204. Shizu Okusa, Founder & CEO of Apothékary

Today I’m joined by Shizu Okusa, founder and CEO of Apothékary, a supplements company rooted in East-meets-West wisdom. 

After exiting her first business in 2019, Shizu set out to disrupt synthetic supplements by launching a platform that makes plant-medicine fun and accessible. Combining ancient ritual and modern science, Apothékary’s adaptogenic blends trade chemical ingredients for clean herbal alternatives.  

In this episode, we discuss Apothékary’s East-meets-West ethos. Plus, we talk about bootstrapping growth, expanding into offline experiences, and developing science-backed supplements.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What Shizu’s learned being a repeat wellness entrepreneur • How Apothékary grew to $25M ARR sans venture funding • Apothékary’s philosophy and process for product development

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Apothékary’s website: https://www.apothekary.co/ Apothékary’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/apothekaryco/ Shizu’s email: shizu@apothekary.co

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Chapters: (01:34) Shizu’s Background (04:20) Learnings as a 2nd time founder (07:37) Differentiation in a competitive industry (11:08) Apothékary’s growth and capital strategy  (15:46) Journey from $0 to $25MM ARR (18:49) Current product offerings (20:50) Apothékary’s retail business  (24:12) How consumers discover wellness products (26:40) Realizations from Shizu’s 7 day Vipassana Meditation Retreat (30:04) Expanding into offline wellness experiences  (34:14) Working with investors that trust your vision (36:56) Product development and clinical trials (40:38) Conclusion