Ep 320 | Rosa Li

Written By Yasmin Nouri

Zero Orders, Countless Rejections: How This Founder Went From Being Lost in Her Career to Closing a Deal on Shark Tank

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Rosa Li is the founder and CEO of wildwonder, a beverage brand revolutionizing gut health with the world’s first prebiotic and probiotic sparkling drink.

Growing up in Beijing, Rosa spent countless hours with her grandmother, learning about the healing power of traditional herbs and remedies. These early lessons in food as medicine planted the seeds for Rosa’s passion for wellness. However, it wasn’t until years later, while building a successful career in finance, that she realized the importance of prioritizing her own well-being. The high-pressure environment took a toll on her health, and she struggled with gut issues and fatigue. Determined to make a change, Rosa returned to her roots and began experimenting with herbal remedies in her kitchen and that’s when the first version wildwonder was born.  

In this episode, Rosa shares her inspiring journey—from growing up in Beijing with her grandmother to moving to Indiana at 12 and navigating the cultural shocks of a new life in the U.S., which later then shaped her belief in the importance of representation in business. She reflects on her career transitions, from working in finance and startups to eventually launching Rosali Tea which she ended up pivoting to wildwonder. Rosa also opens up about her feelings of being lost in her career to how she ended up creating her first product in her kitchen. Rosa discusses how COVID forced her to completely rethink her business after losing all purchase orders and being stuck with a large amount a product –  a challenge she calls the biggest blessing in helping her grow and rethink her business. She gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her Shark Tank experience, why she initially turned them down, and how it impacted her brand’s success, and so much more.

Show Notes:

  • How perfectionism delays product launches. [03:07]

  • Rosa’s upbringing in Beijing and her grandmother’s influence. [05:24]

  • How her culture impacted her personal identity. [08:00]

  • Representation in business is crucial for inclusivity. [09:05]

  • Rosa’s career in finance and business school journey. [12:53]

  • Career transitions can be challenging but rewarding. [18:15]

  • Rosa’s struggles after business school and feeling “lost”. [20:26]

  • Launching Rosali Tea and going full-time. [22:15]

  • From Rosali Tea to founding wildwonder. [25:42]

  • Rosa’s first purchase order story and the many challenges she faced. [31:43]

  • Persistence is key in overcoming rejection. [36:15]

  • How COVID-19 reshaped business strategies. [40:48]

  • Adapting to market changes is essential for survival. [45:00]

  • Rosa’s Shark Tank experience. [46:12]

  • The influence of packaging on consumer preferences. [47:39]

  • Shark Tank lessons: The power of storytelling and how she sold out on Amazon. [49:45]

  • Understanding your finances is key to building a sustainable, successful business. [52:52]

This episode is brought to you by Beeya:

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Ep 321 | Kat Schneider, Alisa Vitti, & Yasmin Nouri
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Ep 319 | Laura Modi