“I started this company because I was obsessed with her, and what I wanted to feed her. And not being able to find the infant formula that I wanted to give her.”
In this episode of The Entreprenista Podcast, Stephanie sits down with Esther Hallam, founder and CEO of Nara Organics, one of the first organic infant formula brands to enter the U.S. market and now available in more than 1,800 Target stores nationwide. Esther shares her remarkable journey from a 20-year career at iconic venture-backed companies like Google, Gilt, and Martha Stewart to becoming a founder determined to solve a problem she personally faced as a new mom.
Esther reveals how two years of research led her to build a company in one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country, what it took to raise capital, hire a team of scientists from scratch, and persevere through seven years of product development. She also discusses the power of relationships in fundraising, the importance of curiosity as an outsider, and how her grassroots approach helped grow the Nara Baby tracking app to over one million users through word-of-mouth alone.
What We Talked About:
Esther Choi's Entrepreneurial Journey [2:07]
Raising Capital and Building Relationships [9:54]
Marketing Strategies for Launch [14:01]
Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship [19:03]
Creating a Hybrid Work Culture [25:31]
Proud Accomplishments and Future Vision [26:47]
Connect with Esther:
@estherhallam on Instagram
Esther Hallam on LinkedIn
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Guests
Esther Hallam
Hosts
Stephanie Cartin
Stephanie Cartin is a serial entrepreneur, investor, podcast host, community builder, and a champion for women founders. She created the Entreprenista League, a community for women founders, to provide resources and support necessary at all business stages. She’s also the Co-founder of Socialfly, one of the first social media marketing agencies, as well as Entreprenista Media and Pearl Influential Capital which was recently acquired by Cherub. Stephanie has shared her journey managing her health challenges with Multiple Sclerosis, Infertility, and a complicated pregnancy and is an advocate for women going through similar challenges. Her story and businesses have been featured on the Today Show, Bloomberg and Forbes. Consider Stephanie your biggest business cheerleader.
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