Dr. Catharine Arnston is the founder and CEO of ENERGYbits®, a Boston-based wellness company pioneering spirulina and chlorella products for energy, recovery, and whole-body health. After a long career in corporate and entrepreneurship, Catharine was inspired to launch her venture when her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and advised to adopt an alkaline, plant-based diet. Discovering algae as a nutrition powerhouse—backed by decades of research—Catharine became a thought leader and relentless educator, bringing algae tablets to the U.S. market and appearing on Shark Tank, countless podcasts, and industry stages. Her journey exemplifies perseverance, self-funding, and the power of education-first business.
On this episode we talk about:
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How Catharine’s sister’s cancer diagnosis led to researching plant-based, alkaline nutrition—and discovering algae as a science-backed superfood
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The challenging early days: bootstrapping, self-funding, and learning every skill from scratch (including packaging design)
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Building a brand vs. just selling products: patience, persistence, and showing up for years before the breakthrough
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Her Shark Tank story—and why she never wanted VC money, only greater visibility
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How COVID shifted wellness priorities and fueled explosive business growth for ENERGYbits
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The “grind” of entrepreneurship: everyday lessons, constant pivots, and learning when (and how) to hire up
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Practical financing insight: leveraging working capital lines and e-commerce partners for growth, not just outside investors
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Her vision for algae on every kitchen counter—and advice for founders on feedback, pivoting, and longevity
Top 3 Takeaways
1. “Patient, persistent, passionate”—lasting success comes from loving the mission, grinding through the setbacks, and adapting with curiosity every step of the way.
2. The best brands lead with education and trust; ENERGYbits’ podcast-driven growth and science-first focus attracted a loyal, informed audience.
3. Capital grows best from customers and careful borrowing; self-funding, small working capital loans, and disciplined re-investment enabled Catharine to maintain control even as the business scaled.
Notable Quotes
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"Success is just a waiting game. Stick with it. Stay with it—you have to keep your costs low and just not give up."
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"Patient and persistent and passionate—those are the three P's that are really critical."
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"If something’s not working, feedback is a gift. Pivot on market, product, or team and keep moving forward."
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"Learning comes from doing and applying yourself and being curious—curiosity is the key."
Connect with Dr. Catharine Arnston:
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