Founder of Kynder Studio 

Top Ten Finalist, WE Innovate 

A Journey Driven by Curiosity, Kindness, and a Bit of Chaos

Michael’s path into innovation is shaped by curiosity, compassion, and a distinctly international perspective. Originally from the United States, she has spent the last several years studying and living across Europe, in the Netherlands, England, Switzerland, France, and now Northern Ireland. 

Her academic journey spans psychology, developmental psychopathology, health humanities, and now a PhD in Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s University Belfast. Throughout these experiences, one theme has stayed constant: a commitment to understanding and supporting young people’s wellbeing, especially those dealing with trauma and adversity. She jokes that this makes her “a very fun conversation partner at dinner parties,” but the truth is that her work reflects a deep care for people and the challenges they carry. 

Her journey into innovation, however, began with something much closer to home, a shoulder injury from her teens that never fully healed. 

A Personal Problem With a Universal Echo 

Michael quickly realised her challenge wasn’t unique. Plenty of people live with injuries, pain, or mobility needs that everyday products simply don’t consider. But knowing this and knowing what to do about it were two very different things. 

She applied to InnovateHer through the Queen’s Students’ Union, thinking she’d learn a bit more about business. Instead, the team took one look at her application and redirected her - kindly and enthusiastically – towards WE Innovate, where her idea could actually grow. 

It was, as she describes it, “a chance to go from my narrow focus of research to a broad opportunity for learning and growth.” 

Stepping Into Entrepreneurship (With Equal Parts Excitement & Panic) 

Joining WE Innovate felt like stepping into a completely different universe. While Michael thrives in academic environments, entrepreneurship seemed like a world with entirely new rules, and no glossary! 

She vividly remembers walking into the first workshops and meeting the cohort of talented, creative, extraordinary women. Her first reaction: “Am I supposed to be here?” 
But underneath the self-doubt was her characteristic determination. And, as it turned out, a programme full of people ready to cheer her on. 

As an international PhD student in Belfast, WE Innovate also gave her something she deeply needed: community. A reason to leave her desk. A place to be creative. A social lifeline in a new city. 

Facing Barriers With A Full Notebook and Stubborn Optimism 

Michael’s early barriers were enormous, because everything was new. Manufacturing, intellectual property, distribution, supply chains, pricing, pitching - she felt like she had been dropped into the middle of a map without any street names. 

Her solution? 
Write everything down. 
Ask the “embarrassing” questions. 
Use humour to diffuse the terror. 
And embrace not knowing as a starting point, not a flaw. 

By the end of the programme, she had filled an entire notebook, front, back, margins, and all, with lessons from mentors, workshops, and conversations. It remains her personal entrepreneurship manual. 

Learning Through Mentorship, Community, and Kindness 

Mentorship became a cornerstone of Michael’s experience. With guidance from her KTH innovation coach, she tracked her progress across every dimension of the Innovation Readiness framework. Each step felt like a tiny victory. 

The workshops offered something she hadn’t anticipated - an environment where people weren’t afraid to admit what they didn’t understand. That openness created space for real growth. 

And then there was the cohort, the sisterhood of founders who made Belfast feel smaller in the best possible way. These connections, Michael says, were important “not just for networking but for a sense of sisterhood.” 

Realising She Actually Is an Innovator 

The moment that changed everything came when she advanced to Phase Two, joining the top ten. 

For someone who entered the programme wondering if she was a lucky interloper, making the top ten was an electric shock of validation.  “I committed myself to learning as much as I could,” she says, “and to have my work recognized by progressing onto phase two washed away my doubts.’” 

While she didn’t make the final five, she left Phase Two with something more important: ignition. A renewed sense of purpose. A belief that her idea had legs, and that she did, too. 

Pitching, in particular, became a surprising strength. Michael has always been comfortable speaking in public, but pitching was a different skill entirely. Through practice and exposure, she built confidence in articulating her idea with clarity and conviction. 

Continuing the Momentum: Expanding Kynder Studio 

After the Grant Final, Michael received the Queen’s University Business Coaching Award, which enabled her to continue working with mentors Karishma Kusurkar and Tim McCullough via Venture Folk. 

Together, they explored a broader vision for Kynder Studio - one that extended far beyond a physical product.  At the heart of her business is a simple worldview:   Life is better when we show kindness: to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. 

With her strengths in public speaking, teaching, and human-centred thinking, Michael is now exploring kindness- and co-design-focused workshops and experiences. Her idea is evolving into something bigger, deeper, and more aligned with who she is. 

Shaping Her Future With More Clarity (and More Confidence) 

WE Innovate didn’t just shape her entrepreneurial journey, it shifted her entire career perspective. 

Michael has always imagined herself eventually becoming self-employed, but the programme made that future feel reachable. It also opened her eyes to new career pathways involving public speaking, facilitation, and community engagement, the areas where she feels most energised. 

It also highlighted how important the right environment can be. WE Innovate stood out to Michael as a space where she felt supported, encouraged, and genuinely seen as an individual. The programme’s thoughtful design and personal approach made a clear difference in her confidence and growth. 

A Programme Built on Community, Care, and Thoughtfulness 

For Michael, what distinguishes WE Innovate is its intentional design as a women-focused, women-led programme. That environment made her feel comfortable asking questions, testing ideas, and, most importantly, making mistakes. 

She believes this kind of space is essential for unlocking the entrepreneurial potential of women at Queen’s and across Northern Ireland. It’s a place where women can explore new parts of themselves without needing to prove anything first.  And with her trademark humour, she adds:   “When I’m rich and (maybe) famous someday, Queen’s is absolutely getting a donation.” 

Looking Ahead 

Michael’s vision for Kynder Studio continues to expand, shaped by kindness, creativity, and the belief that even small ideas can spark meaningful change. She hopes her story encourages others, especially those who doubt they’re “entrepreneurial enough” - to give themselves permission to explore. 

She describes her WE Innovate experience in three words:  invigorating, empowering, inspiring- a blend of community, momentum, and joy that shaped not just her business, but her first year in Belfast. 

Connect with Michael