We had the good fortune of connecting with Gladys Bolding and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Gladys, what’s the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson that I have learned on my journey is flexibility. Things are changing so rapidly that you must learn to pivot as needed. We live in a society where employment/business survival depends on your capacity to be innovative. Innovation provides you an opportunity for growth and makes you more competitive. Our ability to thrive depends on leaning. For example, due to the pandemic, I can no longer provide hands-on opportunities at BioLogue Laboratorium INC for youth and young adults. Therefore I had to change my instruction to Zoom presentations. This experience has increased my technological skills and provided me with more opportunities.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? BioLogue Laboratorium INC is a nonprofit organization that offers authentic hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) experiences for youth and young adults. Our aim is to introduce youth and young adults to immersive STEM content via inquiry-based instruction. What sets us apart from other organizations is that we allow youth as young as 5 to explore authentic STEM applications and learn about STEM professions. How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? It has not been an easy path business-wise. My business started over eight years ago. While working as a Science Lab Supervisor and Biology Instructor for a college, I noticed that many underserved/underrepresented students were intimidated by science content. I thought that early intervention could be the key to persuading underrepresented people to pursue careers in STEM. Many people do not know the value of STEM fields and are reluctant to explore them, and the best way to spark interest is to introduce it at an early age. Today I spend a plethora of time speaking to youth and sharing information on social media about STEM. It is a continual challenge. However, I think many people in my network have a better understanding of what STEM is. Along the way, I have learned: To be authentic – Authenticity sets you apart from others. Everyone is not going to support what you have to offer, so you might be true to who you are. Those who do value you. To develop a thick skin – Some people will say disparaging comments about you. Don’t take it to heart. Stay on your path Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. – Never stop learning and improving your craft. You may encounter a time such as now where you may have to change your way of doing business, Share information – It’s okay to partner with others. You can reach a broader audience and learn from others. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story? I would like the world to know that my brand required perseverance and consistency, and it has taken me over ten years to create it. Moreover, there have been numerous obstacles along the way. However, I do have a brand that I like because it is a representation of me.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate this shutout to my mom Frances Sherman. She is our most valuable resource.. As a retired critical care registered nurse she facilitates labs at BioLogue Labortorium, and assist with developing curriculum for students interested in allied heath professions.
Website: biologuelaboratorium.org
Instagram: BioLogueLaboratorium
Linkedin: Gladys Delancey-Bolding
Twitter: bioLoguelab
Facebook: BioLogue Laboratorium
Youtube: BioLogue Laboratorium
Image Credits
My personal images.