Today we’d like to introduce you to Michal Morrison.
Hi Michal, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Austin, grew up in a farming community just outside of Phoenix, and returned to Austin after receiving my Bachelors in History and English Literature. I worked in archaeology throughout my 20’s, working on excavations in Greece, Turkey, Italy, the UAE, Ireland, and throughout the United States and the Caribbean. My academic interests spanned the gamut, so I also attended graduate school at a seminary and studied Theology. My life plans were interrupted by an unexpected accident while I was home in between projects, where I suffered a severe Traumatic Brain Injury. It brought my life to a complete halt. My condition worsened for about a year prior to finding the right neurologist, and then I spent several years in cognitive and physical therapy to fight for recovery. Because of that TBI, returning to my prior work in the archaeological field wasn’t feasible anymore, and I faced a significant pivot around how to build stability and meaning for myself after such a life-altering health emergency. That’s when the idea of starting my own company started to take root. When Covid hit, I used that time at home to research the beauty industry and evaluate where I could contribute something unique to that world. I didn’t come from a background in business, so I took classes around entrepreneurship and how to build a startup. Skin health had always been of interest to me because of my mother’s challenges with skin cancer, so I knew that I wanted to build a brand focused on powerful science. I was introduced to Dr. Michael Kahn, the PhD who created the antiaging molecule βSTEM6, and we formed a partnership. The brand became Michal Morrison, and we are the only skincare company to feature this unique ingredient that addresses signs of sun damage in just a matter of weeks.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life dealt me a pretty tough hand prior to and during the process of founding my company. Not only was I managing life as a founder with a disability, for which there is very little structural support in the startup world, but I also went through a divorce as I was fundraising. Learning how to manage personal wellbeing and withstand the rigors of entrepreneurship was a huge challenge during that time, but with the support of the strong community I have in Austin, I weathered that season and am very proud of what my team and I have built. It’s important to me to be authentic about the stressors that can accompany life with a disability, though, like financial vulnerability, isolation, and invisible mental burden. Those are significant barriers to opportunities for thriving for people with a chronic illness or disability, and I do believe that entrepreneurship can be a powerful option for those who want or need more flexibility or autonomy in their life.
Entrepreneurship requires tenacity, creativity and resilience, characteristics people with disabilities have in spades. Yes, stress takes more of a toll, and requires knowing yourself and developing strong boundaries, but it’s also allowed me more freedom to accommodate my health needs. I want others to have that opportunity too.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I come from a family who has been heavily invested in their communities, and I’m proud to continue that legacy of social impact. I was a founding member of the Advisory Board to Pathfinder International, an international nonprofit that provides health services to girls and women around the world. In Austin, I am on the Board of Directors of Creative Action, a nonprofit that provides arts education and programming for children, empowering the next generation of creatives. I mentor students at the University of Texas around entrepreneurship, and organized my own company’s social impact program. We give money back from each product sold in support of One Mind, an organization catalyzing groundbreaking brain health research. As someone managing life with a disability, I wanted the brand to be as inclusive as possible, and so we have Braille on our product packaging as well. Empathy is the guiding light of my life, and my goal is to build a legacy of generosity and impact in the work that I do.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My Dad gave me some of the best advice of my life before I went off to college: always ask for what you want, because the worst thing someone could say to you is no. You’ve got absolutely nothing to lose, so speak up. I took that to heart, and have always made the ask, even if it felt audacious. That persistence and ability to advocate for myself has landed me in rooms and around tables that I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.michalmorrison.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michal-ann-morrison-2571b339/
