Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health supplements but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jessica Postiglione, Founder and CEO of Bonny, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Bonny offers customers a new take on an old friend, fiber supplements. Bonny is a fiber supplement powder flavored with real fruit, so it tastes amazing. We are prebiotic, gluten-free, and vegan! We worked hard to find the right suppliers who could bring our natural and great-tasting fiber powder to market. Customers have responded with sheer joy and expressed to us how our fiber has changed their lives. The knowledge that we are improving the health of countless Americans makes all the hard work worth it.
Tell us about yourself
As far back as I can remember, I have been interested in business. At one point in high school, I even tried selling homemade arts and crafts. It did not pan out as well as hoped, but a number of lessons were learned in the process! After college, I was an investment banker and held a number of corporate strategy roles post-business school. I always wanted to do something entrepreneurial, and I am now on my second venture, Bonny, which was born during COVID.
I became obsessed with boosting my immunity and wellness, and nutrition in general. I went down a research rabbit hole... reading everything I could. I thought I knew the basics but didn't. Who knew fiber was so amazing? I also discovered that, like 95% of Americans, I didn't consume enough daily fiber.
So I did what everyone does and Googled "best fiber supplements." That was a journey. Did you have to have a brand name that ends in 'cil or 'lax to be a fiber supplement? I was also taken aback by the ingredients. There was a lot of sugar, artificial flavors, and dyes like yellow #6? Never mind that everything was in a plastic tub.
I had a few choices, purchased some fiber supplements, and quickly realized that was a mistake. They tasted so bad and were difficult to get down. That's how Bonny was born. I knew I could come up with something better and identified the best partners with industry expertise to work with. We like to say at Bonny, we get sh*t done (pun intended).
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It's definitely the response we have received from customers. They love Bonny and share their stories of taking control back from the toilet. One customer reported that Bonny gave her the ability to go out to dinner with loved ones for the first time in years. Before Bonny, she wouldn't venture out because she never knew when she would have to run to the bathroom.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The buck stops with you, always. For better or worse, even if it was outside your control, the health of the company is on your shoulders. It's a heavyweight and one you have to be mentally prepared to carry, which highlights the importance of focusing on your mental health.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
It's a marathon, not a sprint. There will be ups and downs but look for those opportunities to develop new skills. For years, I thought about becoming an entrepreneur but never did. I kept telling myself to wait until you have a perfect idea, but then I realized that very few business ideas begin as perfect. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith. To mitigate the risk, consider starting a business as a side hustle, and if the venture becomes meaningful, then make it your full-time priority.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.trybonny.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trybonny
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trybonny/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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