Meet Francisco Cornejo | CEO & Co-founder of Storybook App

We had the good fortune of connecting with Francisco Cornejo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Francisco, how do you think about risk?
While I have been a risk taker for most of my life, just in recent years, I have embraced and understood more deeply how and why to take risks.

For some people, it is all about establishing in some sort of comfort zone. And while there is nothing wrong with trying to find the most predictable scenario for your life, I believe that you can only grow outside of your safe area.

For me, a risk is anything that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Hence, taking risks equals learnings. Looking back, I made several big, bold decisions that have shaped my and my family’s lives.

For example, I quit my C-level job back in Ecuador to move to Australia with my wife and kids to study for a Master’s degree and to start my professional career anew. Most people in my close circle thought that was crazy, and yes, it was thought to let go of the safety net of a corporate career. Still, that decision took us through enormous growth as a family and ultimately became the idea for Storybook (www.storybook-app.com), the app we created with my wife to help families bond, relax and sleep better.

I couldn’t expect to know all the consequences of quitting my job, and of course, there were no warranties that it would work. However, leaving my comfort zone was the catalyst for a massive change in our future, and through our company, in the way over 2 million parents bond with their kids before bedtime, resulting in emotional and physical health improvements for hundreds of thousands of kids in 155 countries.

What should our readers know about your business?
The idea came to us when our kids were suffering from sleep problems, and we were undergoing a family crisis (by that time, living in Australia). However, for me, the big “a-ha” moment was when I realized that my eldest was already four years old, and I missed a lot of bonding time with him because I was too focused on my career. When we introduced multi-sensorial stimulation (massage, music, oils) to our bedtime routine, we saw something that had never happened before: our kids started to fight each other about who was going to bed first. But the main outcome was that we felt so much more connected with each other. Our kids seemed happier and more affectionate, and we felt like super parents – just by giving them a few minutes before bedtime. I turned down a lot of C-level job offerings to pursue this dream, and there is nothing more rewarding than reading reviews from users who tell us that they are experiencing the same connection at home.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a great question.

I’d start by taking them for an Acai bowl in Playa Bowls (to-go). We could go to any beach to enjoy it under the sun. (I tend to like the more up north beaches, like in Palm Beach County.

After a morning in the sun, lunch would be something like a Mr. O1 Pizza (if we are more on the informal side of things) and a relaxing afternoon walking through Wynwood or the Art District, exploring museums/galleries and photo opportunities. For the evening, a dinner in an upscale Brickell restaurant with great city views.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My biggest inspiration and support comes from Daniela Vega (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniela-vega-3528b4175/) My partner in everything. She is the Co-founder of Storybook, an author of more than 100 children’s stories, and above everything else, the wonderful mom of Juan Daniel and Tomas.

Website: www.storybook-app.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storybook_app/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fxcornejo/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fxcornejo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storybookapp.en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/storybookapp