ESSAY BY LANA FOX
The journey to where I am today wasn’t paved with certainty, but it was fueled by a willingness to speak up, take risks and persevere through challenges. Over time, I’ve come to see that each small decision, each moment of courage and each leap of faith has shaped my path.
These moments have taught me to believe in possibility, even when the answers weren’t clear.
The preparation
It all started with a willingness to say “yes” to new experiences. In high school, I dipped my toes into everything: student leadership organizations, sports and extracurricular activities. Those years taught me the value of trying, learning and growing through every opportunity. That mindset carried over to college at Iowa State, where I pursued industrial design while running an exterior painting franchise on the side. Balancing academics and entrepreneurship pushed me to develop time management and problem-solving skills I rely on to this day.
The people
No journey is solo. The only way to achieve meaningful success is by surrounding yourself with incredible people who support your ideas and your work. For me, this includes my family, friends, church family, other business owners, mentors/investors and the startup community. Their encouragement, guidance and belief in me have been instrumental in my journey. I’m especially grateful to my husband, parents and close friends who have stepped in time and again to help me balance building a business while raising a family. It’s this community that makes Iowa feel like home and fuels my drive to innovate here.
The possibility
Innovation starts with seeing opportunity in problems and asking, “What if?” I’ve spent thousands of hours in customer discovery, listening to clinicians describe their workflows and the challenges they face. These conversations sparked the direction for our software, ClinicNote.
Could we really build something someone would pay for? How about 10, 100 or 10,000 people and beyond? Those initial questions drove us to create a flexible yet simple platform that met the needs of diverse clinics. Turning these insights into a product required dreaming big and then methodically planning — identifying the features to prioritize, building the right team and ensuring sustainability.
The decision that changed everything
My journey could have gone in a very different direction. Instead of taking a stable job after college, I chose to take a chance on my boyfriend’s startup (now husband of eight years!). That decision led me into the entrepreneurial world, where I’ve discovered my passion for building something meaningful from scratch. It’s a space that demands creativity, resilience and a willingness to embrace uncertainty — qualities I’ve developed along the way.
Becoming an innovator
Being an innovator is hard to describe. It’s a mix of determination, a touch of craziness and an unrelenting drive to serve a market. It means getting up every day, ready to tackle challenges and push forward, even when the path ahead is uncertain. The most challenging aspect is balancing the need to create a product that meets customers’ immediate needs while staying focused on the long-term vision of what you’re building. It’s a delicate dance of priorities, one I’ve learned to navigate through persistence and adaptability.
Why Iowa?
Iowa is where my people are — my family, my friends and my community. This place has been a constant source of support during the highs and lows of startup life. It’s a privilege to be part of an entrepreneurial ecosystem that values collaboration and innovation. I wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else.
Lana Fox is an Iowa native, entrepreneur, wife and mom to three children aged 5, 3 and 1. As the co-founder of ClinicNote, she’s passionate about building innovative solutions for clinicians. She credits her success to the incredible people in her life and her willingness to embrace the unknown. Fox also believes in the power of being “STRONG” — if you ever see her in person, ask her about it!