International Women’s Day means a little more to me this year as a founder launching her very own brand. I’m proud of my accomplishments. I’m proud of how far America has come in just a few short years as women lead the post-pandemic recovery. But there’s more work to do to achieve entrepreneurial equity.

Whether it's a paper collage, a hemp necklace, or a Lego set, novice crafters take instructions from a mentor, follow them to learn basic skills, then find the confidence to forge their own creations. These experiences are critically important. Creating something from scratch builds self-esteem, teaches the value of trial and error, of hard work, patience, diligence, and attention to detail. The things we make as kids make us the adults we grow to be. That's why the language around how and what we encourage kids to make matters.