High school senior Riya Shah developed the concept for her business, MyFetalLife, when she was just a freshman, at age 15. Taegan interviewed Riya on The Studentpreneur Show about her amazing story of building a business while still roaming high school halls.
Riya Shah was inspired by her mother’s pregnancy with her. Being the first child, the pregnancy with Riya held lots of unknowns and new experiences for her parents. Her mom traveled to the hospital several times due to Braxton-Hicks contractions, which, Riya adds, developed more stress and anxiety for her parents.
What is MyFetalLife?
Wanting to help women navigate their pregnancy with more peace of mind, Riya patented her concept and started MyFetalLife. MyFetalLife is now an app with over 12 thousand users!
The app now contains numerous features beneficial for women trying to conceive through birth. The app also hosts a forum for women who have used the app to share their stories and opportunities for families to engage by sharing their due date predictions.
How did a 15-year-old high school student learn how to start a business?
Riya shares that her family was incredibly supportive — always helpful at any age and any endeavor.
One of the most beneficial experiences she had when starting MyFetalLife was enrolling in the LaunchIt program at the University of Louisville. While Riya Shah was the youngest person in the program, she learned how to create a business plan, start, and run her business in this ten-week business accelerator.
“Age is just a number.”
Like most businesses, Riya also has the guidance and support of a board of advisors, investors, and a great tech team. Riya’s mom also helps her make wise decisions through it all.
Over the past couple of years, Riya and her team have learned so much about building a sustainable business. First, the app already has a strong partnership with the American Pregnancy Association, which further legitimizes their resources for women. They have also come across a few hurdles. By listening to their customers and anticipating needs they now have a thriving app that helps over ten thousand pregnant women through this free service.
Inspired by Riya Shah? Us too! With passion and support, we can all do anything!
Listen to the full Studentpreneur Show episode HERE!
Share the free MyFetalLife app with someone who can use extra support during her pregnancy.
