Caron Proschan, founder and CEO of Simply, believes that simple ideas can change the world, and she’s out to prove it with… chewing gum.
One fateful day Caron reached for a piece of gum and realized it was made of plastic. When she looked for natural options, there were none. So she took her Harvard Business degree and launched Simply, a food startup focused on healthy natural gum and snacks. From cooking up gum in her kitchen and selling it to her local Whole Foods, to challenging billion-dollar brands, Caron is a small business - big industry success story.
Hear Caron share Simply’s unusual beginnings, the secret power of tree sap, and why simple doesn’t mean easy, on this episode of Consensus in Conversation.
Episode Highlights
00:00 Caron realizes there is plastic in traditional chewing gum
00:44 Conor Gaughan introduces Caron Proschan of Simply
03:52 Background, Harvard Business School, and early entrepreneurship
08:14 Simply’s start, bootstrapping a brand, and finding a market
18:52 Scaling up, raising capital slowly, and sustainability in natural food
27:10 Building trust, social impact, and pursuing your passion
34:38 What’s next and where to learn more
36:57 End credits
Hear the episode Conor mentioned, Andrew Gibbs-Dabney of LIVSN on Recovery, Sustainable Design, and Intentional Outerwear
Watch the Made In America episode Conor references in the introduction, Can Regenerative Farming Revive the Earth and Feed the World on YouTube.com/consensusdigitalmedia
More on Simply Gum and Caron Proschan:
linkedin.com/company/simplygum
Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and instagram.com/ckgone
Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at CiC@consensus-digital.com
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – it really makes a difference!
Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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!