Like many young entrepreneurial adults, Debbie Sterling found herself yearning to make a difference on the world.  Sterling, a 2005 engineering and product design Stanford graduate, was working a minimum wage job after college.  For several years, she bounced around between different projects, but she hadn’t found something she was truly passionate about – until Goldieblox.

Goldieblox, founded in 2012, is a children’s multimedia company that creates toys, books, videos, and other products with the mission of empowering young girls in their hopes and dreams for the future.  Some of their products include the DIY LED cloud light, Maker’s Essential’s Toolbox, and a DIY Glitter Beauty Lab. As a young woman with an engineering background, Sterling wanted to inspire young girls to love science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  Looking at the world around her, Sterling saw that cars, legos, and construction toys were pretty much only marketed to young boys – inspiring them to build and create from a young age.  At just 29 years old, Sterling decided to use her entrepreneurial mind to design products that could inspire girls in the same way.

Like most young entrepreneurs, Sterling experienced several criticisms when first starting Goldieblox.  She was constantly told that while her cause was noble, the products wouldn’t sell.  Despite setbacks, she was determined to accomplish her dream of inspiring young girls in STEM.

Not only has she been successful in inspiring young girls, but she has also created a profitable business.  Goldieblox has sold over 1 million toys all over the world and has over 1 million app downloads.  Additionally, the company has received several honors and awards.  Goldieblox has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and was The Toy Industry Association’s Toy of the Year.  Additionally, Debbie Sterling was inducted as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship by former President Obama.