Behind Her Empire #319: This Founder Had an “Aha Moment,” Quit Her Dream Job & Shook Up the Baby Formula Industry with Laura Modi, Co-Founder of Bobbie
Laura Modi is the co-founder and CEO of Bobbie, the first woman-owned organic infant formula brand in the U.S.
Before starting Bobbie, Laura spent over a decade at Google and Airbnb, earning a reputation for taking risks and thinking big. Growing up in Ireland, entrepreneurship surrounded her, but becoming a mom sparked her passion. Struggling to find a formula she trusted for her daughter, Laura saw a gap in the U.S. market. While pregnant with her second child, she left her tech career to launch Bobbie, the first FDA-approved organic, European-style infant formula in the U.S. Since its January 2021 launch, Bobbie has nourished over 4.5% of U.S. babies and is set to serve even more in the years ahead.
In this episode, Laura shares her journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family in Dublin to working at Google, joining Airbnb in its early days, and eventually moving to the U.S. She discusses lessons learned from working with Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, finding the courage to bet on herself, and how motherhood inspired her to create Bobbie. Laura also addresses the stigma around formula feeding in the U.S. and the emotional challenges many mothers face when feeding doesn’t go as planned.
We discuss the challenges of launching a product in a highly regulated industry, including navigating FDA roadblocks, rebounding after their pilot launch was shut down, and fundraising while visibly pregnant. She shares the value of vulnerability in leadership, the discipline required to succeed as an entrepreneur, and the importance of continuous learning as a CEO. She also discusses the misconceptions about entrepreneurship, the need for innovation in stagnant industries, the power of community and support systems in navigating the ups and downs of business, and so much more.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Laura about:
* Entrepreneurial upbringing shaped Laura's mindset. [03:29]
* Transitioning from Google to Airbnb. [08:20]
* Success requires betting on yourself. [11:27]
* How motherhood reshaped Laura's career. [18:13]
* Feeding challenges can be emotionally taxing for new mothers. [22:52]
* Formula feeding stigma in the U.S. [27:24]
* Bobbie’s early beginnings. [29:20]
* The inspiration behind Bobbie. [31:37]
* Launching a pilot program and biggest learnings. [35:00]
* Resilience drives success amid challenges. [39:52]
* Fundraising while pregnant. [42:40]
* Education is vital for marketing Bobbie. [45:54]
* The importance of curiosity as a CEO. [47:24]
* Designing the world you want. [53:43]
* Misconceptions about entrepreneurship. [55:02]
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
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Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri
* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com
Follow Laura:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraclairemodi
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbie
* Website: https://www.hibobbie.com/
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