1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,759 Speaker 1: Welcome back to she Pivots. I'm Shazi Vistrom. 2 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: Welcome to she Pivots, the podcast where we talk with 3 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 2: women who dared to pivot out of one career and 4 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 2: into something new and explore how their personal lives impacted 5 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 2: these decisions. I'm your host, Emily Tish Sussman. Today we 6 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 2: have a truly inspiring guest who's revolutionized the way we 7 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 2: think about children's nutrition and wellness. Shazi Visram is the 8 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 2: founder of both Happy Family and Healthy Baby. You know 9 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 2: those puffs that you see all over every playground. The 10 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 2: premise of this show is to share the stories of 11 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 2: how our personal lives influence our professional lives, and Shazi's 12 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 2: is one that is all too familiar to many people. 13 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 2: She felt the pressures of the Sandwich generation. At the 14 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 2: height of her company's success, her son was diagnosed with autism, 15 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 2: while at the same time, her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: Before she knew it, she was juggling doctors and therapists 17 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: with business meetings and high profile commercials. It all became 18 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: too much, so she made the decision to sell her company, 19 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 2: a decision she's not sure she's fully at peace with. 20 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 3: To this day. 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: But in that doubt came a new idea, a new 22 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 2: way of thinking about baby products, and a drive to 23 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 2: do more. Shazi threw herself into researching anything and everything 24 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 2: she could about autism and how to help her baby boy, 25 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 2: who she felt like she was losing. Determined and dedicated, 26 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 2: Shazi's first major pivot happened. She decided to sell the 27 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 2: company so she could afford to care for her son. 28 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 2: With a new drive, Shazi was determined to create a 29 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: business that holistically addressed a baby's wellness. Having sold her 30 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 2: company to Denne, a food brand, her options were limited, 31 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: so she made her second major pivot. She started an 32 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 2: entirely new company, Healthy Baby, this time to make products 33 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: like diapers and formula and more to make sure that 34 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 2: babies are healthy right from birth. Her story is deeply 35 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 2: personal and a testament to how the most difficult and 36 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: personal parts of our lives impact our professional decision making. 37 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 2: So get ready to be inspired as we dive into 38 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 2: the incredible journey of Shazi Visram, from the challenges she 39 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: faced to the triumph she achieved and the future she 40 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 2: envisions for children's health and nutrition. 41 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: Enjoy I'm Shazi. I am a reluctant, serial entrepreneur and 42 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: a mom of two and a fighter. 43 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 3: Amazing, Okay, perfect. 44 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 2: I can't wait to get into all of those definitions 45 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 2: of you that reluctant, but I just want to back 46 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,519 Speaker 2: up so we can set the scene a little bit 47 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: that you were born in Canada, y Toronto, and your 48 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 2: parents had a convenience store there. 49 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, well they've actually so when we moved Toronto. 50 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: My dad was from Tanzania and my mom was from Pakistan. 51 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: My mom was actually one of the first women in 52 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: all of Pakistan that was was like a doctor, but 53 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: as they moved around, she was like a bedpan changing 54 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: nurse at maximum and my dad was very, very charming, 55 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: so the whole thing was really interesting. So they had 56 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: an arrangementge moved to London. My brother was were there 57 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: and they worked above my dad's brother's convenience store. I 58 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: lived above it. And then when they moved to Toronto, 59 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: they both well, my mom was a nurse but quickly 60 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: got tired of the bedpans and she used to deliver babies, 61 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: and you know, she was a doctor now and so 62 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: and then my dad never really went to third grade, 63 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: but he had a photographic memory, and then they saved 64 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: up enough money because in their mind, unless you work 65 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: for yourself, there's it's like you don't own your life. 66 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: And so they bought this convenience store, and then that's where, yeah, 67 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: I think that's when like my mom started learning how 68 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: to be a business person. But yeah, they told me 69 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: that people would come into the convenience store and that 70 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: every once in a while they'd meet Americans, and that 71 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: they just like love. They just wanted to be in America. 72 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 2: Soon they realized that dream when they moved down to Alabama, 73 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 2: of all places. 74 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: They bought the motel from a guy I think his 75 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: name was Amin Kimani, and he was from the same 76 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: village as my dad grew up in Africa, and he 77 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: had come to the States much earlier and he had 78 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 1: a bunch of motels and he was in Orlando. So 79 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: we drove down, I remember very clearly, contact Lea Mountains, like, 80 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: we drove down to Orlando, my brother and I played, 81 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: and they sold my mom and had a motel. But 82 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 1: the hotel was in Alabama, outside of Birmingham. So we 83 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: drove back up to Toronto and packed up our meager 84 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:54,160 Speaker 1: belongings and then drove back down to Birmingham to live 85 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 1: in the hotel. And I think it was supposed to 86 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: be like a Ramada in or some franchise. And I 87 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: was three, but I remember the day we got there, 88 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 1: like nobody had told my parents so that it didn't 89 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: have like passed all the compliance to keep the sign 90 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: and they were like taking the sign off. 91 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 2: But it was home for Shasi. And despite the grid 92 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 2: of motel life, it was the people who made it special. 93 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 1: The staff is like your community. I remember this guy Angelo, 94 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: and Angelo was like so cool. And there's this woman Geraldine. 95 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: She was a housekeeper and she was like a woman 96 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: who had I think her mother or grandmother had been 97 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: an actual slave. Well there's this cook, Randy Crowder. He 98 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: was funny. I mean, think of like the South in 99 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: the eighties, like the characters it was. It's like, I 100 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: think of it as like Confederacy of Duncis you know 101 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: that book. It's like Sandy the bartender and Sue the 102 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: lady who did the night shift. I don't know, and 103 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: your kid, you don't think you're poor, you think you 104 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: have one hundred and four rooms. 105 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 2: Despite the quirkiness of the life her parents had made 106 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 2: for them, they knew they wanted to send their kids 107 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 2: to private school, and of course the only private schools 108 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 2: in southern Alabama were Christian schools. 109 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: My parents like, the one thing that they were adamant 110 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: about is that I go to a private school. They 111 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 1: didn't know anything about anything, barely speak English, but you 112 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: have to go to private school. So first through third 113 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: grade I went to a Catholic school. I had a 114 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: Catholic uniform and that was interesting, so I learned all 115 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:28,119 Speaker 1: about Catholicism. Really interesting teachers, two nuns, one woman named 116 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: Lydia Locker. Like the formative years, I loved learning. I 117 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: loved reading. She would read us The Lion, the Witch, 118 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: and the Wardrobe. I read all seven like quick. I 119 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: was so into it. And then the next year that 120 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: was third grade, then fourth, fifth, and sixth grade, I 121 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: went to another private school, but it was a Baptist school, 122 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: Southern Baptist. At that one. I asked them if we 123 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: could read the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and 124 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 1: they said no, that's like the devil's work. And then 125 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: also every day at school, someone would tell me that 126 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: I was going in help so but I would be 127 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: like Mummy and my friend Robin says that that no 128 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: matter what I do, I'm always going to go to 129 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: help because we're not Christian, so it doesn't really matter 130 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: whatever we do, we're going to go to help, you know, 131 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: unless I accept the Lord Jesus into our life as 132 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: my savior. And then I remember my dad was the 133 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: one who really said like he had a cool way, 134 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: always like, I mean, this is a guy who did 135 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: not go to school, Chelsea, there are different ways to 136 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: get where you're going. If one religion is one way, 137 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: another is another, don't worry, do your thing. And it 138 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: was always like that, and he would always always like 139 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: super cool wisdom. And so I think of different religions 140 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: as vehicle to get somewhere. But I ended up writing 141 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: my college essay on on that. So I think, if anything, 142 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: it got me into Columbia. 143 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 3: Right, which is pretty good. 144 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: Next by the time I got to Columbia, I just 145 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: wanted to be an artist, which you know, clearly I'm 146 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: a world renowned modern artist, but. 147 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 2: Look at it, I'm sure I do. I think that backgrounds, 148 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 2: whether it's liberal arts or visual arts or forming arts, 149 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 2: really does change the way you see the world. 150 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: Fully, I actually use that all the time. Happy when 151 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: I was saying, how baby should have the best first 152 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: experience of food in their life. It's like a liberal 153 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: arts education and develop a palette. And you did go 154 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: on to study visual arts in undergrad Why art? Well, 155 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: I thought I loved history, I always have. I think 156 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: it's just so interesting to hear stories of the past 157 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: and see where things could have been better or different. 158 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: Learn And then it seemed to me like it would 159 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: give me something to paint about. So I kind of 160 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 1: thought they were my dual degree, but I didn't take 161 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: it further than that, although like my parents were so 162 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,599 Speaker 1: my mom especially so transactional. Everything's like such a transaction, 163 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: and I think that really confused the hell out of them. 164 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 2: I mean, honestly, to major at art, I feel almost 165 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 2: feels like a rebellion. 166 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: Well, I was a little rebellious. Well, I just had 167 00:08:55,559 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: a distaste for business because I thought it was transactional 168 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: and he thought it was gross. So I didn't like 169 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: the idea of it. But then somehow it happened to 170 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: me where I realized, actually, I'm really good at business. 171 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 1: I could approach it differently with the idea that whatever 172 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:14,839 Speaker 1: I do, I'm going to like leave the table better 173 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: for everyone at the table, and it's creative. And so 174 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: then I decided that like, actually building a brand is 175 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: a crazy creative building a business a culture where people 176 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: are focused on achieving something meaningful, it's like a living, 177 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: breathing work of art. And I love that. So I 178 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: got over my hatred of business. 179 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 2: Before Shazi knew it, she was studying at Columbia Business 180 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 2: School and looking for the right thing that would become 181 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 2: her living, breathing work of art. After the break, Shazi 182 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 2: shares what inspired her to launch her company in the 183 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 2: middle of her MBA program and what led to her 184 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 2: biggest pivot yet. 185 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: You know, given the weight of what I had on 186 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: my shoulders for my parents, I realized that I wasn't 187 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: going to be a painter. And I kept thinking, like, 188 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: what what can I do that I feel really good about? 189 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: And I thought, let me get some tools in my toolbox. 190 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: When I have the thing, I don't know how to 191 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: do the thing big. And I had a friend who 192 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: had twins and she was literally crying about how not 193 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: she didn't have the bandwidth the ability to make their 194 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: food fresh at home, and she really wanted to from 195 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:30,319 Speaker 1: the farmer's market, and she felt so guilty for feeding them. 196 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: You know, this very processed food wasn't even organic, and 197 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: I just thought, Wow, I get it. If you start 198 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: live healthy, you have a better chance of ending life healthier. Yeah. 199 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 2: I mean, that's super interesting that you went all in 200 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 2: from somebody else's experience that you saw. Like, I feel 201 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 2: like a lot of the times when people feel so 202 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 2: sure about the thing that they're founding is because they 203 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 2: lived the problem. 204 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. That's my second company, but my first one was 205 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: based on insight, and I think being in the environment 206 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: of that like business school environment, I'm like the weirdo 207 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: who's like and I'm an entrepreneur to start something new. 208 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 1: They and at the time, entrepreneurship wasn't cool, like now 209 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: it is so cool. 210 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 4: Yeah. 211 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: No, I just had the idea and started like making 212 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: it happen. I'm really good at visualizing things. 213 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 2: At the start, Shazi was cooking, packing, and shipping everything 214 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 2: on her own. She began to hit her stride and 215 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 2: business was booming nationally. 216 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 5: In that first year thanks to Whole Foods, but sales 217 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 5: of about one hundred and sixteen thousand dollars were below projections. 218 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 5: The first pivot into cereals called Happy Bellies, then a 219 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 5: puff snack that was the. 220 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: First ever organic puff snack for babies. 221 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 5: And then yogurt Snacks. Annual sales went to just shy 222 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 5: of seven million. 223 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 4: What I usually don't tell people about Skyler is that 224 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 4: he's a picky eater. There is a few things hilly 225 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 4: and one of the brands he actually likes is Happy Baby. 226 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 4: He loves their Happy tat Tddlerville And if you look, 227 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 4: he's feeding it to himself, right Skyler. 228 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and n. 229 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 2: Everything seemed to be going perfectly as Happy Baby, now 230 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 2: renamed a Happy Family, was steadily growing, so was her family. 231 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 2: Shazi had her first son in twenty ten, but when 232 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 2: he was two everything changed. 233 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: Well, So I started working on it in two thousand 234 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: and three, launched Mother's Day two thousand and six. My 235 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:27,559 Speaker 1: son was born twenty ten. April twenty twelve. We broke 236 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 1: even April twenty twelve, I got an autism diagnosis. He 237 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: just turned two. And I mean, like even around eighteen months, 238 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:39,959 Speaker 1: Joe and I would be like, oh my god, it's 239 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: amous on fire. He's doing everything faster than all the milestones. 240 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: You know, your competitive like it's dumb, Like it's so dumb. 241 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: When when you know, parents want their babies to walk 242 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: before they're ready to. It's actually better to develop your 243 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: brain health to crawl on the floor and bilaterally move 244 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: your body organized as your brain. But like you know, 245 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: with dad's want their babies to put and see, he 246 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: was doing all that stuff. I mean it's like seven 247 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: months old. He was, you know, like cruising and he 248 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: was everything seemed so great and he's so cute. Yeah, 249 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: like he had milestones that you know you'd know them. 250 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: Like he was talking and he was dancing, and he 251 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 1: was like so connected and then all of a sudden, 252 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 1: it was like he was in his own world. The 253 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: eye contact was gone. He wasn't pointing at the moon 254 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,439 Speaker 1: and showing us things and you know, that shared experience. 255 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: He wasn't. The words went away. I mean he used 256 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 1: to used to look at a piece of popcorn and 257 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: say that octopus. That's creative, you know, and then all 258 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: of a sudden it was gone. So it felt very 259 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: and then as something sometimes all of a sudden means 260 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 1: like you put your attention to it. Because I was busy, 261 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: and I spent most of my time with him at night, 262 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 1: you know, because I was working, like twelve fourteen hours 263 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: I had come home and like the time I spent 264 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: with him was like sleeping with him at night, breastfeeding 265 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: and like being with him and so and it's not 266 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 1: like I ever took him to a playdate. So maybe, 267 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,199 Speaker 1: you know, maybe part of it was me not seeing 268 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: how the other babies were. But then I was so 269 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: confident in myself and you know, I'm the CEO and 270 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: founder of an organic baby food company, Like, how on 271 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: earth could anything be wrong with my baby? It just 272 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 1: rocked my world. It was a very drastic change. It 273 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: wasn't like, oh, I suspected something was wrong, and then 274 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: it happened so quickly, and the change was so dramatic, 275 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: and I just felt like I was losing him very quickly. 276 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: And so that year, actually Sane was diagnosed with autism, 277 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: I sold the company, and my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. 278 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: This was like a shit sandwich. And well say, they 279 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: say our generation is a sandwich generation, so I always 280 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: say mine, it's kind of like a shit sandwich. 281 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 2: The sandwich generation. The catch twenty two of caregiving, and 282 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 2: Shazi was stuck right in the middle while she was 283 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 2: dealing with the challenges and stress of caring for her 284 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: beloved father and beautiful son. She was also experiencing some 285 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 2: of her biggest success with Happy Baby, from increased sales 286 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 2: to free commercials. 287 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: Well, I mean, American Express would give us like free commercials, 288 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: like on the super Bowl super Bowl pregame, they would 289 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: show a commercial of me holding Zane up as a 290 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: baby and time and how we're changing the world. It 291 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: was awesome. Everything was on fire, but my kid was 292 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: gone and he was leaving me. I just I felt like, 293 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: and I love him so much, and he's so beautiful, 294 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: I know how, you know, like your firstborn son. I mean, 295 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: he's like my little god, you know. And yeah, and 296 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: I just thought, okay, I just I need to get 297 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: some money so we can help them. Everyone saying, well, 298 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: there's this window and if you don't you know, early childhood, 299 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: any diagnosis that is developmental, there's this window of birth 300 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: to three where you can actually jump in and start 301 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: making massive difference. 302 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 3: With all kinds of therapies. 303 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: They're you know what, they're very expensive. And I just thought, 304 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: I just I couldn't imagine like keeping the company and 305 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: doing that, so I just I sold the company, which 306 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: was I guess I could say I regret it, but 307 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: it made me here today. 308 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 2: So you know, she sold to Denone, but it wasn't 309 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 2: easy handing over her company, especially when she was finally 310 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 2: starting to realize how much of an impact she could 311 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 2: have for future mothers and families beyond just baby food. 312 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 2: When we come back, Shasi talks about how her research 313 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 2: on autism and neurological health led to her pivot. 314 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 1: And then with autism, I learned so much about what 315 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: we can do from a neurological health standpoint, from the 316 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: early days prepregnancy, pregnancy, the first three years of life. 317 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: That's not just about food alone. And so then all 318 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: of a sudden, I learn all of these things and 319 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: I have my daughter IVF for three years, the whole 320 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: nine you know, anti inflammatory diet like you name it, 321 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 1: I've learned it the hard way, and I steroids like 322 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 1: you everything to have a healthy baby and work with 323 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: a Neurological Health Foundation's chief science officer, we developed like 324 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 1: a prenatal regime for me which is now actually our 325 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 1: prenatal at Healthy Baby. And then that happened and I 326 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 1: have a baby, and you know, I kind of feel 327 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: like I lost one and say zaying my son is 328 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: just radically beautiful and inspiring and like, but it's really hard. 329 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: And then new autism rate is one in thirty six. 330 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: It's like two thousand and eighteen. It was one in 331 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: sixty eight, then twenty twenty. I think he went to 332 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 1: one in fifty nine, then one in forty four, and 333 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,639 Speaker 1: then in April one in thirty six. It's crazy. And 334 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 1: so then you sit there and you're like watching this 335 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 1: living it. You found your own solutions, and they wanted 336 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: to bring that into happy and do all these other things, 337 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: but Danon only sells food. Yeah, I mean, I think 338 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:54,679 Speaker 1: having a child with autism and like recognizing the beauty 339 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 1: of the way his brain works, but then also really 340 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: desperately wanting him to be able to share his gifts 341 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: with the world is what led me to start Healthy Baby, 342 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: because it's everything I knew would actually or could actually 343 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: make a difference from preconception prenatal and then like the 344 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: years in diapering, the years in diapering are like insane, 345 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 1: like your baby's making over a million neural connections a second. 346 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 2: Already having the experience of building a successful baby company 347 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 2: under her belt, Shasi approached this new idea with even 348 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 2: more vivacity. This time it was personal and she was 349 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 2: committed to creating a company and products that prioritized healthy babies. 350 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 2: So in twenty twenty one, she launched Healthy Baby First 351 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 2: with a revolutionary new diaper. 352 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: It's the only EWG verified diaper. It's only new one 353 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 1: that's made according to a standard that is safe for 354 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: human health. It's the only one in the world and 355 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 1: everybody likes. There's so many brands that just confuse parents, 356 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: and I'm so anti that because we have enough stress 357 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 1: as it is. You just don't need to feel convinced 358 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 1: or also like the alarmist. But at the same token, 359 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 1: don't you want to know what you're buying. I mean, 360 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: in America there's just not that much regulation, but in 361 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 1: Europe they have a lot of regulation of these. They 362 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: found formaldehyde in most. 363 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 3: Diapers, but you did something about it. 364 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 1: That's the thing, Like I you know, I think when 365 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: life gives you those moments where it's either you like, 366 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: sit down cry and then don't get out of bed, 367 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: or you sit down, cry, don't get out of bed 368 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:26,680 Speaker 1: for a couple of years, formulate a plan and say, 369 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:28,879 Speaker 1: like I'm going to channel this into something beautiful and 370 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 1: creative because otherwise I'm wasting this experience because I know 371 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: I can help other people, and like you're kind of 372 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: I don't. Personally, I feel it is my duty and 373 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: if I didn't do it, then what else missos to do? 374 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,399 Speaker 3: Well? What are you excited about with Healthy Baby? 375 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 1: I'm really excited that Healthy Baby launched at Target. The 376 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: D two C experience of Healthy Baby is really special though. 377 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:53,640 Speaker 1: You get personalized agent stage developmental information with every box 378 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 1: of diapers and all the other ancillary things you get, 379 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 1: so like one shampoo concentrate makes two hundred bottles, two 380 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,119 Speaker 1: hundred bath times of shampoo and a stainless steel bottle, 381 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: So like, I really kind of I'm proud of that experience. 382 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: But then it's so fun to see us at Target, 383 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:13,959 Speaker 1: where like they really have embraced the authenticity of the mission. 384 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: Our prenatal vitamin is the most it's by trimester preconception 385 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: from mister one, two, three, and four, but it's the 386 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 1: most comprehensive in the world. And I know when someone 387 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,440 Speaker 1: takes it, they and their baby will come out way 388 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: healthier because it's that good. 389 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 2: Is there something at some point that you thought, h like, 390 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 2: this is really this is really a low point for me. 391 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 2: I don't know that I can get out of this, 392 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 2: and now you view it as having really launched you 393 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 2: into the success that you've become. 394 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: I mean I've mentioned a number of my low points. 395 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 1: I mentioned one time that I didn't have enough money 396 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 1: on my credit cards to buy a swipe on the subway. 397 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, I think I think the lowest 398 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: point I've ever had was trying to understand what was 399 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: going on with my son. I weighed eighty eight pounds, 400 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: was flying out, yeah, and I felt like a failure. 401 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,719 Speaker 2: And then how do you think it changed her perspective 402 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 2: to launch you into the person who are now? 403 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:11,679 Speaker 4: Well? 404 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:13,640 Speaker 1: I think you need to be inspired to protect others 405 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: who don't have a voice, and it happens to your 406 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: child and their voice is gone, but you know they're brilliant. 407 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: I'll do anything to hear his voice. And then it's 408 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: happening to so many other people, and then I'm creative, so. 409 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 3: I can't help it. 410 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: I have all these really good ideas and nobody like 411 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,120 Speaker 1: from a business standpoint, I don't. None of the other 412 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: baby brands like they're great, wonderful. There's some really beautiful 413 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: brands really, you know, authentic founders, and there are a 414 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: lot that are all that are not authentic, and it's 415 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: just about making money. And I just I feel like 416 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: I know I can make something better. That's it. 417 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for coming. I loved having her. 418 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 3: Thank you so much. 419 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:49,959 Speaker 1: That's my pleasure. 420 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 3: I love meeting. It's awesome. 421 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 2: Shazi lives on the East Coast with her husband, son, 422 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 2: and daughter, and it's continuing her mission to dis up 423 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 2: to the baby industry and provide products that prioritize the 424 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 2: health of the mom and the baby. Before we close 425 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 2: out this episode, I want to let you know that 426 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 2: after this amazing interview with Shazi, I became a proud 427 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:15,119 Speaker 2: investor of Healthy Baby. As a mom, peace of mind 428 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 2: is everything, and I believe in the mission and the 429 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 2: product Shazi is making and Shazi's leadership. I feel so 430 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 2: lucky that through this show, I'm able to invest in 431 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 2: another amazing woman owned brand like Shazi's, and then I 432 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 2: get to do my small part to help these women 433 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 2: embrace their pivots to shop. Visit healthybaby dot com and 434 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 2: find her products and target. That's all for now. Talk 435 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 2: to you next week. Thanks for listening to this episode 436 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 2: of she Pivots. If you made it this far, you're 437 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 2: a true pivoter, so thanks for being part of this community. 438 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 2: I hope you enjoyed this episode, and if you did 439 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,640 Speaker 2: leave us a rating, please be nice and tell your 440 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 2: friends about us. To learn more about our guests, follow 441 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 2: us on Instagram at she pivots the podcast line up 442 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 2: for our newsletter where you can get exclusive behind the 443 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 2: scenes content, or on our website, she Pivots the podcast 444 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 2: talk to You Next Week Special thanks to the she 445 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 2: pivots team, Executive producer Emily eda Velosik, Associate producer and 446 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:21,719 Speaker 2: social media connoisseur Hannah Cousins, Research director Christine Dickinson, Events 447 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 2: and logistics coordinator Madeline Snovak, and audio editor and mixer 448 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 2: Nina pollock I endorse she Pivots.