Tracy DiNunzio

Yeah, so... When I started my company, I made a very clear effort to hide the fact that I had a disability. I was very obsessed with, it was really important to me that nobody would see that anything was wrong with me. Why? Because part of what I needed to do to be successful was raise a lot of capital from investors and hire the best possible employees and appeal to customers.

Yeah, so... When I started my company, I made a very clear effort to hide the fact that I had a disability. I was very obsessed with, it was really important to me that nobody would see that anything was wrong with me. Why? Because part of what I needed to do to be successful was raise a lot of capital from investors and hire the best possible employees and appeal to customers.

It was a fashion company. And I didn't see anybody with a physical disability able to do... I can't say I didn't see anybody, but it just seemed to me like... You certainly didn't see a woman. Right. I was already a woman without a business background. And now what? I'm going to march into the top venture capitalist's office and have an obvious physical disability?

It was a fashion company. And I didn't see anybody with a physical disability able to do... I can't say I didn't see anybody, but it just seemed to me like... You certainly didn't see a woman. Right. I was already a woman without a business background. And now what? I'm going to march into the top venture capitalist's office and have an obvious physical disability?

It was a fashion company. And I didn't see anybody with a physical disability able to do... I can't say I didn't see anybody, but it just seemed to me like... You certainly didn't see a woman. Right. I was already a woman without a business background. And now what? I'm going to march into the top venture capitalist's office and have an obvious physical disability?

Like, it didn't seem like anybody would give me money or follow me in terms of wanting to join the company and take equity and believe in our future. if they thought I had anything slowing me down or distracting me.

Like, it didn't seem like anybody would give me money or follow me in terms of wanting to join the company and take equity and believe in our future. if they thought I had anything slowing me down or distracting me.

Like, it didn't seem like anybody would give me money or follow me in terms of wanting to join the company and take equity and believe in our future. if they thought I had anything slowing me down or distracting me.

And so I used to like go on TV to promote the business and I would tape chicken cutlet boob things to my legs because my legs are really skinny from the atrophy, but I wanted the shape to look correct to the cameras. And yeah, I tried really hard. If I really focused, I could not limp at all. So I worked really hard to make sure nobody saw it.

And so I used to like go on TV to promote the business and I would tape chicken cutlet boob things to my legs because my legs are really skinny from the atrophy, but I wanted the shape to look correct to the cameras. And yeah, I tried really hard. If I really focused, I could not limp at all. So I worked really hard to make sure nobody saw it.

And so I used to like go on TV to promote the business and I would tape chicken cutlet boob things to my legs because my legs are really skinny from the atrophy, but I wanted the shape to look correct to the cameras. And yeah, I tried really hard. If I really focused, I could not limp at all. So I worked really hard to make sure nobody saw it.

And then I worked too hard, not just at that, but at everything. I was working seven days a week, 24-7. I overworked myself. I got really stressed out. My health got bad. And part of that was that I was not walking as well, and I had to use a cane for a while. And so that was maybe 2019. I started having to tell people that I had something going on. And I thought the world would end.

And then I worked too hard, not just at that, but at everything. I was working seven days a week, 24-7. I overworked myself. I got really stressed out. My health got bad. And part of that was that I was not walking as well, and I had to use a cane for a while. And so that was maybe 2019. I started having to tell people that I had something going on. And I thought the world would end.

And then I worked too hard, not just at that, but at everything. I was working seven days a week, 24-7. I overworked myself. I got really stressed out. My health got bad. And part of that was that I was not walking as well, and I had to use a cane for a while. And so that was maybe 2019. I started having to tell people that I had something going on. And I thought the world would end.

I panicked about this and I stayed up late nights and I thought about hiring a CEO to replace me because I really had made it in my mind. People would judge me and be disappointed in me and no longer have faith in me. And it was the opposite. I felt like my team and my investors were like, wow. We want to follow you even more. You're like a real human being and we believe in you even more.

I panicked about this and I stayed up late nights and I thought about hiring a CEO to replace me because I really had made it in my mind. People would judge me and be disappointed in me and no longer have faith in me. And it was the opposite. I felt like my team and my investors were like, wow. We want to follow you even more. You're like a real human being and we believe in you even more.

I panicked about this and I stayed up late nights and I thought about hiring a CEO to replace me because I really had made it in my mind. People would judge me and be disappointed in me and no longer have faith in me. And it was the opposite. I felt like my team and my investors were like, wow. We want to follow you even more. You're like a real human being and we believe in you even more.

But also it was no big deal. It was like I had made it in my head like the whole world was going to care. And the number one rule of life is like nobody actually cares about you that much. People were just like, oh, wow. That's wild. Sorry to hear. Moving on with my life.

But also it was no big deal. It was like I had made it in my head like the whole world was going to care. And the number one rule of life is like nobody actually cares about you that much. People were just like, oh, wow. That's wild. Sorry to hear. Moving on with my life.

But also it was no big deal. It was like I had made it in my head like the whole world was going to care. And the number one rule of life is like nobody actually cares about you that much. People were just like, oh, wow. That's wild. Sorry to hear. Moving on with my life.