By 17, I was on a television show called 'I've Got a Secret,' where I revealed that I had developed a computer to compose music, which ultimately won a national science competition.

Despite initial rejection from Y Combinator, I focused on their encouragement to reapply, which motivated me to improve my startup. I set myself the goal to grow by 10 to 20% every single week, pretending as if I got into Y Combinator.

During Y Combinator, we practiced our pitch extensively, receiving valuable feedback from peers and mentors.

San Francisco is a hub for new music in the United States, and I love it here, which influenced my decision to study with Judicael Perroy again.

The song 'Rich Men North of Richmond' resonated with many because it reflects the struggles of everyday people, and I wanted to ensure I stayed true to that message despite offers of fame and fortune.

I applied to Y Combinator on a long shot, not expecting to get in, but after interviewing in Palo Alto, I was accepted and dropped out of graduate school to pursue my startup.

When I applied to Y Combinator, I didn't have high hopes, but I believed in my idea and was invited for an interview, which was a turning point for me.

Coming from a tough environment in Philadelphia during the crack epidemic, I learned the importance of community and family support.

At HireArt, I faced a moment of potential failure when we hadn't raised any funding while others had, but my co-founders encouraged me to keep pitching until we found an investor who believed in our mission.