Stop Overthinking, Start Doing: How This Founder Left Her 9–5 & Launched a Viral Wellness Brand with Katie Wilson, co-founder of BelliWelli

Katie Wilson is the co-founder of BelliWelli, a wellness brand transforming the digestive health space with delicious bars and easy-to-take fiber supplements.​ Katie didn’t set out to start a wellness brand—especially not from her kitchen. But after years of struggling with gut issues and finding zero snack options that were both effective and actually enjoyable to eat, she decided to take matters into her own hands. At the time, Katie had built a successful career as the Chief Dating Expert at Match, helping people find love for a living. But in 2020, she and her husband Nick started experimenting with fiber-packed recipes in their own home, driven by Katie’s personal journey and frustration with the lack of gut-friendly foods on the market. What started as a scrappy kitchen project turned into BelliWell. Today, their products are available in over 6,300 stores nationwide, including major retailers like Target and Walmart. In this week’s episode, Katie opens up about her very unexpected journey from professional matchmaker to becoming the founder of a gut-friendly snack company. Katie talks about the shamelessness, self-belief, and resilience that is needed to succeed, and how her corporate experience equipped her with the skills she needed to take eventually take the leap. Katie opens up about the early scrappy days—from acquiring Facebook groups to grow a community, to launching her first product and fundraising during a pandemic—all while managing life as a new mom. She also dives into the power of co-founders with complementary skills, the lessons learned from manufacturing challenges, why constant product improvement and staying close to the customer are key to building a lasting brand, and so much more.  In this episode, we’ll talk to Katie about: * Katie's early passion for matchmaking. [03:07] * Shamelessness is a key trait for entrepreneurs. [07:13] * Developing confidence during the early stage of her career. [08:41] * Moving to Dallas and working in Match. [14:31] * Corporate experience can provide valuable skills for startups. [17:05] * Katie's gut health issues sparked her entrepreneurial journey. [17:42] * Building a community and acquiring Facebook groups. [20:34] * Having co-founders with complementary skills is essential. [25:58] * The inspiration behind BelliWelli’s first product. [27:32] * The early days of entrepreneurship. [30:42] * Believing in the possibility of success. [31:44] * Managing motherhood and business. [34:09] * Katie’s first steps in fundraising. [35:36] * Product launch and manufacturing challenges. [39:24] * Continuous improvement should be a core business goal. [46:18] * Insights from engaging with customers. [48:19] This episode is brought to you by beeya:  * Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances.  * Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10 Follow Yasmin:  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/ * Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Follow Katie:  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiebostonwilson/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belliwellihealth/ * Website: https://belliwelli.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.