Inspired by a personal experience with a kitchen fire, Iyer developed the Ome Smart Knob to make kitchens safer and cooking more enjoyable.Iyer believes in the power of storytelling for effective fundraising. Instead of a conventional sales pitch, she focuses on telling her personal journey and the problems she aims to solve through her business. She states,

“People don’t remember what you said, they remember how you made them feel. Eliciting emotion in a pitch is so important.”

The lesson here is that personal stories can make a powerful impact, drawing more attention and generating a genuine connection with potential investors.