February 19, 2024 • 28 mins
Welcome to a captivating episode of "Inspired" where we explore the unique start-up journey of our guest, Caitlin Vander, the founder and owner of Kid Star Nutrients. Glean valuable insights from Caitlin's entrepreneurial narrative, from the genesis of her company to its rising success amidst challenging pandemic conditions. Embark on an intimate journey as Caitlin shares about an exciting and nervous interaction on the popular business reality show "Dragon's Den".
This episode also engages with the complex issue of nutrition for young children. Caitlin, who began her business journey by creating supplements specifically for her own child's needs, delves deep into the responsibility and intricacy of creating safe and effective products. Her dedication to transparency and quality is evident throughout the conversation, providing a valuable insider's perspective on the children’s supplement industry.
KidStar Nutrients (@kidstarnutrients) • Instagram photos and videos
KidStar Nutrients (@kidstarnutrients) • Instagram photos and videos
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello, and welcome to Inspired, your grown-up girl talk. I'm Stacey Fleece with
Samantha Tredelius. Samantha.
Hey, girl. We survived the Armageddon storm.
We did. We should have come out on the other side. I don't know what part of
the country we pushed it to currently, but I wish them luck.
It was a doozy of a storm. And we California folk, although we both are from
(00:24):
the Pacific Northwest, so we're, you know, we're versed in weather.
We're not built for gusts of
wind and rain it's just
we all have shut down basically now i like i'm
okay with the rain but the 60 mile an hour gusts of
wind where even my dogs are cowering in the corner of the like no thank you
(00:45):
no thank you chicago you keep that you can keep your crazy weather friends we
don't want that here but we have just another banner guest another blonde You
can't see us because we just post the audio,
but here we go with the blondes that really do have more fun.
We do. And we'll post a picture because we have had this consistent theme of blondes on the show.
(01:06):
Yeah. So I feel like this is picture worthy, which you would have done anyway,
even if I hadn't said it. So that's cool. Correct.
But joining us today from the great white North Vancouver, Canada,
we have Caitlin Vander who has kid star nutrients that you started as your own company in 2020.
(01:28):
Although you have some familial background in vitamin companies and building them.
And let's, let's go back to, I don't want to go all the way back to the flowers
necessarily, although I do love that story.
And by the way, did your mom know you were picking her flowers and making bouquets
and and selling them to the neighbors?
(01:49):
She figured it out. She figured it out. She was like, where are my echinaceas? All over the place.
I was like, they're beautiful. She had these beautiful echinacea flowers, roses.
Oh, they were a hit. I was making good money off those flowers.
An entrepreneur from the beginning. Like the deer must be hitting up our flower.
Like the nine-year-old logic behind that is fantastic.
But we'll fast forward slightly because your mom started a vitamin company and
(02:13):
you and your brother, right?
Also worked in the company. So let's talk about that, what background that gave
you and then how you launched into your own.
Right. Yeah. It's actually an interesting story. In high school,
she was doing education and she was working for a few different companies in the industry.
And I actually watched how the industry was treating her and how much she was
(02:34):
working and like how hard it was for her. And I actually thought in my head,
I'm never going to do that.
This this is so hard. You know, she's working, you know, 10 times harder than
everybody else. And she's not making the same money. I could see it as a teenager.
And I was like, no, never going to do it. And then I went to university and
I was like, I'm going to pick something that's completely different.
And I first went into, I got my bachelor of arts in social science,
(02:56):
and then I went on to become a teacher. So then I went and did my bachelor of education.
But during that time is when she launched her company, Lorna Van Drake Health
Solutions. It's now known as Smart Solutions.
It's, you can see it in the shelves, it's all pink. And it's a women's health supplement line.
And at the time I had just graduated and she said, you know,
I need someone for these three things in the business. Do you want to do it?
(03:17):
And I was like, you know what, I'm due.
Of course. Of course, I'll come with you on this journey. So then I started working for her.
And I worked for her for, oh, I feel like it was about 15 years.
But at one point, she actually sold to Jameson Wellness, a company here in Canada.
And we continued to work the same ass, same ass for a very long time.
And then they decided to close our office in Vancouver.
And at that time, my second daughter was diagnosed with iron deficiency.
(03:41):
And at that point, I was like, okay, I know how to make great products for adults.
I did the supply chain for her company. So raw material to finish product on
the shelf. So I knew that we could make better products for kids.
And I knew that my kids and other kids out there deserve something better than what was already there.
So that's when I started my company, Kids Star Nutrients, was based on my own
family's need for better quality products.
(04:02):
I just feel like we need to highlight the fact that you worked with your mom
for 15 years and you did not kill each other.
I feel like there's an award ceremony right there. So, you know,
it's you, it's like a fine art.
I think that, you know, at some point we go into meetings and she'll say something
and I'll finish the sentence. And they're like, how did you know that?
And I'm like, I just knew, I knew that's where she was going with that.
(04:25):
Just, we just have the same mind. You got it. Yeah. All right.
And then let's, so awesome idea.
Fantastic idea. You know, Mark, as we've seen with so many people,
market need that then you fill.
And you decide to launch in January of 2020.
And let me just bring everybody back to what happened in February of 2020. Shall we revisit?
(04:46):
Do we need to revisit? No.
It was like, you know, we were like prepped at the end of 2019.
I'm like, okay, this is great. We have a Canadian Health Food Association event
that was happening basically the beginning of February called CHFA.
Faith. And I was like, great, we're going to launch at the show.
We had all these consumer events. We had all the product ready to go.
(05:08):
We're at the show. We're kind of had, there was like rumblings.
You know, we had a dental conference that I think, you know,
spurred a bunch of, you know, spreading right before our event.
Super spreader. It was the dental conference.
And so, and then it was like two weeks later, it was like, sorry,
you can't come into the store.
No, we're doing this. Kids are at home. And I was like, Like, I got all this product.
(05:30):
I have all these shows booked. I had all these deposits out.
And you're just like, okay, well, I guess we pivot.
And so we very much did a big pivot in the first three months of the company being alive.
And thankfully, by the end, about September, that pivot worked.
But it was a lot of, we kept looking at each other going, okay.
(05:51):
Okay. Yeah. What about now? Kind of scary.
So what about all of the people out there that are like, you know,
my kids don't need anything.
You know, that's, you know, I'm not comfortable with giving my children things
because I know as a parent of young children, when my kids were younger,
I would always buy them the little gummy vitamin C, you know,
if I knew that there was some sniffles and stuff going on.
(06:13):
But a lot of people have a lot of opinions about it. So what do you say to those folks?
You know, I'm actually happy they have an opinion.
I'm happy they're worried. about things, ingredients, etc. I do say,
number one, you check the label.
Supplements with NPN, so a natural product number in Canada,
means it's gone through our Health Canada process and it's been approved for sale in Canada.
(06:33):
We have very strict regulations on testing and requirements for kids.
So whatever is on that label with that number means it's been approved for that
age group and for all the ingredients in it, which is really important to know.
But also, we do think that parents should read every single ingredient on the
label. And this This goes for the packaged foods we're buying in the grocery store.
You know, the front of the box might look great, but as soon as you turn it
(06:55):
over and you're reading all the ingredients, not just the like medicinals or
the actives, the non-medicinals. So what are we adding to this product to make it taste good?
Is it a great ingredient or is it an ingredient that you would never feed to
your kids if you knew it was in there? So, you know, I do think that's really important.
Getting everything you can from food is extremely challenging.
(07:16):
And I know I have three girls.
Some days they don't want to eat anything some days
they eat only apples some days they'll eat everything so
you know it's getting everything into our kids that
they need is really stressful and if
you know that you're giving them what you can and
they're taking what they can and you just add a multivitamin on top of that
to fill the needs it takes one layer of stress off of you because i remember
(07:39):
when we were kids it was just the flintstone it was a bit like just and you
You only ate the Flintstone because you liked the Flintstone and they tasted
good, but I don't know that they were really doing what they were supposed to.
Now there's a lot of different things on the market. It's hard to navigate and know what is right.
One of the things I do love about your product and I love about Canada is that
(07:59):
your systems and processes that you have to go through are much more robust
than a lot of other places, including the United States.
So at least we've got that badge for you. We know that what you're making is
good stuff because it's going through a very rigorous you know,
planning and production.
Yeah, no, it's true. I think there's part of the European Union has something quite similar to us.
(08:21):
And I think Australia is the only one that's more strict than Canada,
but they're all quite equal.
And, you know, it's important to make sure that what you are giving your kids,
it's what it is inside it. You know, the label is accurate.
It's tested appropriately and it's safe. So those are important things to check.
I actually spoke to another guest a couple weeks ago who does supplements specific
(08:41):
for women's health relative to perimenopause. Menopause is really her target.
And she also was in Canada. And she actually said, I mean, I'm just saying I
would not buy any supplements made in the U.S.
Like that literally came out of her mouth. And it kind of hit me like,
because we just don't have that level of regulation that you do.
So that's my new mantra, by the way. First of all, I'm not a big supplement
(09:04):
girl until all of a sudden I was.
And now I'm only buying things made and certified in Canada.
Now, there are some really good brands in the US.
I'm sure they are. Don't get me wrong. There are some great brands.
I'm sure they are. But if I have not gone through the certification in Canada, I've decided I'm out.
I do want to back up on one thing, though, because I thought this was fascinating.
(09:27):
I did not know this. And I bet 99% of our people listening don't know this.
You said that gummy supplements lack a lot of the ingredients needed and that,
potentially you need five to six gummy supplements to
get what you get in one chewable yes can you explain that a little bit because
i i think as a parent like we i mean i have two college kids now but i think
(09:51):
we've all like bought the gummy vitamins for kids and felt really fucking good
about it and now i'm thinking maybe that was i don't even think i should feed
those to my dog at this point.
So I'm just, I don't, what does that mean?
There's definitely, there's limitations. The way that it's manufactured,
right? It's a high heat process and you have to get all the ingredients to make the gummy.
(10:12):
Like it's the same, you know, to make any gummy, the same type of ingredients.
And then you also have to get the nutrients inside it as well.
So if you turn the side over on a gummy, it'll probably say take two to three or two to five.
Per day to get this daily dose. So on a chewable, you can pack a lot of ingredients
into that hard chewable, like the Flintstone style.
So like it's just a chewable vitamin, right? So you would look at the label
(10:35):
and say, okay, this chewable multivitamin has 25 ingredients in it.
And I take one to two, one to two means that each one has enough in it.
But two, if you're growing or you're, yeah, you never know, right?
Maybe you're really picky eater.
We all we all need to over overachieve in something if it's vitamin taking.
I feel like that's a low bar, but we can do it.
(10:57):
We can, we can. So then if you look on the gummy label, normally it's got five to 10 ingredients.
So you really need to look at the ingredients on the label and how much the
dosage is. There are some gummy vitamins that are even covered in sugar.
So like it's already a gummy and then they've added sugar to the outside of
it. So it can be with a smattering of vitamins.
(11:18):
Yes. So like some people in Canada, there's a few natural health specialists
here that call call it pixie dusting.
And they're like, oh, a gummy is pixie dusting. You're just getting a little
bit like the trace minerals. You're getting a little bit of it.
It's just, it's in there somewhere, but you're not going to get your money's worth.
And if you have more than one child and you're going through those bottles rapidly, it's money.
(11:38):
And it's money that should be spent elsewhere at a better quality product.
Now, what happens if you were to take supplements and even as kids,
like do their little bodies do what our bodies do? If we just have too much
of something we just pee it out?
Depends on the ingredient. So certain things are water-soluble,
you'll pee them out. Like vitamin C, you pee it out.
(11:58):
Other things that are supposed to accumulate in your body, so like iron, you don't pee that out.
You're supposed to use it, obviously. You're using the iron as well in your
body. Every time you sweat, you lose iron. Every time you menstruate, you lose iron.
Every time you work out. So those kind of things do happen.
But you just follow the like, you're not supposed to eat the whole bottle.
So that's why there's childproof lids for the kids. and it says,
(12:20):
you know, one to two a day and you stay within the dosage and those dosages
are meant for that age group and they're safe within that age group.
I like it. I like it. I feel already smarter. So thank you.
Okay, so family affair, you worked in your mom's business.
You've got three girls. Yep. I probably not like paid employees at this point,
(12:43):
but unwitting volunteers. I assume they are your favorite testing folk.
They are. They are my taste testers.
And they have three very different palettes. so it
is very entertaining when you bring a product home and you're like okay
this is the new product let's all try it and they look at you they're like
it's it's yellow or they won't even you're
like put it in your mouth and try it and they're like why i'm like
(13:06):
i'm like and chew it because you can't suck
on it so it's very entertaining when you have three so my youngest is
six and my oldest turns 12 in a month so i
get i get a variety of you know comments a
lot of them are what sample is this is this sample number one
or is this sample number 10 i think i'll try
sample number 10 how many times have you gotten to the end
(13:28):
and you're like this is it and then you've given
it to them and you're like shit that's not it like how many times and be like
not gonna work we're gonna have to change the it can't be yellow fix it like
it's happened right it is it has happened and it's more you look at it go okay
yeah i see it but you know what it's better that at that point,
(13:50):
they say it because if they don't say anything and then you go to market and
you're like, oh yeah, that would have been better in a different shape.
Then you did save yourself quite a bit. But yeah, they're definitely truthful.
As far as like making a product, we've talked to a ton of different,
you know, skincare and, you know, lotions and potions and all kinds of things.
(14:10):
We've never really dug into, you know, this type of brand and what does it take
to like make it like idea creation on shelves.
And then also like, I got to like, I mean, you've had a lot of experience with,
you know, your prior job, so to speak.
But I mean, there had to be some roadblocks. I mean, we've talked to different
people about like sourcing packaging and manufacturing and labeling and all
(14:34):
these different things.
So what were some of those major hurdles that you kind of found yourself dealing
with, even as a seasoned professional in this space?
Well, during COVID was really hard because of packaging. So even if you had
preset packaging three months later, they're like, oh, sorry,
we don't have that packaging anymore.
So I think one of our products, the lid changed four times.
You couldn't tell it was still a white lid, but for on your supply chain side,
(14:58):
it becomes a roadblock every single time.
Okay, now we have to approve another one.
Approve another one. I'm sure the consumer never noticed.
Which as a consumer, I would never even think that a lid would be a thing.
Like, but, you know, as a creator, it is a thing.
So for me, the great part was is that when I went to make the product was specifically for my daughter.
So we knew that we had to get iron into her. She refused to take any of the products on the market.
(15:22):
Also, the ingredients were horrific. But at that point, the pediatrician was
like, she has to take something.
So doesn't matter. Don't read the ingredients. Like, stop reading the ingredients.
And I was like, I can't not read the ingredients. You can't not read the ingredients.
I know. And she was like, it's important. Like, just get the iron in her.
And I'm like, well, she won't eat them anyways.
Like, she hated all of them. And if you even got her to taste one and she didn't
(15:42):
like it, then she was never going to try another one. So we were in this constant circle.
So I went to the ingredient suppliers that I knew and I was like, what can we do?
There's got to be an ingredient out there that will work for my daughter. And we found one.
And then from there, I realized making products for adults actually significantly
easier than making them for children.
(16:03):
I was like, no more is the vegetarian capsule, closing all that in and you just swallow it.
It has to look good. It has to taste good. The texture has to be right.
The label has to be like child-friendly, just like the look of it.
Everything about it was a different obstacle for kids.
And of course, you can only use certain ingredients in kids' products versus
adult products. So you are limited.
(16:24):
And as soon as you remove artificial colors and flavors, you really have to
look at your formulas because the natural stuff, you know, looks different from
lot to lot because it's natural.
It's variation from the crop that year had and, you know, those kinds of different
things. So, you know, you start realizing that.
There's like little hurdles here and there, but it just, it hits you every single time.
(16:46):
And then of course the consumer wants the same thing every time.
So you have to really let them know, okay, this is a natural product.
You are going to see color variation. You know, don't worry.
It does happen. And of course flavor.
So the flavor was the biggest one for us. Yeah.
All right. So you have this business now officially for four years.
You are, you've made it to toddler.
(17:07):
Like that's amazing. amazing. I want to shift a little bit because you recently went on Dragon's Den.
And for those who don't know, Dragon's Den is the Canadian version of Shark
Tape, which I am obsessed with and have been obsessed with since it rolled out.
So tell us what what was that like? How did that happen? And I think were you nervous?
(17:30):
It you know, like when you start sweating and you put the toilet paper in your
armpits, like just in case, before I went on, there was a lot of this.
And then my producer was like, don't worry, I'll make sure you take them out
before you go on air. And I was like, I never thought about forgetting that.
Wearing a light colored shirt on Dragonstone is key.
Yeah, you got to pay attention. You got to pay attention to what you're,
(17:53):
you know, the bodily reactions.
But it was actually a very cool experience. So I found out through another company
that there was an open audition in Vancouver.
And so I packed all my stuff up. I found out like 24 hours ahead of time.
I packed all my stuff up from the office and I waited in line the next morning
at CBC Vancouver for my name to be called.
(18:14):
I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen. I didn't know who was going
to be there, who I was pitching to. You didn't even have time to prepare.
It was like, oh, tomorrow. Cool. I'll be there. I was like, I wrote on a piece
of paper, like what I was going to say. And I just memorized.
I was like, okay, I don't know what's going to happen, but I'll just memorize
this and we're going to go.
So I set up all my stuff and she was like, super nice.
And she was so calm. And I was like, I'm like, okay, okay, I can do this.
(18:36):
And then I did my whole pitch and she asked me a number of questions and she
was like, okay, this situation is that we call you.
Don't call us. I'm like, okay. Okay.
Okay. That sounds great. She's like, and if you don't hear by this date, then it's a no anyways.
I'm like, great. And so I was like, I don't know what I'm supposed to say to
that. And I was like, great. So I packed all my stuff up.
I went home, kind of just took my picture outside the building and like,
(18:59):
I auditioned. This is great.
Your friends are like, how did it go? And you're like, I have absolutely no idea. idea.
Like it went, it was stressful. I think it was good.
No idea. And then I got an email and it was like, okay, you're going to meet
a producer and you're going to do the next step. And I was like.
Okay, sounds good. And they're like, make sure you don't have anything happening
between this date and this date because we don't know when you're going to go. I was like, all right.
(19:25):
And then I finally got my date and you work with a producer to make sure that
you're TV ready, give you a little prompts and stuff like that to make sure you know what to expect.
But really, it's very much you and you're out there.
And then I showed up that morning at 7 a.m. Toronto time. So,
you know, it was a little bit early for me, but it was good.
(19:46):
And yeah, and then you don't know what time you're going to go on in order either when you sit there.
So they give you like a green room. They go over a few things and then you kind of wait again.
And then I got I got mic'd up and they're like, you're next.
And I'm like, is it like American Idol when you come out of the room and everybody
knows if you got if you made it to Hollywood or not?
Or do they do they send you out another direction? So everyone waiting has no
(20:09):
idea what happened with you.
Like what's the interaction there so you're
not supposed to talk to the other people that are going to go on they're all
in their green rooms kind of like hidden away so
only the producers and like the video people and the sound people know so when
you come out it's only them and then they get your reaction as you leave as
well and they do show that on air too like you know how your reaction and if
(20:33):
you call someone and that kind of thing so that's pretty cool but no you're
You're not, they're not supposed to see your face.
So that, cause she said to us, we don't want anyone else to know what,
what happened with yours until it airs on TV.
Oh, so you're not allowed to say anything. All right. So let's talk about what
I think you were asking for 50 for 10%, right?
Yeah. And, and we got offers from all five dragons and they,
(20:57):
and they split it into two.
So three of them went together and two of them went together and it ended up being 450 for 15%.
And I went with Arlene and Wes. yes yeah this is very exciting and how has that
experience been great it's what's we're in due diligence it was just the end
of november so we'll see what happens you know i'm.
Excited to see if anything does occur from it. You know, there's a lot,
(21:19):
a lot of behind the scenes that they, that they do.
So, so one of the things they always ask on Shark Tank, and I'm sure they ask
them Greg and Sten too, is what are you going to do with the money?
What's your, what, what are your plans with the, with the financing?
So how does 450 launch your business to the next level?
Right. So if we were in the States, it wouldn't go very far just for the vast size.
(21:42):
Thanks. Thank you for that boat of business. America.
It's just, it's a lot. Obviously, you know, you got to ship it across the country.
So for, and of course our population's the same as, as California.
Some people don't realize. You're very concentrated because you're very,
you're all very close to the border.
Well, we know the farther up you go, the colder it is. So, you know,
(22:04):
we gotta, we gotta keep it in that area.
You're huddled by the Gator. I like it.
Really? What is, what is the plan with that? A lot of it's marketing,
making sure that people know who we are.
That's a big one. and also making sure we have enough working capital because
as you grow and we're growing quite fast, the amount of money you're putting
towards products and launching and the turnover is really high,
(22:25):
but you pay for your products in 30 days and then you sell them within X amount of months.
So of course, you're gonna always have that little leg.
So wanting to have enough that we can keep growing and put money towards the
right things is what we wanted it for.
So one of the dragons that you partnered up with is Big and M&A.
Yes. What does that mean to you and your business?
(22:48):
Yeah, he was tough too. Like they only show seven minutes, but there was an
hour and a half of questions and he was tough.
And I kind of was like, no one knows how tough he was.
Are you thinking exit strategy or are you thinking?
He was thinking exit strategy from the beginning. And you know,
for me, it was, I want to see my company grow and I want to get it to a point
(23:11):
where I can have those conversations if I want them.
But right now, I really want to see my products out there, making sure parents
know that there's a different option, that they don't have to struggle with
iron deficiency in their kids.
So for me, it's kind of like a double thing. I want my company to be to the
point where I can have that conversation and have a good conversation.
But right now, I'm very much in the...
(23:34):
You're in the weeds, girl. I'm in the weeds. So it's, you know,
I like what I'm doing. I like it a lot.
But it's, and it's, you can definitely tell in your voice and just your demeanor,
you know, you're very excited about what you're doing, which,
you know, owning a business is, as we've said, time and time again, very challenging.
And then also to be in your industry is, you know, with this kind of,
it's an evolving moment, I think.
(23:56):
And then you throw in the child component, which is like a whole nother animal.
One of the things I noticed when we were doing our read up on you is you are
about to launch your products on Amazon in the U.S. so we can get them down here.
Yes. So we've been working on also on our direct to consumer,
like our own website to ship to the U.S. as well.
We have a lot of American customers that reach out to us through our own kidsdarnutrients.com website.
(24:20):
And we're always like, oh, we're so close. We're so close to being able to do it ourselves.
We are launching on Amazon.com and Walmart.com and then through our own website.
So right now you're not able to to sell to the States? You can only,
is that, are we not allowed to buy it?
You can buy it through our retail partners, but we can't physically ship just
yet. We're just, the logistics side of it is almost done.
(24:41):
So like we have a three online sellers in Canada that also ship to the U S they ship international.
So they, they can service customers. How big of a pain in the ass is it to get
that part of your business set up?
You know, it's just many layers that I did not realize lies that occurred.
You know, it's like the small things. So our labels are different for the U.S.
(25:03):
And then, of course, on the website, you have to have two different back ends.
So you have your Canadian, you have your American, and on the Canadian side,
you also have the French side.
So you really have to make sure that everything is done perfectly so that when
it does go to the 3PL, so a shipping company in the U.S.
Where it's housing our products, it goes to the right place.
And it's, you know, dotting your I's and crossing your T's, making sure that
(25:26):
it is correct before before you start so that you don't have headaches later.
That's the second time we've heard that about labels. Why do the labels have
to be different for the U.S. than they are in Canada?
We have, so for us, we have to have French and English on our products.
That's number one. And then you could sell them with French and English here.
Just nobody would care. You're right. You're right.
They'd be like, what is this language? And I'd be like, don't worry.
(25:47):
It's our second language.
So that's one. And then our supplement facts are a little bit different than
yours. Like just the way Health Canada wants it to be shown.
They're just, they are different. And then of course you guys have the food drug administration.
We have Health Canada. So there are different, you could,
I guess in theory, put all of it
on the same label and then it'd be compliant in both countries but they're
(26:08):
just the supplement facts are done a little bit probably wouldn't look as good you
would think that they would have like a governing body that they could like
being the ours are so relaxed that the u.s would be like okay we're gonna be
okay if it's approved in canada then we're okay here but that's what i'm thinking
yeah i mean sure we are creating policy and we don't even know it i feel like
that i feel like we're wasting i feel like we found some government work that
(26:32):
we could get You know what?
If their standards are all higher, why would we not just use that? Jump on.
I don't know. It would be a lot easier for us Canadians, that's for sure.
Seriously, I think. But it's interesting, you know, just going back to like
the caps on the bottles to like how you market yourself, having the different
websites, because I never really realized it.
(26:54):
But, you know, if I go to buy something online and it's Canadian, it's a .ca.
And I'm thinking about it as a consumer about what that looks like for us here in the US.
So it's very interesting to have the conversation and kind of have a little insight.
The more you know, ladies, the more you know. Yeah, well, and marketing.
The marketing is actually even
more important. So you have very different marketing for US and Canada.
(27:15):
So for us in Canada, we can only say what the product's been approved for.
So in that license, when we get it, it says you can say all these things about
your product, and we've approved it, and it's great.
But in the US, because it's not the same process, you actually can say less. Yes.
Really? Yeah. So it's, it's an, it is interesting.
So a lot of the things say, you know, let me understand this.
(27:36):
We're not really going to approve it.
So since we don't look at it and approve it, we're not going to let you say
shit, but you can sell it. But you can tell them. Yeah.
You just stay within their framework. You got to stay within the framework.
Yeah, I know. We've got, we've got a different, a whole different conversation.
I think we're unpacking here.
(27:56):
Caitlin, Kidstar Nutrients, you are a superstar.
I feel definitely a little more versed when it comes to supplements for children.
Please, would you concur there?
Yeah, I don't have any youngs. I don't have any littles to give them to anymore,
but I'll give them to my oldest. Right? Yeah.
I think everybody needs a little Kidstar Nutrients in their life.
(28:17):
We will post your website, your Instagram, all the places.
We will keep an eye. We will even post your Dragon's Den episode so our listeners
can check in and watch you in action.
Thank you for sharing you, your story, and keep doing the good work.
We hope that everybody gets out there this week and is inspired.
Hello, and welcome to Inspired, your grown-up girl talk. I'm Stacey Fleece with
Samantha Tredelius. Samantha.
Hey, girl. We survived the Armageddon storm.
We did. We should have come out on the other side. I don't know what part of
the country we pushed it to currently, but I wish them luck.
It was a doozy of a storm. And we California folk, although we both are from
(00:24):
the Pacific Northwest, so we're, you know, we're versed in weather.
We're not built for gusts of
wind and rain it's just
we all have shut down basically now i like i'm
okay with the rain but the 60 mile an hour gusts of
wind where even my dogs are cowering in the corner of the like no thank you
(00:45):
no thank you chicago you keep that you can keep your crazy weather friends we
don't want that here but we have just another banner guest another blonde You
can't see us because we just post the audio,
but here we go with the blondes that really do have more fun.
We do. And we'll post a picture because we have had this consistent theme of blondes on the show.
(01:06):
Yeah. So I feel like this is picture worthy, which you would have done anyway,
even if I hadn't said it. So that's cool. Correct.
But joining us today from the great white North Vancouver, Canada,
we have Caitlin Vander who has kid star nutrients that you started as your own company in 2020.
(01:28):
Although you have some familial background in vitamin companies and building them.
And let's, let's go back to, I don't want to go all the way back to the flowers
necessarily, although I do love that story.
And by the way, did your mom know you were picking her flowers and making bouquets
and and selling them to the neighbors?
(01:49):
She figured it out. She figured it out. She was like, where are my echinaceas? All over the place.
I was like, they're beautiful. She had these beautiful echinacea flowers, roses.
Oh, they were a hit. I was making good money off those flowers.
An entrepreneur from the beginning. Like the deer must be hitting up our flower.
Like the nine-year-old logic behind that is fantastic.
But we'll fast forward slightly because your mom started a vitamin company and
(02:13):
you and your brother, right?
Also worked in the company. So let's talk about that, what background that gave
you and then how you launched into your own.
Right. Yeah. It's actually an interesting story. In high school,
she was doing education and she was working for a few different companies in the industry.
And I actually watched how the industry was treating her and how much she was
(02:34):
working and like how hard it was for her. And I actually thought in my head,
I'm never going to do that.
This this is so hard. You know, she's working, you know, 10 times harder than
everybody else. And she's not making the same money. I could see it as a teenager.
And I was like, no, never going to do it. And then I went to university and
I was like, I'm going to pick something that's completely different.
And I first went into, I got my bachelor of arts in social science,
(02:56):
and then I went on to become a teacher. So then I went and did my bachelor of education.
But during that time is when she launched her company, Lorna Van Drake Health
Solutions. It's now known as Smart Solutions.
It's, you can see it in the shelves, it's all pink. And it's a women's health supplement line.
And at the time I had just graduated and she said, you know,
I need someone for these three things in the business. Do you want to do it?
(03:17):
And I was like, you know what, I'm due.
Of course. Of course, I'll come with you on this journey. So then I started working for her.
And I worked for her for, oh, I feel like it was about 15 years.
But at one point, she actually sold to Jameson Wellness, a company here in Canada.
And we continued to work the same ass, same ass for a very long time.
And then they decided to close our office in Vancouver.
And at that time, my second daughter was diagnosed with iron deficiency.
(03:41):
And at that point, I was like, okay, I know how to make great products for adults.
I did the supply chain for her company. So raw material to finish product on
the shelf. So I knew that we could make better products for kids.
And I knew that my kids and other kids out there deserve something better than what was already there.
So that's when I started my company, Kids Star Nutrients, was based on my own
family's need for better quality products.
(04:02):
I just feel like we need to highlight the fact that you worked with your mom
for 15 years and you did not kill each other.
I feel like there's an award ceremony right there. So, you know,
it's you, it's like a fine art.
I think that, you know, at some point we go into meetings and she'll say something
and I'll finish the sentence. And they're like, how did you know that?
And I'm like, I just knew, I knew that's where she was going with that.
(04:25):
Just, we just have the same mind. You got it. Yeah. All right.
And then let's, so awesome idea.
Fantastic idea. You know, Mark, as we've seen with so many people,
market need that then you fill.
And you decide to launch in January of 2020.
And let me just bring everybody back to what happened in February of 2020. Shall we revisit?
(04:46):
Do we need to revisit? No.
It was like, you know, we were like prepped at the end of 2019.
I'm like, okay, this is great. We have a Canadian Health Food Association event
that was happening basically the beginning of February called CHFA.
Faith. And I was like, great, we're going to launch at the show.
We had all these consumer events. We had all the product ready to go.
(05:08):
We're at the show. We're kind of had, there was like rumblings.
You know, we had a dental conference that I think, you know,
spurred a bunch of, you know, spreading right before our event.
Super spreader. It was the dental conference.
And so, and then it was like two weeks later, it was like, sorry,
you can't come into the store.
No, we're doing this. Kids are at home. And I was like, Like, I got all this product.
(05:30):
I have all these shows booked. I had all these deposits out.
And you're just like, okay, well, I guess we pivot.
And so we very much did a big pivot in the first three months of the company being alive.
And thankfully, by the end, about September, that pivot worked.
But it was a lot of, we kept looking at each other going, okay.
(05:51):
Okay. Yeah. What about now? Kind of scary.
So what about all of the people out there that are like, you know,
my kids don't need anything.
You know, that's, you know, I'm not comfortable with giving my children things
because I know as a parent of young children, when my kids were younger,
I would always buy them the little gummy vitamin C, you know,
if I knew that there was some sniffles and stuff going on.
(06:13):
But a lot of people have a lot of opinions about it. So what do you say to those folks?
You know, I'm actually happy they have an opinion.
I'm happy they're worried. about things, ingredients, etc. I do say,
number one, you check the label.
Supplements with NPN, so a natural product number in Canada,
means it's gone through our Health Canada process and it's been approved for sale in Canada.
(06:33):
We have very strict regulations on testing and requirements for kids.
So whatever is on that label with that number means it's been approved for that
age group and for all the ingredients in it, which is really important to know.
But also, we do think that parents should read every single ingredient on the
label. And this This goes for the packaged foods we're buying in the grocery store.
You know, the front of the box might look great, but as soon as you turn it
(06:55):
over and you're reading all the ingredients, not just the like medicinals or
the actives, the non-medicinals. So what are we adding to this product to make it taste good?
Is it a great ingredient or is it an ingredient that you would never feed to
your kids if you knew it was in there? So, you know, I do think that's really important.
Getting everything you can from food is extremely challenging.
(07:16):
And I know I have three girls.
Some days they don't want to eat anything some days
they eat only apples some days they'll eat everything so
you know it's getting everything into our kids that
they need is really stressful and if
you know that you're giving them what you can and
they're taking what they can and you just add a multivitamin on top of that
to fill the needs it takes one layer of stress off of you because i remember
(07:39):
when we were kids it was just the flintstone it was a bit like just and you
You only ate the Flintstone because you liked the Flintstone and they tasted
good, but I don't know that they were really doing what they were supposed to.
Now there's a lot of different things on the market. It's hard to navigate and know what is right.
One of the things I do love about your product and I love about Canada is that
(07:59):
your systems and processes that you have to go through are much more robust
than a lot of other places, including the United States.
So at least we've got that badge for you. We know that what you're making is
good stuff because it's going through a very rigorous you know,
planning and production.
Yeah, no, it's true. I think there's part of the European Union has something quite similar to us.
(08:21):
And I think Australia is the only one that's more strict than Canada,
but they're all quite equal.
And, you know, it's important to make sure that what you are giving your kids,
it's what it is inside it. You know, the label is accurate.
It's tested appropriately and it's safe. So those are important things to check.
I actually spoke to another guest a couple weeks ago who does supplements specific
(08:41):
for women's health relative to perimenopause. Menopause is really her target.
And she also was in Canada. And she actually said, I mean, I'm just saying I
would not buy any supplements made in the U.S.
Like that literally came out of her mouth. And it kind of hit me like,
because we just don't have that level of regulation that you do.
So that's my new mantra, by the way. First of all, I'm not a big supplement
(09:04):
girl until all of a sudden I was.
And now I'm only buying things made and certified in Canada.
Now, there are some really good brands in the US.
I'm sure they are. Don't get me wrong. There are some great brands.
I'm sure they are. But if I have not gone through the certification in Canada, I've decided I'm out.
I do want to back up on one thing, though, because I thought this was fascinating.
(09:27):
I did not know this. And I bet 99% of our people listening don't know this.
You said that gummy supplements lack a lot of the ingredients needed and that,
potentially you need five to six gummy supplements to
get what you get in one chewable yes can you explain that a little bit because
i i think as a parent like we i mean i have two college kids now but i think
(09:51):
we've all like bought the gummy vitamins for kids and felt really fucking good
about it and now i'm thinking maybe that was i don't even think i should feed
those to my dog at this point.
So I'm just, I don't, what does that mean?
There's definitely, there's limitations. The way that it's manufactured,
right? It's a high heat process and you have to get all the ingredients to make the gummy.
(10:12):
Like it's the same, you know, to make any gummy, the same type of ingredients.
And then you also have to get the nutrients inside it as well.
So if you turn the side over on a gummy, it'll probably say take two to three or two to five.
Per day to get this daily dose. So on a chewable, you can pack a lot of ingredients
into that hard chewable, like the Flintstone style.
So like it's just a chewable vitamin, right? So you would look at the label
(10:35):
and say, okay, this chewable multivitamin has 25 ingredients in it.
And I take one to two, one to two means that each one has enough in it.
But two, if you're growing or you're, yeah, you never know, right?
Maybe you're really picky eater.
We all we all need to over overachieve in something if it's vitamin taking.
I feel like that's a low bar, but we can do it.
(10:57):
We can, we can. So then if you look on the gummy label, normally it's got five to 10 ingredients.
So you really need to look at the ingredients on the label and how much the
dosage is. There are some gummy vitamins that are even covered in sugar.
So like it's already a gummy and then they've added sugar to the outside of
it. So it can be with a smattering of vitamins.
(11:18):
Yes. So like some people in Canada, there's a few natural health specialists
here that call call it pixie dusting.
And they're like, oh, a gummy is pixie dusting. You're just getting a little
bit like the trace minerals. You're getting a little bit of it.
It's just, it's in there somewhere, but you're not going to get your money's worth.
And if you have more than one child and you're going through those bottles rapidly, it's money.
(11:38):
And it's money that should be spent elsewhere at a better quality product.
Now, what happens if you were to take supplements and even as kids,
like do their little bodies do what our bodies do? If we just have too much
of something we just pee it out?
Depends on the ingredient. So certain things are water-soluble,
you'll pee them out. Like vitamin C, you pee it out.
(11:58):
Other things that are supposed to accumulate in your body, so like iron, you don't pee that out.
You're supposed to use it, obviously. You're using the iron as well in your
body. Every time you sweat, you lose iron. Every time you menstruate, you lose iron.
Every time you work out. So those kind of things do happen.
But you just follow the like, you're not supposed to eat the whole bottle.
So that's why there's childproof lids for the kids. and it says,
(12:20):
you know, one to two a day and you stay within the dosage and those dosages
are meant for that age group and they're safe within that age group.
I like it. I like it. I feel already smarter. So thank you.
Okay, so family affair, you worked in your mom's business.
You've got three girls. Yep. I probably not like paid employees at this point,
(12:43):
but unwitting volunteers. I assume they are your favorite testing folk.
They are. They are my taste testers.
And they have three very different palettes. so it
is very entertaining when you bring a product home and you're like okay
this is the new product let's all try it and they look at you they're like
it's it's yellow or they won't even you're
like put it in your mouth and try it and they're like why i'm like
(13:06):
i'm like and chew it because you can't suck
on it so it's very entertaining when you have three so my youngest is
six and my oldest turns 12 in a month so i
get i get a variety of you know comments a
lot of them are what sample is this is this sample number one
or is this sample number 10 i think i'll try
sample number 10 how many times have you gotten to the end
(13:28):
and you're like this is it and then you've given
it to them and you're like shit that's not it like how many times and be like
not gonna work we're gonna have to change the it can't be yellow fix it like
it's happened right it is it has happened and it's more you look at it go okay
yeah i see it but you know what it's better that at that point,
(13:50):
they say it because if they don't say anything and then you go to market and
you're like, oh yeah, that would have been better in a different shape.
Then you did save yourself quite a bit. But yeah, they're definitely truthful.
As far as like making a product, we've talked to a ton of different,
you know, skincare and, you know, lotions and potions and all kinds of things.
(14:10):
We've never really dug into, you know, this type of brand and what does it take
to like make it like idea creation on shelves.
And then also like, I got to like, I mean, you've had a lot of experience with,
you know, your prior job, so to speak.
But I mean, there had to be some roadblocks. I mean, we've talked to different
people about like sourcing packaging and manufacturing and labeling and all
(14:34):
these different things.
So what were some of those major hurdles that you kind of found yourself dealing
with, even as a seasoned professional in this space?
Well, during COVID was really hard because of packaging. So even if you had
preset packaging three months later, they're like, oh, sorry,
we don't have that packaging anymore.
So I think one of our products, the lid changed four times.
You couldn't tell it was still a white lid, but for on your supply chain side,
(14:58):
it becomes a roadblock every single time.
Okay, now we have to approve another one.
Approve another one. I'm sure the consumer never noticed.
Which as a consumer, I would never even think that a lid would be a thing.
Like, but, you know, as a creator, it is a thing.
So for me, the great part was is that when I went to make the product was specifically for my daughter.
So we knew that we had to get iron into her. She refused to take any of the products on the market.
(15:22):
Also, the ingredients were horrific. But at that point, the pediatrician was
like, she has to take something.
So doesn't matter. Don't read the ingredients. Like, stop reading the ingredients.
And I was like, I can't not read the ingredients. You can't not read the ingredients.
I know. And she was like, it's important. Like, just get the iron in her.
And I'm like, well, she won't eat them anyways.
Like, she hated all of them. And if you even got her to taste one and she didn't
(15:42):
like it, then she was never going to try another one. So we were in this constant circle.
So I went to the ingredient suppliers that I knew and I was like, what can we do?
There's got to be an ingredient out there that will work for my daughter. And we found one.
And then from there, I realized making products for adults actually significantly
easier than making them for children.
(16:03):
I was like, no more is the vegetarian capsule, closing all that in and you just swallow it.
It has to look good. It has to taste good. The texture has to be right.
The label has to be like child-friendly, just like the look of it.
Everything about it was a different obstacle for kids.
And of course, you can only use certain ingredients in kids' products versus
adult products. So you are limited.
(16:24):
And as soon as you remove artificial colors and flavors, you really have to
look at your formulas because the natural stuff, you know, looks different from
lot to lot because it's natural.
It's variation from the crop that year had and, you know, those kinds of different
things. So, you know, you start realizing that.
There's like little hurdles here and there, but it just, it hits you every single time.
(16:46):
And then of course the consumer wants the same thing every time.
So you have to really let them know, okay, this is a natural product.
You are going to see color variation. You know, don't worry.
It does happen. And of course flavor.
So the flavor was the biggest one for us. Yeah.
All right. So you have this business now officially for four years.
You are, you've made it to toddler.
(17:07):
Like that's amazing. amazing. I want to shift a little bit because you recently went on Dragon's Den.
And for those who don't know, Dragon's Den is the Canadian version of Shark
Tape, which I am obsessed with and have been obsessed with since it rolled out.
So tell us what what was that like? How did that happen? And I think were you nervous?
(17:30):
It you know, like when you start sweating and you put the toilet paper in your
armpits, like just in case, before I went on, there was a lot of this.
And then my producer was like, don't worry, I'll make sure you take them out
before you go on air. And I was like, I never thought about forgetting that.
Wearing a light colored shirt on Dragonstone is key.
Yeah, you got to pay attention. You got to pay attention to what you're,
(17:53):
you know, the bodily reactions.
But it was actually a very cool experience. So I found out through another company
that there was an open audition in Vancouver.
And so I packed all my stuff up. I found out like 24 hours ahead of time.
I packed all my stuff up from the office and I waited in line the next morning
at CBC Vancouver for my name to be called.
(18:14):
I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen. I didn't know who was going
to be there, who I was pitching to. You didn't even have time to prepare.
It was like, oh, tomorrow. Cool. I'll be there. I was like, I wrote on a piece
of paper, like what I was going to say. And I just memorized.
I was like, okay, I don't know what's going to happen, but I'll just memorize
this and we're going to go.
So I set up all my stuff and she was like, super nice.
And she was so calm. And I was like, I'm like, okay, okay, I can do this.
(18:36):
And then I did my whole pitch and she asked me a number of questions and she
was like, okay, this situation is that we call you.
Don't call us. I'm like, okay. Okay.
Okay. That sounds great. She's like, and if you don't hear by this date, then it's a no anyways.
I'm like, great. And so I was like, I don't know what I'm supposed to say to
that. And I was like, great. So I packed all my stuff up.
I went home, kind of just took my picture outside the building and like,
(18:59):
I auditioned. This is great.
Your friends are like, how did it go? And you're like, I have absolutely no idea. idea.
Like it went, it was stressful. I think it was good.
No idea. And then I got an email and it was like, okay, you're going to meet
a producer and you're going to do the next step. And I was like.
Okay, sounds good. And they're like, make sure you don't have anything happening
between this date and this date because we don't know when you're going to go. I was like, all right.
(19:25):
And then I finally got my date and you work with a producer to make sure that
you're TV ready, give you a little prompts and stuff like that to make sure you know what to expect.
But really, it's very much you and you're out there.
And then I showed up that morning at 7 a.m. Toronto time. So,
you know, it was a little bit early for me, but it was good.
(19:46):
And yeah, and then you don't know what time you're going to go on in order either when you sit there.
So they give you like a green room. They go over a few things and then you kind of wait again.
And then I got I got mic'd up and they're like, you're next.
And I'm like, is it like American Idol when you come out of the room and everybody
knows if you got if you made it to Hollywood or not?
Or do they do they send you out another direction? So everyone waiting has no
(20:09):
idea what happened with you.
Like what's the interaction there so you're
not supposed to talk to the other people that are going to go on they're all
in their green rooms kind of like hidden away so
only the producers and like the video people and the sound people know so when
you come out it's only them and then they get your reaction as you leave as
well and they do show that on air too like you know how your reaction and if
(20:33):
you call someone and that kind of thing so that's pretty cool but no you're
You're not, they're not supposed to see your face.
So that, cause she said to us, we don't want anyone else to know what,
what happened with yours until it airs on TV.
Oh, so you're not allowed to say anything. All right. So let's talk about what
I think you were asking for 50 for 10%, right?
Yeah. And, and we got offers from all five dragons and they,
(20:57):
and they split it into two.
So three of them went together and two of them went together and it ended up being 450 for 15%.
And I went with Arlene and Wes. yes yeah this is very exciting and how has that
experience been great it's what's we're in due diligence it was just the end
of november so we'll see what happens you know i'm.
Excited to see if anything does occur from it. You know, there's a lot,
(21:19):
a lot of behind the scenes that they, that they do.
So, so one of the things they always ask on Shark Tank, and I'm sure they ask
them Greg and Sten too, is what are you going to do with the money?
What's your, what, what are your plans with the, with the financing?
So how does 450 launch your business to the next level?
Right. So if we were in the States, it wouldn't go very far just for the vast size.
(21:42):
Thanks. Thank you for that boat of business. America.
It's just, it's a lot. Obviously, you know, you got to ship it across the country.
So for, and of course our population's the same as, as California.
Some people don't realize. You're very concentrated because you're very,
you're all very close to the border.
Well, we know the farther up you go, the colder it is. So, you know,
(22:04):
we gotta, we gotta keep it in that area.
You're huddled by the Gator. I like it.
Really? What is, what is the plan with that? A lot of it's marketing,
making sure that people know who we are.
That's a big one. and also making sure we have enough working capital because
as you grow and we're growing quite fast, the amount of money you're putting
towards products and launching and the turnover is really high,
(22:25):
but you pay for your products in 30 days and then you sell them within X amount of months.
So of course, you're gonna always have that little leg.
So wanting to have enough that we can keep growing and put money towards the
right things is what we wanted it for.
So one of the dragons that you partnered up with is Big and M&A.
Yes. What does that mean to you and your business?
(22:48):
Yeah, he was tough too. Like they only show seven minutes, but there was an
hour and a half of questions and he was tough.
And I kind of was like, no one knows how tough he was.
Are you thinking exit strategy or are you thinking?
He was thinking exit strategy from the beginning. And you know,
for me, it was, I want to see my company grow and I want to get it to a point
(23:11):
where I can have those conversations if I want them.
But right now, I really want to see my products out there, making sure parents
know that there's a different option, that they don't have to struggle with
iron deficiency in their kids.
So for me, it's kind of like a double thing. I want my company to be to the
point where I can have that conversation and have a good conversation.
But right now, I'm very much in the...
(23:34):
You're in the weeds, girl. I'm in the weeds. So it's, you know,
I like what I'm doing. I like it a lot.
But it's, and it's, you can definitely tell in your voice and just your demeanor,
you know, you're very excited about what you're doing, which,
you know, owning a business is, as we've said, time and time again, very challenging.
And then also to be in your industry is, you know, with this kind of,
it's an evolving moment, I think.
(23:56):
And then you throw in the child component, which is like a whole nother animal.
One of the things I noticed when we were doing our read up on you is you are
about to launch your products on Amazon in the U.S. so we can get them down here.
Yes. So we've been working on also on our direct to consumer,
like our own website to ship to the U.S. as well.
We have a lot of American customers that reach out to us through our own kidsdarnutrients.com website.
(24:20):
And we're always like, oh, we're so close. We're so close to being able to do it ourselves.
We are launching on Amazon.com and Walmart.com and then through our own website.
So right now you're not able to to sell to the States? You can only,
is that, are we not allowed to buy it?
You can buy it through our retail partners, but we can't physically ship just
yet. We're just, the logistics side of it is almost done.
(24:41):
So like we have a three online sellers in Canada that also ship to the U S they ship international.
So they, they can service customers. How big of a pain in the ass is it to get
that part of your business set up?
You know, it's just many layers that I did not realize lies that occurred.
You know, it's like the small things. So our labels are different for the U.S.
(25:03):
And then, of course, on the website, you have to have two different back ends.
So you have your Canadian, you have your American, and on the Canadian side,
you also have the French side.
So you really have to make sure that everything is done perfectly so that when
it does go to the 3PL, so a shipping company in the U.S.
Where it's housing our products, it goes to the right place.
And it's, you know, dotting your I's and crossing your T's, making sure that
(25:26):
it is correct before before you start so that you don't have headaches later.
That's the second time we've heard that about labels. Why do the labels have
to be different for the U.S. than they are in Canada?
We have, so for us, we have to have French and English on our products.
That's number one. And then you could sell them with French and English here.
Just nobody would care. You're right. You're right.
They'd be like, what is this language? And I'd be like, don't worry.
(25:47):
It's our second language.
So that's one. And then our supplement facts are a little bit different than
yours. Like just the way Health Canada wants it to be shown.
They're just, they are different. And then of course you guys have the food drug administration.
We have Health Canada. So there are different, you could,
I guess in theory, put all of it
on the same label and then it'd be compliant in both countries but they're
(26:08):
just the supplement facts are done a little bit probably wouldn't look as good you
would think that they would have like a governing body that they could like
being the ours are so relaxed that the u.s would be like okay we're gonna be
okay if it's approved in canada then we're okay here but that's what i'm thinking
yeah i mean sure we are creating policy and we don't even know it i feel like
that i feel like we're wasting i feel like we found some government work that
(26:32):
we could get You know what?
If their standards are all higher, why would we not just use that? Jump on.
I don't know. It would be a lot easier for us Canadians, that's for sure.
Seriously, I think. But it's interesting, you know, just going back to like
the caps on the bottles to like how you market yourself, having the different
websites, because I never really realized it.
(26:54):
But, you know, if I go to buy something online and it's Canadian, it's a .ca.
And I'm thinking about it as a consumer about what that looks like for us here in the US.
So it's very interesting to have the conversation and kind of have a little insight.
The more you know, ladies, the more you know. Yeah, well, and marketing.
The marketing is actually even
more important. So you have very different marketing for US and Canada.
(27:15):
So for us in Canada, we can only say what the product's been approved for.
So in that license, when we get it, it says you can say all these things about
your product, and we've approved it, and it's great.
But in the US, because it's not the same process, you actually can say less. Yes.
Really? Yeah. So it's, it's an, it is interesting.
So a lot of the things say, you know, let me understand this.
(27:36):
We're not really going to approve it.
So since we don't look at it and approve it, we're not going to let you say
shit, but you can sell it. But you can tell them. Yeah.
You just stay within their framework. You got to stay within the framework.
Yeah, I know. We've got, we've got a different, a whole different conversation.
I think we're unpacking here.
(27:56):
Caitlin, Kidstar Nutrients, you are a superstar.
I feel definitely a little more versed when it comes to supplements for children.
Please, would you concur there?
Yeah, I don't have any youngs. I don't have any littles to give them to anymore,
but I'll give them to my oldest. Right? Yeah.
I think everybody needs a little Kidstar Nutrients in their life.
(28:17):
We will post your website, your Instagram, all the places.
We will keep an eye. We will even post your Dragon's Den episode so our listeners
can check in and watch you in action.
Thank you for sharing you, your story, and keep doing the good work.
We hope that everybody gets out there this week and is inspired.
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