Growing up, I didn’t consider careers in politics, but from a young age, voting was always emphasized by both of my parents. I remember mock voting in second grade and saw it as one’s personal responsibility. In college, at Leadershape, my vision was for 100% voter participation. It’s been sad seeing voter turnout go the other way instead, with last year’s election at a 72-year low—just 34%.

Also while in college, I had first-hand experience with our State reps. I was part of a small group of students who lobbied the Texas Legislature to introduce and pass a bill creating the first student seat on the University of Texas System’s Board of Regents. I also served as an intern for Jim McReynolds, where I saw first-hand that Representatives really do track every constituent contact, yet such a small percentage of us actually reach out.

I worked at JPMorgan as an Investment Banking Analyst. I learned to take risks and that “it doesn’t hurt to ask.” As a second year Analyst, I asked for a leave of absence to enter a campaign training program in Washington, DC. When training ended, I was sent to one of the most targeted races in Iowa: an open seat in a swing district that many hoped would turn the “25D-25R” even split in the State Senate. And that’s where the idea for IssueVoter began.

I first envisioned IssueVoter while working on the campaign. I have a distinct memory sitting in the office on my laptop and thinking, “There’s so much focus on elections, but there should be an easy way to track what our reps are doing throughout the year." And also thinking, “Someday technology will get there. Someone will create this and I will be able to use it!” I didn’t expect that someone to be me.

Nearly 10 years later, the idea was still stuck with me, and both astonished and frustrated that something still didn’t exist, I decided to create it. Sure, there are websites to research legislation (but they require a lot of searching and don’t provide simple summaries), sites to send your opinion to your rep (but they require filling out long forms each time and having to think of your own message), and don’t get me started on petitions… (which are merely a list of names, and the signer has no way to easily track outcomes...)

IssueVoter is a non-partisan website that helps you make your voice heard in Washington with just one click, and tracks how often your elected officials vote your way – keeping politicians accountable and helping you make a more informed decision at election time. 

How IssueVoter works:

1. [It helps you] stay informed year-round. [You'll] receive targeted alerts before Congress votes on issues you care about, summaries of bills, and we offer pros, cons, and related news for context.

2. [It makes] your voice count. You can send your opinion directly to your rep in one click.

3. [It] keeps politicians accountable. [You can] track your rep’s votes and bill outcomes to help you make an informed decision at election time.

Our mission is to give everyone a voice in our democracy by making civic engagement accessible, efficient, and impactful. I hope to build a product that people didn’t even realize they needed before they had it. Before Facebook, we weren’t sitting around thinking: "I need a profile of myself online so that I can connect with friends."

I first started IssueVoter while having a full-time job so that felt like an easier lift. I’d offer this advice:

1. Ask yourself, “Would I regret not doing this?” If the answer is “yes,” then you owe it to yourself to do it.

2. Remember, you can control your inputs/actions but not the outcome – do your best.

3. Listen to and trust your gut.

Lately, I’ve become more aware of my productive times of day, and so it’s no surprise that I always loved school—you have complete control over your own schedule, you get to constantly learn and try new things, and you’re surrounded by smart, passionate, and interesting people. An entrepreneur’s lifestyle is not that different! 

I am not a morning person, and in the past, reading productivity tips about CEOs waking up at 5am used to make me think that I should do the same. Now, I have no desire to do so and can ignore that advice. I’ve also learned that the typical “workout first thing in the morning” is not for me. It takes away from time when I’m really focused and productive: shortly after I wake up in the morning, late afternoon/early evening, and later at night. I take my dog Cotton out 3 times a day, which helps force me to get fresh air and get a chance of scenery. I try to work out at least 3 times a week. Every day, I take vitamins and meditate. I just started a new 30-day challenge and am on Day 18.

Remember why you vote. What issue(s) do you care about? IssueVoter just launched a social media campaign where you can share the reason you vote to encourage others to show up on election day. Head to whyivote.us and upload your picture to share across social media with the tags #whyivote + @issuevoter. We’ll also feature users’ photos and stories on our blog.

Contrary to what you might expect, the campaign is “evergreen”: you still care about those issues year-round, so #whyivote becomes #whyivoted. After the election, IssueVoter helps you answer the question, “I just voted…now what?"

Second, there’s so much focus on the Presidential race, I urge people to pay more attention to the rest of the ballot! Ballot Ready is another new startup that can help you see and understand who is on your entire ballot ahead of election day.

I have made the mistake of staying in a job too long. Once I got comfortable and no longer felt challenged, I also became bored and unhappy. In hindsight, I didn’t leave sooner out of inertia (being comfortable is easy, which is nice sometimes) and fear of the unknown. Being an entrepreneur, I doubt I’ll ever stop learning. But now, I’m conscious of knowing when something isn’t working and careful not to go down the wrong path too long.

There is no such thing as “work-life balance”, and that’s okay! To elaborate, while I was in business school, I had the opportunity to take Stew Friedman’s course, Total Leadership. Instead of work-life balance, he taught “work-life integration” and explains: “When the goal is work/life balance, you’re forced to play a zero sum game. The idea that “work” competes with “life” ignores that “life” is actually the intersection and interaction of four major domains: work, home, community, and the private self.”

For example, when I’m going to an event to talk about IssueVoter, it intersects work, life, and community because I get to talk about something I’m passionate about, which also happens to be my work (and I realize this is not the case for everyone and am so grateful I get to dedicate my time to a passion), it benefits the community, and I enjoy meeting people, so it doesn’t feel like a chore. Another example: One way I relax is by walking my dog. While on walks, I might get an idea for IssueVoter. I don’t aim to keep a clear separation between “work” and “life.” Being an entrepreneur, you’re constantly thinking about your company, so embrace it!

I look forward to furthering IssueVoter’s mission and exploring new ideas! I’m someone who, throughout my entire life, has pursued multiple endeavors at the same time. For example, in elementary school, I took dance, piano, art, and acting classes. At JPMorgan, even working 80+ hours a week, I served on nonprofit boards. Nobody can predict the future, but I do know I’ll be busy!