the freedom to create, to change course, and to dream big.
What do you wish someone had told you before you started your entrepreneurial journey?
That there will be lots of “no's,” “I don't know's,” and challenges from outsiders, and that's just how it is. However, it's nothing y'all can't handle.
Tell us about an experience you had as an entrepreneur or in starting your company that exemplified one of Camelback's core values: "Belief in Mission + Vision"; "Unafraid of Failure"; "Constant Learner"; "Humble + Hungry"; and "Give First."
[Belief in Mission + Vision] Our greatest, recent joys are the individual community champions and grassroots partners who valued our app so much that they shared it with their neighbors and the communities they serve.
Photo: Ribbon cutting ceremony at Cully Park in Portland, OR - a former landfill transformed into a new 25-acre park.
Courtesy of suma.
How do you stay motivated?
By understanding the responsibility we have to those who did the work before us and those yet to come.
Let's talk about your legacy. How do you hope your venture will make the world a better place generations from now?
In the future, I hope there's no suma and no need for suma because we've decided as a society that poverty and data extraction aren't acceptable.
What's your favorite book or podcast that you draw entrepreneurial inspiration from?
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