Caron Proschan of Simply on Taking the Big Leap, Bootstrap Brand Building, and Natural Gum

Feb 22, 2024

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Caron Proschan, founder and CEO of Simply, believes that simple ideas can change the world, and she’s out to prove it with… chewing gum.

One fateful day Caron reached for a piece of gum and realized it was made of plastic. When she looked for natural options, there were none. So she took her Harvard Business degree and launched Simply, a food startup focused on healthy natural gum and snacks. From cooking up gum in her kitchen and selling it to her local Whole Foods, to challenging billion-dollar brands, Caron is a small business - big industry success story.

Hear Caron share Simply’s unusual beginnings, the secret power of tree sap, and why simple doesn’t mean easy, on this episode of Consensus in Conversation.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Caron realizes there is plastic in traditional chewing gum

00:44 Conor Gaughan introduces Caron Proschan of Simply

03:52 Background, Harvard Business School, and early entrepreneurship

08:14 Simply’s start, bootstrapping a brand, and finding a market

18:52 Scaling up, raising capital slowly, and sustainability in natural food

27:10 Building trust, social impact, and pursuing your passion

34:38 What’s next and where to learn more

36:57 End credits

Hear the episode Conor mentioned, Andrew Gibbs-Dabney of LIVSN on Recovery, Sustainable Design, and Intentional Outerwear

Watch the Made In America episode Conor references in the introduction, Can Regenerative Farming Revive the Earth and Feed the World on YouTube.com/consensusdigitalmedia