Ep 319 | Laura Modi

Written By Yasmin Nouri

This Founder Had an “Aha Moment,” Quit Her Dream Job & Disrupted a $70 Billion Industry

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Laura Modi is the co-founder and CEO of Bobbie, the first woman-owned organic infant formula brand in the U.S.

Before starting Bobbie, Laura spent over a decade at Google and Airbnb, where she built a reputation for taking risks and thinking big. Growing up in Ireland, she was surrounded by entrepreneurship thanks to her family’s business, but it wasn’t until she became a mom herself that her passion truly clicked. After struggling to find a formula she felt confident feeding her daughter, Laura realized there was a massive gap in the U.S. market and decided to do something about it. While pregnant with her second child, she took the leap from her secure tech career to start Bobbie, launching the first FDA-approved organic, European-style infant formula in the U.S. Since its launch in January 2021, Bobbie has nourished more than 4.5% of babies born in the U.S. and is positioned to serve three times as many babies in the coming years.

In this week’s episode, we talk to Laura about her incredible journey—from growing up in an entrepreneurial family in Dublin to working at Google, moving her career to the U.S., and joining Airbnb in its earliest days. Laura shares the lessons she learned from working alongside the CEO of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, how she developed the courage to bet on herself, and the pivotal role motherhood played in inspiring her to create Bobbie. She sheds light on the stigma surrounding formula feeding in the U.S. and the emotionally taxing experience many mothers face when feeding doesn’t go as planned.

We also talk about the challenges of launching a product in a highly regulated industry without prior experience, including overcoming significant FDA roadblocks, rebounding after their pilot launch was shut down, and fundraising while visibly pregnant. She shares the value of vulnerability in leadership, the discipline required to succeed as an entrepreneur, and the importance of continuous learning and curiosity in growing as a CEO. Laura also discusses the misconceptions about entrepreneurship, the need for innovation in stagnant industries, the power of community and support systems in navigating the ups and downs of business, and so much more.

Show Notes:

  • Entrepreneurial upbringing shaped Laura's mindset. [03:29]

  • Career paths evolve; experience matters. [05:28]

  • Transitioning from Google to Airbnb. [08:20]

  • Success requires betting on yourself. [11:27]

  • Growth demands continuous learning. [13:32]

  • How motherhood reshaped Laura's career. [18:13]

  • Feeding challenges can be emotionally taxing for new mothers. [22:52]

  • Formula feeding stigma in the U.S. persists. [27:24]

  • Bobbie’s early beginnings. [29:20]

  • The inspiration behind Bobbie. [31:37]

  • Pregnancy created urgency for Laura. [34:17]

  • Launching a pilot program and biggest learnings. [35:00]

  • Grace under pressure leaves an impression. [37:41]

  • Resilience drives success amid challenges. [39:52]

  • Fundraising while pregnant posed challenges. [42:40]

  • Education is vital for marketing Bobbie. [45:54]

  • The importance of curiosity as a CEO. [47:24]

  • Designing the world you want. [53:43]

  • Misconceptions about entrepreneurship. [55:02]

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Ep 318 | Jyoti Chand