Superfoods and Super Founders, with Kristel de Groot, Co-Founder of Your Super
Stairway to CEO
· with Kristel de Groot
· October 20, 2020
· 74 min
Summary
This episode reveals how Your Super leveraged a deeply personal mission into a multi-million dollar DTC superfood brand. Discover how co-founder Kristel de Groot transformed adversity into a powerful brand story, secured over $17M in funding, and scaled to over a million products shipped, all while building a supportive company culture. A must-listen for DTC founders looking to build a brand with purpose and achieve rapid growth.
Key takeaways
Authenticity and a compelling personal narrative can be powerful differentiators in a crowded market; Your Super's origin story, rooted in a health crisis, resonated deeply with customers and investors.
A direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, when executed effectively, enables rapid scaling and direct customer relationships, as demonstrated by Your Super shipping over a million products.
Strategic fundraising is crucial for scaling. Kristel de Groot successfully raised over $17 million, highlighting the importance of clear vision and strong execution to attract significant investment.
Proactive and progressive company policies, such as those supporting women's work-life balance and reproductive health, can foster a strong, loyal team and enhance brand reputation.
When entering the health and wellness market, focus on clear product benefits and consumer education; Your Super's success stemmed from developing specific superfood and vegan protein mixes for immunity and health.
Strategic partnerships and collaborations are key for reaching broader audiences and expanding market share. Your Super has successfully grown their online presence with digital marketing and influencer collaborations.
Recently named one of Forbes 30 under 30 and Inc. Magazine's 30 under 30, Kristel de Groot is the Co-Founder of Your Super. Your Super was created when Kristel's boyfriend, Michael, was diagnosed with cancer at just 24 years old. Together with her nutritionist mom and aunt, she developed five superfood and two vegan protein mixes to help boost Michael's immunity following chemotherapy. Shortly after the mixes worked, the couple formed the company in Berlin, Germany, and quickly grew to shipping over a million products from their website with the direct to consumer-first business model. In this episode, Kristel shares with us her entrepreneurial journey, her experience with raising over $17 million to date, and a new company policy she put into place to help support the women who work at her company.
Frequently asked about this episode
What does this episode say about brand storytelling?
Authenticity and a compelling personal narrative can be powerful differentiators in a crowded market; Your Super's origin story, rooted in a health crisis, resonated deeply with customers and investors.
What does this episode say about company culture & values?
A direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, when executed effectively, enables rapid scaling and direct customer relationships, as demonstrated by Your Super shipping over a million products.
What does this episode say about direct-to-consumer (dtc) growth?
Strategic fundraising is crucial for scaling. Kristel de Groot successfully raised over $17 million, highlighting the importance of clear vision and strong execution to attract significant investment.
What does this episode say about fundraising & investment?
Proactive and progressive company policies, such as those supporting women's work-life balance and reproductive health, can foster a strong, loyal team and enhance brand reputation.
What does this episode say about health & wellness entrepreneurship?
When entering the health and wellness market, focus on clear product benefits and consumer education; Your Super's success stemmed from developing specific superfood and vegan protein mixes for immunity and health.
