“I found what I felt like I was born to do at a really early age,” admitted Elizabeth Holmes on stage to accept the prestigious Doers Award at the Forbes’ Under 30 Summit in Philadelphia this week.
Holmes, Founder of Theranos — and the U.S.’ youngest self-made female billionaire according to the 2014 Forbes 400 list — may have been inspired to create her blood testing company due to a personal fear of needles, but it’s her altruistic mission and persevering work ethic that have been an inspiration to others.
In an industry that seems ‘allergic to youth and new ideas’ (to quote her questioner during the on stage Q & A), Holmes’ efforts to empower the individual to change the healthcare system have earned her the respect and accolades of many.
Among those are the organizers of the Under 30 Summit. On the first full day of the Summit, event sponsor Baume & Mercier’s President Rudy Chavez presented Holmes with the “Doers Award,” a glass statuette award that comes along with an engraved stainless steel watch from Baume & Mercier’s Classima collection.
“We can do well by doing good, and… I believe ability to have access to one’s own health information is a basic right,” Holmes explained from the stage. “Tech’s purpose has always been to do good. And that’s what so many people in this room are doing.”
And that was her advice to all of the Summit’s attendees — many perhaps hoping to walk away with their own Doers Award one day:
“When you have passion, you will not back up when you get knocked down — and you will get knocked down — over and over and over again. That’s what winning is all about.”
