Woman shares her business startup story in Jackson

JACKSON, Tenn. — Founder and CEO of TapOnIt Katie Castillo-Wilson decided to quit her “normal” job to launch a tech startup in Iowa back in 2014.

Since then, she has raised $5 million for her company, managed it through a pandemic, and it was all to grow TapOnIt.

Wednesday morning, the Jackson Chamber invited her to speak to women in Jackson about what it meant for her to be a female founder.

“I managed to work my way up there, and so I don’t know that men in the situation that I have been in would have fought as hard,” Castillo-Wilson said.

Castillo-Wilson told participants that some of the most intimidating moments of her life were spent pitching her idea to a room full of men.

She explained that out of all venture capitalist money, less than 3% goes to female founded businesses.

“When it came to taking our company to the next level, it was not going to be an easy step or journey because 97% of the money goes to men,” Castillo-Wilson said.

She said if she had one message for the group, it would be to pursue the ideas you may have.

“If I can do this as your single mom, female founder, Hispanic tech company in Iowa, anyone can do this,” Castillo-Wilson said.

Looking forward, she hopes to move female founded companies and get them the money they need to succeed.

“What I hope to do in the future is to help support other women who are looking to grow companies of their own, whether they’re in Iowa or Jackson, Tennessee. I don’t know, but I believe that there are smart people everywhere, not just New York and Silicon Valley,” Castillo-Wilson said.

For more events that the Jackson Chamber hosts, visit their website.