Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business 1203: Building a community of over 8,000 parents and turning it into a THRIVING APP and business w/ Lucie Thome
Lucie Thome turned the overwhelming experience of feeding her first baby into a mission-driven tech platform that’s changing the game for modern parents. In this episode, she shares how Bébé Foodie was born from a place of empathy, research, and a desire to support guilt-free parenting. Lucie didn’t just build an app—she built a movement, complete with expert guidance, personalized tools, and a rapidly growing community of over 8,000 parents. This conversation is a masterclass in how to turn personal challenges into a scalable, impactful business that puts people first.
💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business
- 🚀 Why building a brand around trust is more powerful than having all the answers
- 🤱 How to transform your lived experiences into a high-growth startup
- 📈 The importance of audience-building before you launch a product
- 💰 Why prioritizing organic growth and partnerships can fuel early traction
- 🔧 How to balance perfectionism with progress in your entrepreneurial journey
- 🌍 What it means to blend cultural insights into product design for greater impact
- 👥 How to build a team that aligns with your values—not just your vision
📝 About the Guest
Lucie Thome is the founder of Bébé Foodie, a French-inspired, expert-built app designed to ease the stress of feeding young children. After more than a decade in brand strategy, Lucie’s most profound shift came with motherhood—when she realized that feeding challenges stem more from lack of trusted support than lack of information. As a French mom raising kids in the U.S., she saw the cultural disconnects in feeding philosophies and created Bébé Foodie to offer balanced, judgment-free guidance. Since its February launch, the app has doubled installs, with 25% of paying users opting for annual plans. Lucie also built a pre-launch community of 8,000+ engaged parents, now driving strong word-of-mouth growth.
🎯 Lucie’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
“Choose your people. Don’t just hire for skills—hire for shared values.”
Key Takeaways from Lucie’s Advice:
✔ Know your non-negotiables in communication and collaboration
✔ Surround yourself with people who energize—not drain—you
✔ Build a team that reflects your values to scale without friction
📢 Memorable Quotes
- “Parenthood isn’t perfect, and neither is entrepreneurship. The best thing you can do is take action anyway.” – Lucie Thome
- “I’m not French enough for France, and not American enough for the U.S.—so I decided to make that my strength.” – Lucie Thome
- “Our app exists to give parents peace of mind, not more pressure.” – Lucie Thome
💡 Actionable Takeaways
- ✅ Focus on building community before building the product
- ✅ Don’t underestimate the power of SEO and educational content
- ✅ Use customer testimonials to drive your entire marketing engine
- ✅ Let your values guide who you hire and partner with
- ✅ Design tools that fit your customers’ real-life constraints—not just ideals
🔗 Links & Resources