S3 E11: Kara Goldin – Hint Water Founder on Accidental Entrepreneurship and Remaining ‘Undaunted’

In this episode of The Mentor Files, Monica Royer sits down with Kara Goldin, the founder of Hint Inc., the company known for its delicious fruit-infused water. Kara shares her remarkable journey from cutting soda out of her diet to creating a multi-million dollar business while balancing the roles of CEO and mother of four.

Episode highlights:

• [03:00] The Birth of Hint Water: Kara discusses her early influences, including her father's work in the health food industry and her own career in tech, which led her to seek out brands with a purpose.
• [06:00] From Idea to Product: Kara's transition from tech to the beverage industry was driven by her desire to create a product that she herself needed, and the challenges of entering a new industry and the process of getting Hint Water onto Whole Foods shelves.
• [09:00] Overcoming Industry Hurdles: Kara explains how she navigated the beverage industry with no prior experience and how she managed to convince Whole Foods to stock Hint Water.
• [12:00] The Launch of Hint: The story of how Kara managed to get Hint Water on the shelves the day before giving birth to her fourth child, plus the unexpected success of Hint Water's initial sales and the challenges of meeting this demand
• [15:00] Scaling the Business: Kara shares the struggles of scaling production and the importance of perseverance in the face of industry skepticism.
• [18:00] Financing and Growth: Discussion on the early financial decisions, including whether to bootstrap or seek funding, and how Kara financed the growing demand for Hint Water.
• [21:00] Entrepreneurship and Motherhood: Kara reflects on how motherhood influenced her efficiency and drive as an entrepreneur.
• [24:00] The Future of Hint and Lessons Learned: Kara shares her vision for the future of Hint and the key takeaways from her entrepreneurial journey.

Resources

• Hint Water: https://www.drinkhint.com/
• "Undaunted" by Kara Goldin: https://karagoldin.com/undaunted

If you're inspired by Kara's story and want to learn more about how to turn your own ideas into reality, don't forget to subscribe to The Mentor Files for more episodes like this. Share your favorite takeaways from today's episode on social media and tag us to join the conversation. And check out Kara's book, "Undaunted," for an in-depth look at her entrepreneurial journey.