Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate France.
Hi Kate, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my company back in high school, when I was competing in science fair competitions. My goal from the start has always been to create affordable, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing biomedical products that make life better, hence the name of the company, Scientists Making Your Life Easier (SMYLE) LLC.
I started off learning everything I could about standard medical ideas, and quickly realized there was a lot left to be desired. I moved on to learning about medical tattoos, where I loved their customizability but hated their permanency. I expanded my education to RFID chips, where I loved their scannability, but knew this technology wasn’t the ideal fit for my goals.
In the fall of 2015, I learned how to code my first QR code, and the rest was history. Dubbed the medical assistance via quick response code or MAQR Bracelet, I would go on to compete in national and international competitions throughout all of high school, align myself with several key investors and supporters while in my undergraduate studies, and receive global recognition for my work during my doctoral program.
I wouldn’t be here today without the folks I think of as the village that helped to raise me. I could name dozens of folks within this space, but the one who has defined my career is none other than Dr. Cynthia Welsh, who took me under her wing during the earliest phases of my scientific career. Her endless love, support, and belief in me are what allowed me to become not only the scientist but the person I am today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think anything worth doing is ever easy, which is especially true of my journey with SMYLE. Coming from a town with more cows than people translated to a lack of resources and knowledge from the very start, which made this process uniquely challenging. That being said, I was taught from a young age that being underserved does not make you undeserving; it only makes every hard-fought victory that much more rewarding.
I had little to no funding getting started, yet I had people who loved me enough to believe in me, who would support me in every domain possible – from helping me pay application fees, to providing me places to stay during my competitions, to simply believing in me and being willing to tell me the words I needed to hear. I owe so much to the village that helped to raise me and SMYLE to what it is today.
There have been many instances where I learned things the hard way, tough losses I’ve experienced, and what I thought were insurmountable challenges that I have grown from and overcome. I started this company because I was mad, but I continue this work from a place of love. I love the challenges, the inspiration I get to give and receive, and the ability to achieve my dream of making the world a better place.
Whenever I face a new challenge, I call my mom and listen to her words of advice, knowing that if I follow these steps, there’s nothing I can’t do: “Take a deep breath, say a little prayer, trust your gut, and GO! You’ve got this!”
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Scientists Making Your Life Easier (SMYLE) LLC?
SMYLE LLC will be celebrating ten years of existence next year, a major milestone that the founder can scarcely believe. I think one of the things that I am most proud of is creating a legacy of probability. What I mean by that is not only do I get to wake up every day and do the thing I’m most passionate about, which is improving the lives of people everywhere, but I get to inspire the next generation of people who are brave enough to do the same. This has not been an easy process and has been a bit of a straight shot down a narrow and winding road, but I would not change a thing about this journey for any amount of money. Getting to hear that I am someone’s reason why they are doing what they do is one of the most humbling yet rewarding things a person could hear. Our mission is to continue to make affordable, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing products that make folks’ lives better while working to foster opportunities for others to do the same.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
With the advent of AI and the increased interest in being more in tune with one’s self, I truly see lots of big changes heading our way in the health tech industry. It is our goal at SMYLE LLC to be aware of these changes and adaptable to possibilities, but staying true to our roots of creating technology that remains accessible and affordable. We hope to inspire folks to be more proactive and engaged in their healthcare.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maqr.weebly.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelynjofrance/
