What it Takes to Launch a Startup Before 30
When you meet Jessica Sturzenegger, CEO and cofounder, Amara Organic Baby Food, you’re immediately struck by her positive and warm personality, as well as her clear passion for health and wellness that can be delivered through food.
Growing up, Jessica was no stranger to the benefits of whole food, and real vegetables. Her French-Swiss mother prepared all of their meals from scratch and utilized lots of fresh vegetables. She distinctly remembers having a friend over for dinner who had never tried fresh peas! “She couldn’t stop eating them,” Jessica says, “They were so different from the canned ones she was used to eating.”
Jessica realized at a young age that helping people with a root issue, the quality and integrity of their food would help combat later health issues. Talking with Jessica reinvigorated and reinforced for me how much can be accomplished by a woman with a mission to do good.
Here is her story.
You’re a 30-year-old woman, with a successful startup that’s revolutionizing the baby food industry. How did it all start?
Oh gosh, there are so many. I think the beginning stages are so exciting because you don’t know what you don’t know – so everything is so new. I guess one of those moments was a buyer’s reaction at Whole Foods. Getting our products into Whole Foods was certainly one of our goals for launch. They get so many submissions for new products that I knew we had to stand out.
Jessica’s car packed with samples in the early days of Amara. She basically lived out of her car, and it was not too pretty - but those early days really weren't. 😜
So I drove to each Whole Foods location in California one by one and pitched Amara to the store managers. I had them all sign a card that they would support the brand if the buyer decided to bring it in.
Everyone was super friendly but I just remember one of the managers looked at me, looked at the card, and just said “that’s cute” but in a “Seriously, you think this will work?” kind of way. I remember feeling so sheepish and embarrassed but he signed!
Whether it’s the reaction of surprised buyers or happy babies – seeing positive responses to Amara is priceless for me.
What are the three biggest lessons you learned so far with Amara?
Fight for the “yes”. You’re going to get many “nos” or “no, that’s not possible” but keep fighting until you get the “yes”. When we launched our new smoothie melt snacks, we were told that we couldn’t do it without using added sugar or tapioca starch to create that melt-in-your-mouth feel. We were told that these additives were just, “how they were made.” But deep down we knew we could make the popular toddler snack, better. So we rolled up our sleeves and got to work with our food scientists and nutritionists. After almost a year of prototyping and working towards getting the right taste, texture and in-the-mouth feel – we felt ready to launch.
We even had to delay the launch of the yogurt melt flavor by almost 6 months until we found the right yogurt provider. But that dedication totally paid off. We’re so proud to bring parents the first yogurt melt without any added sugar or additives! If we had stopped at “no, that’s not possible” – we wouldn’t be where we are today! Keep pushing – it might take longer, but fight for that “yes.”
Believe in yourself. There is no one that knows your business better than you. Believe in your gut, study your data, and know that you are making the best decision with the information that you have at hand because NO ONE else is going to stay up until 2 am thinking about your business. Trust yourself to know and do what’s best for your company.
You can’t do it alone. I think we’re so used to doing it all, that sometimes we want to do it all. Know when to ask for help or when someone else can do it faster or better than you can. For us at Amara, the team of nutritionists, chefs, food scientists, and people that are fighting every day to get our name out there and our product on the shelf is a big part of why we’re still here today.
Did you know you were creating a company that would give working parents convenient and nutrient-rich baby food?
I didn’t know I’d start with baby food specifically, but I did always know I wanted to work in food. I started because I was obsessed with food science and the impact of food on our bodies. But I noticed even with all that knowledge, I still ate empty calories like sugar-filled granola bars or Starbucks muffins, just because it was easier. I started thinking: there had to be a way to bring all the benefits of fresh meals, but fit that into today’s busy lives. So my goal became to find a way to bridge the gap between healthy food and convenience.
Trade show back in 2019, the Amara team built an oversized high chair and had people taking photos in it. They even had up to 3 people in it at once!
We started with baby food because studies show that your brain’s neural pathways, gut microbiome, and healthy habits are formed at a very young age. So, if we wanted to change the way our future generations ate, thought, and felt, we had to start with our babies.
Options today for busy parents are slim. Traditional baby food is so heavily processed, and making baby food at home is time-consuming. Amara is the only baby food that marries the taste, texture, and nutrients of fresh food with the convenience of a pouch.
The toddler snacks that we launched this year fulfill the same mission: giving parents options that are much healthier than what’s out there, and also making it easy to fit into their busy lives.
While I didn’t always know I would start with baby food, I did always know that I wanted to focus on food that made healthy eating delicious and easy. I’m thrilled that Amara is carrying out that vision today.
entrepreneurs struggle with what I call, ‘hyper-vigilante complex.’ It’s hard to take breaks from your baby -- which ironically, in this case, is Amara! How do you strive to find balance?
Gosh, I don’t have a good answer yet…there is no balance. But I don’t know if I am striving for it either, I love what we’re doing at Amara and while I may be working, a lot, I try to be intentional about where I’m putting our energy. I think part of it is my personality but part of it is because I believe as much in what we’re doing at Amara today as I did the first day we started.
I think more than “balance” life is about making sure you’re fully present when you are not working so that the time counts.
What do you do each morning to set yourself up for a good day?
I check in with my “big picture” goal that I want to get done in the week and see what’s the number one thing I can do that day to advance towards that goal. There’s always a long list of things to do so that helps me keep focused on what matters.
Who’s the woman that inspires you the most and why?
My mom. She never stops and never gives up. She is so tough and works so hard, she gives everything she does 110%. She also gives the best advice! 💜
What do you wish you would have known when you first launched Amara?
I knew nothing about the food industry which was a mixed blessing. It allowed us to create something based on what we wanted, versus tailoring what was already out there. We could have definitely avoided a few road bumps along the way though if we had known then what we know now!
Is there a thing or action from the last year that you’re most proud of or excited about?
Our goal is to lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating and this year marked the year we started to “grow up” with parents – we just launched our toddler snacks! Much like we did with baby food – we took a stagnant category and made it better. Yogurt melts often have added sugar as the second ingredient. At Amara, we launched the first yogurt melt without any added sugar. It’s amazing how much you can do simply by leveraging the natural properties of fruits and veggies!
Are there any books, podcasts, movies, shows, or podcasts that you absolutely love right now?
I watch Ted Talks almost every night before going to bed. It’s fascinating to see what is going on in other industries and I love the speakers on there. Plus, it gives me something else to think about besides baby food -- haha! 😉
What brings you the most joy?
The simple things – a warm cup of coffee early in the morning in the perfect mug. A homemade meal shared with friends and family that lasts for hours.
Thanks so much to Jessica Sturzenegger for sharing her insights and time with me! You can find out more about Amara Organic Baby food, and Jessica on their website, and in this recent article from Forbes.
Interested in being featured on the Entreprenista Mama blog? Send me a message and let’s talk!
