March 19, 2025 • 36 mins
True industry disruption happens when brands challenge the status quo—but how do you truly disrupt a legacy industry? How do you build an authentic brand and scale in the face of challenges?
To break it all down, I’m joined by Sara Ahmed-Holman, Chief Commercial Officer at Bobbie. If you’re unfamiliar with Bobbie, it’s the first mom-founded and led infant formula brand to enter the U.S. market in decades. They’ve been shaking up an industry dominated by giants and proving that mission-driven brands can also be category leaders.
To break it all down, I’m joined by Sara Ahmed-Holman, Chief Commercial Officer at Bobbie. If you’re unfamiliar with Bobbie, it’s the first mom-founded and led infant formula brand to enter the U.S. market in decades. They’ve been shaking up an industry dominated by giants and proving that mission-driven brands can also be category leaders.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The infant formula industry has been dominated by the same
players for decades, that is, until Bobby came along. Breaking
into a legacy industry is no easy feat, but this
mom founded and led brand has done just that, shaking
up the status quo with innovation, advocacy, and a customer
first approach. Today, I'm joined by Sarah Hahmed Holman, chief
(00:24):
Commercial officer at Bobby, to talk about what it really
takes to challenge an industry giant, build trust with parents,
and scale a mission driven brand, especially in the face
of major disruptions like a nationwide formula shortage. If you're
a marketer, founder, or brand leader navigating a highly regulated
(00:44):
or competitive industry, this episode is for you. I'm your host, Nikolamiraz,
and this is Talk Digital to Me, where we uncover
the latest in digital marketing, tech, innovation, and strategies for
personal and professional growth. Hi. Everyone, Welcome back to Talk
(01:13):
Digital to Me. Today we're diving into what it's like
to disrupt a legacy industry, build an authentic brand, and
scale in the face of challenges. I'm thrilled to have
Sarah Ahmad Holman, Bobby's chief commercial officer with us today
and if you don't know Bobby, it's the first mom
founded and led infant formula brand to enter the US
(01:34):
market in decades, and they've been shaking things up in
a space dominated by long standing industry giants. As a
new mom in twenty twenty two, I struggled with breastfeeding
and pumping was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
When I found Bobby, it was a life changer, not
just because of the product itself, but because of what
the brand stands for. Bobby isn't just selling formula. They're
(01:56):
challenging industry norms, advocating for parents, and proving that minishon
driven companies can also be a category leader, and they've
had to do it while navigating major industry disruptions, including
a nationwide formula shortage. Instead of just reacting, Bobby has
found innovative ways to scale and adapt in times of crisis,
(02:18):
something every marketer and business leader can learn from. Sara
has an incredible background. She's worked in venture capital, led
growth at startups, and even started her career as a
lawyer specializing in food and agriculture. She's been on all
sides of the table, from investing in disruptive brands to
now leading one herself. Sara, thank you for coming on
(02:38):
the show today.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Thanks so much for having me. Niki, I'm excited to
chat with you me too.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
We have a lot to dive into, so let's go
ahead and get started. Bobby is living proof that a
startup can break into a legacy industry and actually shake
things up. Really really difficult thing to do, and you're
up against some massive players who've dominated in this space
for decades. Yet you and Bobby have managed to carve
out a real presence in this space. What do you
(03:05):
think it's been the biggest factor in making that happen.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
That's a great question. I really think it comes down
to us being authentic. We are a very bold brand
and we're rooted in being mom founded and led. So
for context, our entire c suite are moms. I fed
my youngest baby who's now three years old. Bobby and
(03:28):
we are really living this experience with our customer, and
one of the things that we take very seriously is
building trust. We do what we say we're going to do.
We're not just selling formula for the sake of it.
We are trying to change the culture around feeding We're
leading conversations around the stigma of how parents feed and feel,
(03:51):
and we're putting money behind causes that really are going
to change the lives of American parents. But last, and
certainly not least, we haveduct market Fit. We have fed
over five hundred thousand babies and there's a reason for that.
Our product is really exceptional, and so that's how we've
done it. That's how we are continuing to shake things
(04:12):
up and build a challenger brand in this industry.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I love that. I love that your whole c suite
is moms and that you know you all have a
personal experience with the product. It means so much. And
marketing in this space is not for the faint of heart.
You know, parents are putting their trust in you during
one of the most vulnerable times in their lives. I know,
very personally. And instead of taking the typical corporate route,
(04:37):
Bobby has gone in on all community driven, customer first marketing.
And that can't be easy. What's the biggest challenge in
getting parents to trust a new brand in the industry
that's been set in its ways for so long?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It was not easy, and I think that is really
tied to the fact, this is a product, as you mentioned,
and you've used this product, and I just love that
you're a bobby mind. But this is the sole source
of your infants nutrition until the age of one, And
so people aren't really and lilly jumping around and trying brands.
Not only that, but when you try a brand an
(05:12):
infant formula, you're typically not switching that many times through
your journey because it causes a lot of discomfort for
your baby. So going up against these giant pharmaceutical companies
that have been around since the nineteen eighties, it was hard.
All these hospitals and doctors refer and trust them. And
what we remained rooted in as a small company was
(05:34):
we didn't have the millions and millions and millions of
dollars to pump into marketing and sales and all of
these other things that the bigger players are doing. What
we could do was start small. We could serve our customers,
serve them well, educate them around feeding, educate them around
their choices, and that really did help to create virality
(05:55):
and trust. And again going back to the product, when
a product works really well for a parent, they will
sing the praises of that product right, And so there's
what you do with the brand side and how we
treat our customers. And we are such a customer first
company from our customer service and experience there all the
way through subscription and guarantees we make all the way
(06:17):
through your feeding journey. But really it's about this product
that we spent years years developing to bring to market
and when parents love that, they are willing to advocate
for that product. And actually, I remember I lead our
medical team, and I remember thinking about how we were
going to gain trust and credibility with these healthcare providers
(06:39):
around the country, and we didn't have the money.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
When you look at these big pharmaceutical companies, they have
all of these sales representatives that go into each office
per zip code. They're called territory managers, and they go
in and they nurture these relationships. And we didn't and
don't have the money to do that. And I remember thinking, well,
if we can equip the consumer to go in and
(07:02):
educate her doctor on why she's chosen Bobby, then maybe
that will start the conversation. And lo and behold, a
few years ago, we started to see a real shift
where we were starting to get healthcare providers inbounding to
us saying, hey, all of our customers are using Bobby,
we need to learn more and get educate on it.
(07:22):
And so that has led to now thousands of healthcare
providers that know and love and refer Bobby. But it
has always and will always start with the trust of
the consumer.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
For us, that is such a genius strategy. I love
that you guys did that. It makes the physician be
a part of your brand as much as the patient.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
That's exactly right, and I think that's important because when
you are looking at how feeding journeys happen, when you
look at parents, and we just did an incredible campaign.
I don't know if you saw with Megan Trainer around
asking for help. I did, Yeah, it was part of anxiety.
And so much of what we find through our research
and studies is that a lot of the contributing factors
(08:01):
for postpart of anxiety around when expectations don't align with reality.
The majority of American parents are turning to formula. The
majority of American parents are combo feeding. We have to
start talking about how parents are actually feeding their babies
to support them and bringing the healthcare provider in is
a really critical piece of that for us, not because
(08:23):
we're hell bent on them saying Bobby's better than any
other brand, but to be able to really support how
our parents are experiencing their feeding journey.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
That's so true. I actually didn't know a lot about
combo feeding until I discovered Bobby formula, and that's what
I ended up doing. So you guys are doing a
really good job of the education part, at least you know,
on our side as moms. So I love that.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Thank you for saying that I had a similar experience.
I remember, you know, with my first baby. It was
it was the same. I had a very traumatic birth
and I ended up having to stop breastfeeding a lot
earlier than I had originally, which I think is probably
a shared story for a lot of us who turned
to formula and full circle moment. I remember back then
going into the office and they're being this checklist that
(09:10):
they were reading from, and I remember the doctor not
even looking up at me and just going are you
formula feeding or you know, are you breastfeeding? How are
you feeding your baby? And it was very either or
fast forward to me taking over medical and really investing
in how we were thinking about and investing in how
we were going to change this relationship. And one of
the first things we did was we rewrote the questionnaire
(09:31):
for healthcare providers and we said, rather than saying either or,
when we know that the data is saying that parents
are combo feeding, what if you guys say, how's feeding going?
What's your feeding plan? Are you doing a combination? Are
you exclusively breast or formula feeding? Are you exclusively pumping?
And we saw a lot of positive reaction from healthcare providers.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
I love that that's such a positive spin on it
and so important because I had such a similar experience
when I was asked, I'm sure so many moms can
relate to that. So so many brands say they're disruptive,
but actually few very much are so, at least in
a way that lasts. What do you think separates brands
(10:12):
that truly challenge the status quo from those that just
use disruption as a marketing buzzword.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
I can't tell you, you know, I used to be
in venture capital, and I can't tell you the number
of companies and I think you know that would come
in with the word disruptive and their pitch deeck or
and you know, from the outside, a lot of things
can be disruptive. When I think about that in the
context of Bobby, you know, the one lesson that I
think I'm really settling in with for myself is that
(10:41):
disruption is not for the faint of heart. When you
look at an industry like infant formula, where the nutritional
guidelines haven't been updated in decades, where the same two
players have eighty plus percent market share, where you have
serious limitations around manufacturing and supply chain, and then when
you have a challenger brand, a small team of moms
(11:03):
who are coming in to shake up this industry, that
to me is really disruption, right. It is challenging what
has been the status quo and what is assumed to
be the future of an industry and making very strategic,
big moves. You have to work cross functionally with government, NGOs, nonprofits,
(11:27):
the private sector. We had to raise a ton of money,
you know. In twenty twenty three, we went out and
we bought the most innovative infant formula facility to have
been built from the ground up in the country. We've
been investing heavily into the supply chain. Disruptive brands don't
come and go overnight. They don't launch and sell for
billions of dollars. You know, we've been in this for
(11:48):
seven years, grinding to create a resilient domestic supply chain
so that we don't ever have to go through an
infant formula crisis the way we did back in twenty
twenty two. And so what I would say is that
anyone can call themselves disruptive, and to be fair, there
are lots of ways you can disrupt any kind of industry.
But if you're really talking about shaking an industry to
(12:11):
its core and destabilizing how it operates, the assumptions, the regulations,
all of that, you're looking for a company that's willing
to put in the blood, sweat and tears.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
I mean there are brands out there that are just
using these buzzwords. And another one of them is, you know,
mission driven or purpose driven. And from your perspective, what
actually separates brands that are truly living their mission compared
to the ones that are just using it as a tagline?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Just like the disruptive Yeah, I mean we've all been
exposed right to greenwashing and sustainability stuff and ESG standards
and companies trying to make things feel like they're doing
things they're not, and that can be frustrating for consumers
because it's hard to parse what's genuine, what's real, what's authentic,
(13:03):
and what's just a maneuver or a ploy to drive
more sales. And what I'll say for Bobby is that
this company was founded around the idea of changing the
culture of feeding. And you don't just do that through sales, right,
you do that through action. I'll go back to all
of us being moms in the C suite. This isn't
(13:26):
just a company. This is the future of how American
parents are affected by their feeding journeys and how they
live their lives and how they impact their children and
their own mental health.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Right.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
And the stems from what we all experienced. And I think,
as we like to say we have the receipts right,
we as mothers, have identified so many areas where we
have felt there are real issues in American laws, governance,
society that require someone to get loud, and we continuously
(14:01):
are the company that gets loud. I'll give you a
few examples. We saw years ago that there was a
gap in healthcare insurance for women who were breast cancer
previbers and survivors where they were getting a free pump
breast pump despite not having breasts, but they weren't getting
healthcare subsidized donor milk or infant formula. And so we said, well,
(14:28):
we're going to lobby to close that gap, and we
are going to in the meantime pay for all of
these women to have free formula and support them however
they want to feed until we can fix that gap. Now,
giving away free formula isn't booking sales, right. This is
an initiative that comes from us feeling like it is
(14:49):
hard enough to be a parent. I can't imagine going
through I mean I get emotional just thinking about it.
I can't imagine going through a pregnancy or having a
newborn and then battling cancer. That's devastating. And the last
thing that a woman should have to think about in
that moment is how she's feeding her baby and whether
(15:11):
or not she can afford it when she's also paying
for all these other things. You know, we have a
lot of examples of that. Paid leave for all. It's
another big initiative that we support because childcare and parental
leave in this country is a big problem, and we
have gone to the hill and lobbied significantly for better
(15:32):
parental leave for parents in this country. The list goes
on and on, but we don't have a tiny group
of people that come up with things we can do
to reaffirm who we are as a mission based company.
The mission is central and core to who we are
and you feel it all along our slack messages and
in every group we are jumping into action where we can.
(15:54):
It's just it's in our DNA and it's who we
are as a brand, and I'm so proud of us
for it.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
No's That's one of the biggest things that I love
about Bobby and like Bobby for Change, is just how
driven you guys are to make a difference. I'm a
big advocate for paid maternity leave and paid parental leave
and affordable childcare in this country, both which are major problems,
and I love what you're doing to change those things.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
And so a big thing about your brand that I
also love is your transparency. You know everything that you've
just been talking about. It really is a critical piece
of trust building, especially in an industry where parents are
scrutinizing every ingredient, every process every decision, and for good reason,
we're all scared and worried, but we know that compliance
and regulations make it tricky. How do you strike that
(16:41):
balance of being real, honest and engaging while also making
sure that you're checking all the necessary boxes.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
The infant formula industry is so interesting because it's such
a personal decision how you feed your baby, and yet
until Bobby, there hasn't been a lot of consumer education.
A lot of the education was focused on healthcare providers,
not parents, and one thing that we have really doubled
(17:09):
down on is educating and empowering consumers and parents to
understand what's in the product. And that means that we
have to be really transparent about where we source from,
how we source, where our priorities are, how we manufacture,
the types of quality and safety tests that we have.
(17:31):
We are probably one of the more transparent brands that exists,
and you're right, there are regulations at play, but when
we can explain how those things come together, where they're
limiting or where there are opportunities, we take that moment
to educate and listen. That's not always content that lands
with customers, right, That's not as fun and engaging on
(17:54):
social media to hear someone talk about FDA regulations or
testing or things like that. But it's critically important when
you're thinking about how you change the culture, and so
it's something that we really you know, we keep at
the center of our comms and we have an incredible
CEO who oftentimes will speak directly to our consumers about
things that you know, affect them, whether it be the shortage.
(18:15):
She was effectively one of the faces you know, in
the public media during the infant formula crisis around what
was going on, around how this happened and what the
consequences are for you know, supply chain resiliency. And again
it's you know, it's to me, it's critically important that
parents have access to information so that they can make
really educated choices. So it's a brand, it's important that
(18:37):
we prioritize that.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Yeah, I love that. I think that you know, her
being the face of everything and just recently coming out
and being like we're you know, lowering the price even
is something that really builds trust with a lot of
us customers and moms. And that's not something you can
build overnight. It takes a lot of time, consistency and effort,
and so what are some other key things that Bobby's
(18:59):
doing not just n trust but maintain it with parents.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
I love that question. I'll give you an example because
we were talking about combo feeding earlier. I don't know
if you shop at Target, but we had the first
time ever ever done in retail, a combo feeding digital
and physical retail experience. Now, against all common sense, we
(19:22):
decided to partner with Target, breast pump company, and a
bottle company to do a shared end cap. And a
lot of people's reaction is like, why would a formula
company work with lactation counselors or a breastfeeding company doesn't?
That isn't that counterintuitive? But going back to the data,
the data and the resources and the studies that we
(19:45):
have show that seventy plus percent of Americans are combo
feeding right eighty plus percent or turning to formula in
the first year. And what that means for us is
that if we are talking to an audience of parents
where their real lived experience is through breastfeeding and formula feeding,
(20:08):
we should bring that to life and have that conversation,
even if it seems counterintuitive. And so those are the
kinds of things working with partners where if you look
at a market or an economy or a company's trajectory
and think, well, this is what you need to do
to get sales, these are counterintuitive moves. Right is to
(20:29):
invest in more resources for women to feel supported while
they breastfeed, to help partner with duelis to make sure
that women are being cared for in those postpartum days
so that if they want to breastfeed they can, but
that if they want to choose formula for whatever reason,
they get educated around that too. Bringing these kinds of
things to life digitally where people research, in store, where
(20:52):
people are shopping. Leading with education and data that builds
long term trust and it positions us as the brand
that people feel they can come to for unbiased education.
And that is something that I am really passionate about
for Bobby, is that we should never push formula where
(21:14):
a parent doesn't want to use us, but a parent
should feel empowered to know the data, to have the conversations,
to ask for help when they need it, and to
make the choices that they are proud of making. And
I really really believe that education is a huge part
of that. And showing up and educating parents in really
different ways as a way to build that transparency in trust.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
I love that I had no idea that that's what
you did, was partner with those breastfeeding you know, doulas
and things like that. I knew you were in target
from the time that I was a Bobby user, but
I had no idea you were doing that. That's incredible
with the education and just content around that, And it's
almost like your moms are your biggest advocates, whether they're
(21:56):
breastfeeding or formula feeding or both.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
I love thought we try and be you know, we
always say we're radically centrist. In the conversation around feeding.
People have very very extreme opinions on either side. And
you know, I'll keep going back to this is you
can scream about how it should be all day and
(22:21):
all night, but the reality is what the reality is.
And when you don't equip parents and support them and
how they're truly feeding, then you're screaming into the abyss.
You're just perpetuating that stigma and shame. To this day,
I still even working at Bobby, feel, you know, a
(22:41):
pinch in my stomach that I didn't breastfeed my first
daughter as long as the AAP says I should have,
as long as my lactation counselor said I should, I
couldn't do it. I physically couldn't do it. And I
feel guilt about that six years later, and I'm really
hoping that as we continue to build this company, that parents,
no matter whether or not they use Bobby, feel really
(23:02):
proud of what their feeding journey is.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Yeah. I think there's a lot of stigma and a
lot of guilt that goes into being a mom and
everything that goes along with it, and especially around breastfeeding.
But I think as a company, you guys are doing
a really good job at really getting rid of that
for moms. You know, all the things that I read
when going into Bobby and I was having such a
hard time, made me feel a lot better about my decision.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I love to hear you say that, because that's the goal,
right is whatever people choose, they should feel proud of
their decision, whatever it is. And that's why you don't
I'll say this just holistically, is that's why you see
us being very careful with how we talk about other
formula brands, because we don't want parents to feel shame
or stigma regardless of what option they choose. I have
(23:50):
a lot of friends that, for whatever reason, you know,
can't or don't use Bobby. It's not my mission to
convert them into using Bobby. It's my mission to make
them feel supported whatever product they choose. However they choose
to feed. And I think if we can get there
as a society, then we will have really changed culturally
how parents are experiencing feeding right now and the pressures
(24:11):
associated with it.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Yeah, that really comes out in your brand messaging and
everything that you truly are here for moms and not
just to make money. So you know, when I started
Bobby Formula, I had my son in twenty twenty two.
We were in the midst of a infant in formula shortage, unfortunately,
and it was a very big time for the industry
(24:34):
and so many families and Bobby had to navigate that
in real time while also staying true to your values.
So what was it like behind the scenes and what
were some of the biggest lessons you took away from
that experience?
Speaker 2 (24:46):
That was a devastating, scary, shocking time to be in
the industry. We had never had a crisis like that
in our country. Before, and there are lots a lot
of things that led to it, and there are so
many lessons I learned from that experience personally, and I
(25:06):
also think us as a company, you know, behind the scenes,
it was it was a very interesting time because that
was right around when we had launched Target and that
was a partnership we had worked on for a very
long time. And parents were I mean, you know this
because it was your lived experience, but it was really dark.
People were driving and having their families and friends drive
(25:30):
from store to store looking for infant formula to purchase.
The shelves were empty, there wasn't product. I mean, overnight,
you know, forty plus percent of the market was out
because of a big player going down. And for us,
you know, we had a limited amount of inventory and
we really had to make a decision around how were
(25:52):
we going to support the families that were using Bobby.
And we have a subscription guarantee at Bobby. So what
we say is when you subscribe, as we subscribe to you,
and that means that we account for all the inventory
you'll need, all the baby formula you'll need throughout your
feeding journey, and we save it for you. But we
had also just launched Target, and we decided, you know,
we were going to essentially turn off all new customers
(26:17):
to our direct to consumer website, which you know, when
you do that, you're stopping your funnel right, so you're
really serving who you're serving. Knowing that we were going
to lose our entire customer base because you don't need
infant formula after twelve months of age, and it was
still what we felt was the right thing to do
to serve our direct to consumer subscribers and make sure
(26:40):
that we step by our word and that we didn't
go out of stock on them. I will say this
now as an omni channel, as a more robust omnichannel brand,
the lesson that I really took from that was we
didn't we weren't able to offer that same protection to
our omni channel consumer in retail, and that was a
(27:02):
big lesson, and I think it's a big lesson for
brands when you're in inventory constraints to think about how
and when you're supporting channels and what you're doing. And
there's never a right or wrong in those moments. You're
just you're dealing with a set of information, facts and possibilities.
And you're making the best decision you can. But even
doing that, we've gotten a lot of credit for, like
(27:25):
our Bobby subscribers never going out of stock. I still,
you know, I still get up sometimes feeling like but
there were parents looking for Bobby on the shelves of
Target that we weren't able to support, and that broke
my heart. But it also invigorated a fire in us.
And we went out and we were raised a ton
of money and we bought that manufacturing facility for you know,
(27:46):
one hundred plus million dollars and we are now making
infant formula there and it is incredible. That facility is
absolutely incredible, and we have invested so heavily into the
American formula supply chain. And it was a lesson for
us in how sometimes these things become wake up calls
(28:11):
for what it means going back to being a disruptive brand,
Like we needed to own our own destiny. We needed
to be vertically integrated, We needed to be significant in
manufacturing to really be able to build a company and
support parents the way we wanted to.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Yeah, I love hearing what your side of that was,
because from my side, I was a subscription to Bobby.
So the minute you guys came out with the messaging
that hey, you don't have to worry, we're locking down.
You will have formula. I cried the day you guys
sent that message. And so it's like I'm like, I'm
going to tear up now.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
I'm tearing up too, because I remember sending that message.
I remember making the decisions, you know, with our CEO
and our executive team, and I remember the flood of
love that we received from customers. I mean, people called
us crying saying thank you so much. And that's what
you want as a mom founded and led company, is
you want to support parents.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Yeah, and you could feel that so much through I mean,
it shines so much through that you guys cared so
much about the moms. And I know it's hard you
had people that were looking on the shelves at Target
for you, but you really really supported the people that
were there. And I remember, like with my husband, I
was like, I don't care if we have ten kids.
We are Bobby people for life. It's just I was like,
this is incredible. It was such an emotional time for me,
(29:26):
and it's incredible to hear your side of it and
you know, one of the things, like with everything that
businesses go through during a crisis like that, is they
get stuck in reactive mode when things go sideways. But
Bobby has truly managed to stay proactive and not just
survive but grow. As you were just saying of, you
know this really investing in the American infant formula. So
(29:47):
what has been your key to staying ahead even in
the face of some of these major industry disruptions and
everything moving forward.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
It's really interesting because a lot of times at night,
after I've had a long day, I think, you know,
we have had knock on wood, so much success and
love and support from American mothers and parents, And when
I really think about why we've been able to do that,
(30:14):
I think it's because a lot of the decisions we
make are as mothers first. So I'll talk about the
pricing right. Recently, our CEO came out and announced that
we were reducing certain prices for some of our infant formulas,
and that was tied into unlocking our manufacturing facility and
being able to pass on the costs. The root of
(30:36):
those conversations was us all talking about how expensive life
has gotten for families, child's care is expensive, school is expensive.
I don't live by my family. A lot of us
don't live by our families, so we're outsourcing. Inflation is high.
(30:56):
Everything felt so much for parents, and we're experiencing that
real time. Right. I have a six and a three
year old, So I am in it. We are in
it with our customers, and we were talking about it,
and we were talking about how do we take a
little bit of that burden off of our consumer base,
(31:17):
how do we help when we can? And this goes
back to being mission driven too, right, is when you
have companies that are led by women and that are
passionate and where mission is at your core, you make
decisions that a lot of other companies executives wouldn't make.
And for us, it just felt like the right thing
to do. If we had a moment to reduce the
(31:39):
price and support more parents and give a little bit
of a break to people, we should do it. And
we did do it. And I'm so proud of us
because we're not a super financially mature company. We're not
billions and billions of dollars in revenue, right, so these
decisions are very impactful for a small company. Like us,
(32:00):
and yet it felt like the right thing to do. Internally,
we call it our maternal instinct when sometimes we want
to go off of our gut call or a gut
gut feeling, and this was one of those. And I
have to say, I think some of the most powerful
decisions that we have made at Bobby, including the one
that affected you right where we decided to shut down
(32:22):
all new subscribers to support existing subscribers during the shortage,
is rooted in us looking at each other and going
what do we wish companies would do for us as
mothers going through this experience, what do we wish other
people would do for us? And when we have the
power and ability to do it, then we do it.
And I really think I think that's why the magic
(32:44):
of Bobby can't be replicated, because you have a team
of people, and not just the leadership, the entire team.
We have people that love love our customers, that love
parenting and being a part of this journey and being
able to support American families, and I think the consumer
really feels that authenticity from us and connects with us
(33:07):
on it.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
That's such a great way to look at it, as
you know what would you want a company doing for
you during those times? And I think anyone listening can
take a lot from that, whether you're a marketer, a founder,
or a leader in any industry, handling a crisis like
that is looking at it as Hey, what would you
want in this situation? Is there anything else that you
(33:28):
would add to that as advice for people who are
keeping these bigger visions in mind while going through changes
or crisis, even in industries.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Yeah, I would say that sometimes the best decision for
your company isn't the most lucrative in the short term.
It's the one that builds confidence and trust and reliability,
those small moments, engagements with your customer, the way you
treat customers, the way you respect them, the product you
(33:57):
give them, having the utmost respect for all of that,
even if it means you know, your margins are slimmer,
but you're giving a high quality product that people will
love and be loyal to, or you're doing the right
thing from a customer service perspective, it always pays off.
It always always pays off. I mean, you said it yourself.
(34:18):
What we did three years ago for you has made
you loyal to the brand, for you know, the next
ten years or however many children you may decide to have.
That's the goal, right is to create a relationship with
the customer, and that takes investment that doesn't come by
cutting corners.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Yeah, you've really built trust with the people that you've
been going off for, which is moms and parents, and
I think you're doing a great job of that. And
so for anyone listening, where can they connect with you?
Where's the best place to find you.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
I'm on LinkedIn and I'm very responsive and the messages there,
so feel free to reach out. I'd love to chat
with folks.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
Awesome, Well, this has been a really great conversation. He's
not just shaking up the industry, You're setting a new
standard for what mission driven brands can accomplish. And I
think so many people have a lot to learn from you,
and I appreciate you being on the show.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Thank you, Nikki for having me and thank you for
trusting us to feed your baby. I feel so honored.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Thank you. That wrap wrap another another where we breaking
breakdown innovation shaping the marketing. I hope brand trust, disruption,
community drive, marketing, fresh perspect what it really means to
build miss brand especially specially space space attrition. If you
(35:38):
enjoyed enjoyed the conversation on podcast share the colleagues, don't
for subscribe or whatever you're now until until time time
creat creating. Don't just just dropped. See you soon soon, boss,
The infant formula industry has been dominated by the same
players for decades, that is, until Bobby came along. Breaking
into a legacy industry is no easy feat, but this
mom founded and led brand has done just that, shaking
up the status quo with innovation, advocacy, and a customer
first approach. Today, I'm joined by Sarah Hahmed Holman, chief
(00:24):
Commercial officer at Bobby, to talk about what it really
takes to challenge an industry giant, build trust with parents,
and scale a mission driven brand, especially in the face
of major disruptions like a nationwide formula shortage. If you're
a marketer, founder, or brand leader navigating a highly regulated
(00:44):
or competitive industry, this episode is for you. I'm your host, Nikolamiraz,
and this is Talk Digital to Me, where we uncover
the latest in digital marketing, tech, innovation, and strategies for
personal and professional growth. Hi. Everyone, Welcome back to Talk
(01:13):
Digital to Me. Today we're diving into what it's like
to disrupt a legacy industry, build an authentic brand, and
scale in the face of challenges. I'm thrilled to have
Sarah Ahmad Holman, Bobby's chief commercial officer with us today
and if you don't know Bobby, it's the first mom
founded and led infant formula brand to enter the US
(01:34):
market in decades, and they've been shaking things up in
a space dominated by long standing industry giants. As a
new mom in twenty twenty two, I struggled with breastfeeding
and pumping was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
When I found Bobby, it was a life changer, not
just because of the product itself, but because of what
the brand stands for. Bobby isn't just selling formula. They're
(01:56):
challenging industry norms, advocating for parents, and proving that minishon
driven companies can also be a category leader, and they've
had to do it while navigating major industry disruptions, including
a nationwide formula shortage. Instead of just reacting, Bobby has
found innovative ways to scale and adapt in times of crisis,
(02:18):
something every marketer and business leader can learn from. Sara
has an incredible background. She's worked in venture capital, led
growth at startups, and even started her career as a
lawyer specializing in food and agriculture. She's been on all
sides of the table, from investing in disruptive brands to
now leading one herself. Sara, thank you for coming on
(02:38):
the show today.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Thanks so much for having me. Niki, I'm excited to
chat with you me too.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
We have a lot to dive into, so let's go
ahead and get started. Bobby is living proof that a
startup can break into a legacy industry and actually shake
things up. Really really difficult thing to do, and you're
up against some massive players who've dominated in this space
for decades. Yet you and Bobby have managed to carve
out a real presence in this space. What do you
(03:05):
think it's been the biggest factor in making that happen.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
That's a great question. I really think it comes down
to us being authentic. We are a very bold brand
and we're rooted in being mom founded and led. So
for context, our entire c suite are moms. I fed
my youngest baby who's now three years old. Bobby and
(03:28):
we are really living this experience with our customer, and
one of the things that we take very seriously is
building trust. We do what we say we're going to do.
We're not just selling formula for the sake of it.
We are trying to change the culture around feeding We're
leading conversations around the stigma of how parents feed and feel,
(03:51):
and we're putting money behind causes that really are going
to change the lives of American parents. But last, and
certainly not least, we haveduct market Fit. We have fed
over five hundred thousand babies and there's a reason for that.
Our product is really exceptional, and so that's how we've
done it. That's how we are continuing to shake things
(04:12):
up and build a challenger brand in this industry.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I love that. I love that your whole c suite
is moms and that you know you all have a
personal experience with the product. It means so much. And
marketing in this space is not for the faint of heart.
You know, parents are putting their trust in you during
one of the most vulnerable times in their lives. I know,
very personally. And instead of taking the typical corporate route,
(04:37):
Bobby has gone in on all community driven, customer first marketing.
And that can't be easy. What's the biggest challenge in
getting parents to trust a new brand in the industry
that's been set in its ways for so long?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It was not easy, and I think that is really
tied to the fact, this is a product, as you mentioned,
and you've used this product, and I just love that
you're a bobby mind. But this is the sole source
of your infants nutrition until the age of one, And
so people aren't really and lilly jumping around and trying brands.
Not only that, but when you try a brand an
(05:12):
infant formula, you're typically not switching that many times through
your journey because it causes a lot of discomfort for
your baby. So going up against these giant pharmaceutical companies
that have been around since the nineteen eighties, it was hard.
All these hospitals and doctors refer and trust them. And
what we remained rooted in as a small company was
(05:34):
we didn't have the millions and millions and millions of
dollars to pump into marketing and sales and all of
these other things that the bigger players are doing. What
we could do was start small. We could serve our customers,
serve them well, educate them around feeding, educate them around
their choices, and that really did help to create virality
(05:55):
and trust. And again going back to the product, when
a product works really well for a parent, they will
sing the praises of that product right, And so there's
what you do with the brand side and how we
treat our customers. And we are such a customer first
company from our customer service and experience there all the
way through subscription and guarantees we make all the way
(06:17):
through your feeding journey. But really it's about this product
that we spent years years developing to bring to market
and when parents love that, they are willing to advocate
for that product. And actually, I remember I lead our
medical team, and I remember thinking about how we were
going to gain trust and credibility with these healthcare providers
(06:39):
around the country, and we didn't have the money.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
When you look at these big pharmaceutical companies, they have
all of these sales representatives that go into each office
per zip code. They're called territory managers, and they go
in and they nurture these relationships. And we didn't and
don't have the money to do that. And I remember thinking, well,
if we can equip the consumer to go in and
(07:02):
educate her doctor on why she's chosen Bobby, then maybe
that will start the conversation. And lo and behold, a
few years ago, we started to see a real shift
where we were starting to get healthcare providers inbounding to
us saying, hey, all of our customers are using Bobby,
we need to learn more and get educate on it.
(07:22):
And so that has led to now thousands of healthcare
providers that know and love and refer Bobby. But it
has always and will always start with the trust of
the consumer.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
For us, that is such a genius strategy. I love
that you guys did that. It makes the physician be
a part of your brand as much as the patient.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
That's exactly right, and I think that's important because when
you are looking at how feeding journeys happen, when you
look at parents, and we just did an incredible campaign.
I don't know if you saw with Megan Trainer around
asking for help. I did, Yeah, it was part of anxiety.
And so much of what we find through our research
and studies is that a lot of the contributing factors
(08:01):
for postpart of anxiety around when expectations don't align with reality.
The majority of American parents are turning to formula. The
majority of American parents are combo feeding. We have to
start talking about how parents are actually feeding their babies
to support them and bringing the healthcare provider in is
a really critical piece of that for us, not because
(08:23):
we're hell bent on them saying Bobby's better than any
other brand, but to be able to really support how
our parents are experiencing their feeding journey.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
That's so true. I actually didn't know a lot about
combo feeding until I discovered Bobby formula, and that's what
I ended up doing. So you guys are doing a
really good job of the education part, at least you know,
on our side as moms. So I love that.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Thank you for saying that I had a similar experience.
I remember, you know, with my first baby. It was
it was the same. I had a very traumatic birth
and I ended up having to stop breastfeeding a lot
earlier than I had originally, which I think is probably
a shared story for a lot of us who turned
to formula and full circle moment. I remember back then
going into the office and they're being this checklist that
(09:10):
they were reading from, and I remember the doctor not
even looking up at me and just going are you
formula feeding or you know, are you breastfeeding? How are
you feeding your baby? And it was very either or
fast forward to me taking over medical and really investing
in how we were thinking about and investing in how
we were going to change this relationship. And one of
the first things we did was we rewrote the questionnaire
(09:31):
for healthcare providers and we said, rather than saying either or,
when we know that the data is saying that parents
are combo feeding, what if you guys say, how's feeding going?
What's your feeding plan? Are you doing a combination? Are
you exclusively breast or formula feeding? Are you exclusively pumping?
And we saw a lot of positive reaction from healthcare providers.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
I love that that's such a positive spin on it
and so important because I had such a similar experience
when I was asked, I'm sure so many moms can
relate to that. So so many brands say they're disruptive,
but actually few very much are so, at least in
a way that lasts. What do you think separates brands
(10:12):
that truly challenge the status quo from those that just
use disruption as a marketing buzzword.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
I can't tell you, you know, I used to be
in venture capital, and I can't tell you the number
of companies and I think you know that would come
in with the word disruptive and their pitch deeck or
and you know, from the outside, a lot of things
can be disruptive. When I think about that in the
context of Bobby, you know, the one lesson that I
think I'm really settling in with for myself is that
(10:41):
disruption is not for the faint of heart. When you
look at an industry like infant formula, where the nutritional
guidelines haven't been updated in decades, where the same two
players have eighty plus percent market share, where you have
serious limitations around manufacturing and supply chain, and then when
you have a challenger brand, a small team of moms
(11:03):
who are coming in to shake up this industry, that
to me is really disruption, right. It is challenging what
has been the status quo and what is assumed to
be the future of an industry and making very strategic,
big moves. You have to work cross functionally with government, NGOs, nonprofits,
(11:27):
the private sector. We had to raise a ton of money,
you know. In twenty twenty three, we went out and
we bought the most innovative infant formula facility to have
been built from the ground up in the country. We've
been investing heavily into the supply chain. Disruptive brands don't
come and go overnight. They don't launch and sell for
billions of dollars. You know, we've been in this for
(11:48):
seven years, grinding to create a resilient domestic supply chain
so that we don't ever have to go through an
infant formula crisis the way we did back in twenty
twenty two. And so what I would say is that
anyone can call themselves disruptive, and to be fair, there
are lots of ways you can disrupt any kind of industry.
But if you're really talking about shaking an industry to
(12:11):
its core and destabilizing how it operates, the assumptions, the regulations,
all of that, you're looking for a company that's willing
to put in the blood, sweat and tears.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
I mean there are brands out there that are just
using these buzzwords. And another one of them is, you know,
mission driven or purpose driven. And from your perspective, what
actually separates brands that are truly living their mission compared
to the ones that are just using it as a tagline?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Just like the disruptive Yeah, I mean we've all been
exposed right to greenwashing and sustainability stuff and ESG standards
and companies trying to make things feel like they're doing
things they're not, and that can be frustrating for consumers
because it's hard to parse what's genuine, what's real, what's authentic,
(13:03):
and what's just a maneuver or a ploy to drive
more sales. And what I'll say for Bobby is that
this company was founded around the idea of changing the
culture of feeding. And you don't just do that through sales, right,
you do that through action. I'll go back to all
of us being moms in the C suite. This isn't
(13:26):
just a company. This is the future of how American
parents are affected by their feeding journeys and how they
live their lives and how they impact their children and
their own mental health.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Right.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
And the stems from what we all experienced. And I think,
as we like to say we have the receipts right,
we as mothers, have identified so many areas where we
have felt there are real issues in American laws, governance,
society that require someone to get loud, and we continuously
(14:01):
are the company that gets loud. I'll give you a
few examples. We saw years ago that there was a
gap in healthcare insurance for women who were breast cancer
previbers and survivors where they were getting a free pump
breast pump despite not having breasts, but they weren't getting
healthcare subsidized donor milk or infant formula. And so we said, well,
(14:28):
we're going to lobby to close that gap, and we
are going to in the meantime pay for all of
these women to have free formula and support them however
they want to feed until we can fix that gap. Now,
giving away free formula isn't booking sales, right. This is
an initiative that comes from us feeling like it is
(14:49):
hard enough to be a parent. I can't imagine going
through I mean I get emotional just thinking about it.
I can't imagine going through a pregnancy or having a
newborn and then battling cancer. That's devastating. And the last
thing that a woman should have to think about in
that moment is how she's feeding her baby and whether
(15:11):
or not she can afford it when she's also paying
for all these other things. You know, we have a
lot of examples of that. Paid leave for all. It's
another big initiative that we support because childcare and parental
leave in this country is a big problem, and we
have gone to the hill and lobbied significantly for better
(15:32):
parental leave for parents in this country. The list goes
on and on, but we don't have a tiny group
of people that come up with things we can do
to reaffirm who we are as a mission based company.
The mission is central and core to who we are
and you feel it all along our slack messages and
in every group we are jumping into action where we can.
(15:54):
It's just it's in our DNA and it's who we
are as a brand, and I'm so proud of us
for it.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
No's That's one of the biggest things that I love
about Bobby and like Bobby for Change, is just how
driven you guys are to make a difference. I'm a
big advocate for paid maternity leave and paid parental leave
and affordable childcare in this country, both which are major problems,
and I love what you're doing to change those things.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
And so a big thing about your brand that I
also love is your transparency. You know everything that you've
just been talking about. It really is a critical piece
of trust building, especially in an industry where parents are
scrutinizing every ingredient, every process every decision, and for good reason,
we're all scared and worried, but we know that compliance
and regulations make it tricky. How do you strike that
(16:41):
balance of being real, honest and engaging while also making
sure that you're checking all the necessary boxes.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
The infant formula industry is so interesting because it's such
a personal decision how you feed your baby, and yet
until Bobby, there hasn't been a lot of consumer education.
A lot of the education was focused on healthcare providers,
not parents, and one thing that we have really doubled
(17:09):
down on is educating and empowering consumers and parents to
understand what's in the product. And that means that we
have to be really transparent about where we source from,
how we source, where our priorities are, how we manufacture,
the types of quality and safety tests that we have.
(17:31):
We are probably one of the more transparent brands that exists,
and you're right, there are regulations at play, but when
we can explain how those things come together, where they're
limiting or where there are opportunities, we take that moment
to educate and listen. That's not always content that lands
with customers, right, That's not as fun and engaging on
(17:54):
social media to hear someone talk about FDA regulations or
testing or things like that. But it's critically important when
you're thinking about how you change the culture, and so
it's something that we really you know, we keep at
the center of our comms and we have an incredible
CEO who oftentimes will speak directly to our consumers about
things that you know, affect them, whether it be the shortage.
(18:15):
She was effectively one of the faces you know, in
the public media during the infant formula crisis around what
was going on, around how this happened and what the
consequences are for you know, supply chain resiliency. And again
it's you know, it's to me, it's critically important that
parents have access to information so that they can make
really educated choices. So it's a brand, it's important that
(18:37):
we prioritize that.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Yeah, I love that. I think that you know, her
being the face of everything and just recently coming out
and being like we're you know, lowering the price even
is something that really builds trust with a lot of
us customers and moms. And that's not something you can
build overnight. It takes a lot of time, consistency and effort,
and so what are some other key things that Bobby's
(18:59):
doing not just n trust but maintain it with parents.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
I love that question. I'll give you an example because
we were talking about combo feeding earlier. I don't know
if you shop at Target, but we had the first
time ever ever done in retail, a combo feeding digital
and physical retail experience. Now, against all common sense, we
(19:22):
decided to partner with Target, breast pump company, and a
bottle company to do a shared end cap. And a
lot of people's reaction is like, why would a formula
company work with lactation counselors or a breastfeeding company doesn't?
That isn't that counterintuitive? But going back to the data,
the data and the resources and the studies that we
(19:45):
have show that seventy plus percent of Americans are combo
feeding right eighty plus percent or turning to formula in
the first year. And what that means for us is
that if we are talking to an audience of parents
where their real lived experience is through breastfeeding and formula feeding,
(20:08):
we should bring that to life and have that conversation,
even if it seems counterintuitive. And so those are the
kinds of things working with partners where if you look
at a market or an economy or a company's trajectory
and think, well, this is what you need to do
to get sales, these are counterintuitive moves. Right is to
(20:29):
invest in more resources for women to feel supported while
they breastfeed, to help partner with duelis to make sure
that women are being cared for in those postpartum days
so that if they want to breastfeed they can, but
that if they want to choose formula for whatever reason,
they get educated around that too. Bringing these kinds of
things to life digitally where people research, in store, where
(20:52):
people are shopping. Leading with education and data that builds
long term trust and it positions us as the brand
that people feel they can come to for unbiased education.
And that is something that I am really passionate about
for Bobby, is that we should never push formula where
(21:14):
a parent doesn't want to use us, but a parent
should feel empowered to know the data, to have the conversations,
to ask for help when they need it, and to
make the choices that they are proud of making. And
I really really believe that education is a huge part
of that. And showing up and educating parents in really
different ways as a way to build that transparency in trust.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
I love that I had no idea that that's what
you did, was partner with those breastfeeding you know, doulas
and things like that. I knew you were in target
from the time that I was a Bobby user, but
I had no idea you were doing that. That's incredible
with the education and just content around that, And it's
almost like your moms are your biggest advocates, whether they're
(21:56):
breastfeeding or formula feeding or both.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
I love thought we try and be you know, we
always say we're radically centrist. In the conversation around feeding.
People have very very extreme opinions on either side. And
you know, I'll keep going back to this is you
can scream about how it should be all day and
(22:21):
all night, but the reality is what the reality is.
And when you don't equip parents and support them and
how they're truly feeding, then you're screaming into the abyss.
You're just perpetuating that stigma and shame. To this day,
I still even working at Bobby, feel, you know, a
(22:41):
pinch in my stomach that I didn't breastfeed my first
daughter as long as the AAP says I should have,
as long as my lactation counselor said I should, I
couldn't do it. I physically couldn't do it. And I
feel guilt about that six years later, and I'm really
hoping that as we continue to build this company, that parents,
no matter whether or not they use Bobby, feel really
(23:02):
proud of what their feeding journey is.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Yeah. I think there's a lot of stigma and a
lot of guilt that goes into being a mom and
everything that goes along with it, and especially around breastfeeding.
But I think as a company, you guys are doing
a really good job at really getting rid of that
for moms. You know, all the things that I read
when going into Bobby and I was having such a
hard time, made me feel a lot better about my decision.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I love to hear you say that, because that's the goal,
right is whatever people choose, they should feel proud of
their decision, whatever it is. And that's why you don't
I'll say this just holistically, is that's why you see
us being very careful with how we talk about other
formula brands, because we don't want parents to feel shame
or stigma regardless of what option they choose. I have
(23:50):
a lot of friends that, for whatever reason, you know,
can't or don't use Bobby. It's not my mission to
convert them into using Bobby. It's my mission to make
them feel supported whatever product they choose. However they choose
to feed. And I think if we can get there
as a society, then we will have really changed culturally
how parents are experiencing feeding right now and the pressures
(24:11):
associated with it.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Yeah, that really comes out in your brand messaging and
everything that you truly are here for moms and not
just to make money. So you know, when I started
Bobby Formula, I had my son in twenty twenty two.
We were in the midst of a infant in formula shortage, unfortunately,
and it was a very big time for the industry
(24:34):
and so many families and Bobby had to navigate that
in real time while also staying true to your values.
So what was it like behind the scenes and what
were some of the biggest lessons you took away from
that experience?
Speaker 2 (24:46):
That was a devastating, scary, shocking time to be in
the industry. We had never had a crisis like that
in our country. Before, and there are lots a lot
of things that led to it, and there are so
many lessons I learned from that experience personally, and I
(25:06):
also think us as a company, you know, behind the scenes,
it was it was a very interesting time because that
was right around when we had launched Target and that
was a partnership we had worked on for a very
long time. And parents were I mean, you know this
because it was your lived experience, but it was really dark.
People were driving and having their families and friends drive
(25:30):
from store to store looking for infant formula to purchase.
The shelves were empty, there wasn't product. I mean, overnight,
you know, forty plus percent of the market was out
because of a big player going down. And for us,
you know, we had a limited amount of inventory and
we really had to make a decision around how were
(25:52):
we going to support the families that were using Bobby.
And we have a subscription guarantee at Bobby. So what
we say is when you subscribe, as we subscribe to you,
and that means that we account for all the inventory
you'll need, all the baby formula you'll need throughout your
feeding journey, and we save it for you. But we
had also just launched Target, and we decided, you know,
we were going to essentially turn off all new customers
(26:17):
to our direct to consumer website, which you know, when
you do that, you're stopping your funnel right, so you're
really serving who you're serving. Knowing that we were going
to lose our entire customer base because you don't need
infant formula after twelve months of age, and it was
still what we felt was the right thing to do
to serve our direct to consumer subscribers and make sure
(26:40):
that we step by our word and that we didn't
go out of stock on them. I will say this
now as an omni channel, as a more robust omnichannel brand,
the lesson that I really took from that was we
didn't we weren't able to offer that same protection to
our omni channel consumer in retail, and that was a
(27:02):
big lesson, and I think it's a big lesson for
brands when you're in inventory constraints to think about how
and when you're supporting channels and what you're doing. And
there's never a right or wrong in those moments. You're
just you're dealing with a set of information, facts and possibilities.
And you're making the best decision you can. But even
doing that, we've gotten a lot of credit for, like
(27:25):
our Bobby subscribers never going out of stock. I still,
you know, I still get up sometimes feeling like but
there were parents looking for Bobby on the shelves of
Target that we weren't able to support, and that broke
my heart. But it also invigorated a fire in us.
And we went out and we were raised a ton
of money and we bought that manufacturing facility for you know,
(27:46):
one hundred plus million dollars and we are now making
infant formula there and it is incredible. That facility is
absolutely incredible, and we have invested so heavily into the
American formula supply chain. And it was a lesson for
us in how sometimes these things become wake up calls
(28:11):
for what it means going back to being a disruptive brand,
Like we needed to own our own destiny. We needed
to be vertically integrated, We needed to be significant in
manufacturing to really be able to build a company and
support parents the way we wanted to.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Yeah, I love hearing what your side of that was,
because from my side, I was a subscription to Bobby.
So the minute you guys came out with the messaging
that hey, you don't have to worry, we're locking down.
You will have formula. I cried the day you guys
sent that message. And so it's like I'm like, I'm
going to tear up now.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
I'm tearing up too, because I remember sending that message.
I remember making the decisions, you know, with our CEO
and our executive team, and I remember the flood of
love that we received from customers. I mean, people called
us crying saying thank you so much. And that's what
you want as a mom founded and led company, is
you want to support parents.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Yeah, and you could feel that so much through I mean,
it shines so much through that you guys cared so
much about the moms. And I know it's hard you
had people that were looking on the shelves at Target
for you, but you really really supported the people that
were there. And I remember, like with my husband, I
was like, I don't care if we have ten kids.
We are Bobby people for life. It's just I was like,
this is incredible. It was such an emotional time for me,
(29:26):
and it's incredible to hear your side of it and
you know, one of the things, like with everything that
businesses go through during a crisis like that, is they
get stuck in reactive mode when things go sideways. But
Bobby has truly managed to stay proactive and not just
survive but grow. As you were just saying of, you
know this really investing in the American infant formula. So
(29:47):
what has been your key to staying ahead even in
the face of some of these major industry disruptions and
everything moving forward.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
It's really interesting because a lot of times at night,
after I've had a long day, I think, you know,
we have had knock on wood, so much success and
love and support from American mothers and parents, And when
I really think about why we've been able to do that,
(30:14):
I think it's because a lot of the decisions we
make are as mothers first. So I'll talk about the
pricing right. Recently, our CEO came out and announced that
we were reducing certain prices for some of our infant formulas,
and that was tied into unlocking our manufacturing facility and
being able to pass on the costs. The root of
(30:36):
those conversations was us all talking about how expensive life
has gotten for families, child's care is expensive, school is expensive.
I don't live by my family. A lot of us
don't live by our families, so we're outsourcing. Inflation is high.
(30:56):
Everything felt so much for parents, and we're experiencing that
real time. Right. I have a six and a three
year old, So I am in it. We are in
it with our customers, and we were talking about it,
and we were talking about how do we take a
little bit of that burden off of our consumer base,
(31:17):
how do we help when we can? And this goes
back to being mission driven too, right, is when you
have companies that are led by women and that are
passionate and where mission is at your core, you make
decisions that a lot of other companies executives wouldn't make.
And for us, it just felt like the right thing
to do. If we had a moment to reduce the
(31:39):
price and support more parents and give a little bit
of a break to people, we should do it. And
we did do it. And I'm so proud of us
because we're not a super financially mature company. We're not
billions and billions of dollars in revenue, right, so these
decisions are very impactful for a small company. Like us,
(32:00):
and yet it felt like the right thing to do. Internally,
we call it our maternal instinct when sometimes we want
to go off of our gut call or a gut
gut feeling, and this was one of those. And I
have to say, I think some of the most powerful
decisions that we have made at Bobby, including the one
that affected you right where we decided to shut down
(32:22):
all new subscribers to support existing subscribers during the shortage,
is rooted in us looking at each other and going
what do we wish companies would do for us as
mothers going through this experience, what do we wish other
people would do for us? And when we have the
power and ability to do it, then we do it.
And I really think I think that's why the magic
(32:44):
of Bobby can't be replicated, because you have a team
of people, and not just the leadership, the entire team.
We have people that love love our customers, that love
parenting and being a part of this journey and being
able to support American families, and I think the consumer
really feels that authenticity from us and connects with us
(33:07):
on it.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
That's such a great way to look at it, as
you know what would you want a company doing for
you during those times? And I think anyone listening can
take a lot from that, whether you're a marketer, a founder,
or a leader in any industry, handling a crisis like
that is looking at it as Hey, what would you
want in this situation? Is there anything else that you
(33:28):
would add to that as advice for people who are
keeping these bigger visions in mind while going through changes
or crisis, even in industries.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Yeah, I would say that sometimes the best decision for
your company isn't the most lucrative in the short term.
It's the one that builds confidence and trust and reliability,
those small moments, engagements with your customer, the way you
treat customers, the way you respect them, the product you
(33:57):
give them, having the utmost respect for all of that,
even if it means you know, your margins are slimmer,
but you're giving a high quality product that people will
love and be loyal to, or you're doing the right
thing from a customer service perspective, it always pays off.
It always always pays off. I mean, you said it yourself.
(34:18):
What we did three years ago for you has made
you loyal to the brand, for you know, the next
ten years or however many children you may decide to have.
That's the goal, right is to create a relationship with
the customer, and that takes investment that doesn't come by
cutting corners.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Yeah, you've really built trust with the people that you've
been going off for, which is moms and parents, and
I think you're doing a great job of that. And
so for anyone listening, where can they connect with you?
Where's the best place to find you.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
I'm on LinkedIn and I'm very responsive and the messages there,
so feel free to reach out. I'd love to chat
with folks.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
Awesome, Well, this has been a really great conversation. He's
not just shaking up the industry, You're setting a new
standard for what mission driven brands can accomplish. And I
think so many people have a lot to learn from you,
and I appreciate you being on the show.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Thank you, Nikki for having me and thank you for
trusting us to feed your baby. I feel so honored.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Thank you. That wrap wrap another another where we breaking
breakdown innovation shaping the marketing. I hope brand trust, disruption,
community drive, marketing, fresh perspect what it really means to
build miss brand especially specially space space attrition. If you
(35:38):
enjoyed enjoyed the conversation on podcast share the colleagues, don't
for subscribe or whatever you're now until until time time
creat creating. Don't just just dropped. See you soon soon, boss,
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.