Hi Daniela! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:
I am a wife, mama and business owner. My business, SOLMA, is the first ready to drink lactation support beverage. SOLMA has 5 of the main galactagogues (or substances aimed to promote lactation): Fenugreek, Milk thistle, Nettle Leaf, Turmeric and Fennel Leaf. These ingredients aim to promote milk production in postpartum women. Our product delivers this lactation support in a resealable ready- to- drink format.
So Daniela, what excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?
Meeting other entrepreneurs, learning from others and networking.
What made you take the leap to start your own business?
The flexibility that comes from being an entrepreneur. I’m fueled by the opportunity it affords me to manage my own schedule and prioritize my life in the way that I want. I'm motivated by my young kids to chase after my dreams, so that they can see that it is possible.
What was your background prior to starting your own business?
I have experience in event planning, fundraising and operations. Most recently, my background is in program management.
Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
Yes, I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Growing up, I always had a lemonade stand out in the summer or would sell freshly cut flowers from my backyard. Over time, these businesses evolved and I was always looking for new entrepreneurial ventures.
When first launching a new biz, marketing is so important! What is your current marketing strategy?
Currently, I am executing a multi-pronged approach to get exposure for my business. Our marketing consists of a mix between organic social, digital ads, public relations outreach and engagement in the community we serve. Since we recently launched, we are still understanding the landscape of the industry we are in and seeing what is working and what needs to be improved upon.
Entreprenistas overcome challenges every single day. What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way?
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered is how to start and what to do next. One of the things I tell entrepreneurs who are just starting out on their journey is to just start. You may not have it all figured out in the beginning, but you start and learn as you go. I’ve noticed that this approach is much more common than I thought before officially becoming an entrepreneur.
Daniela, as a wife, mama and business owner, you have lots to be proud of. What is the accomplishment you are proudest of to date?
I am incredibly honored to provide a product in the postpartum market for women. When I first entered motherhood, I was blissfully unaware of the 4th trimester, and everything that your body went through as you recovered from childbirth. Breastfeeding was also a huge challenge for me, physically and mentally. Now with SOLMA, I’ve been able to engage in conversations with mothers everywhere, and share my experiences in hopes that it makes someone else navigating the postpartum journey feel more supported. We also recently launched our endowment fund where we provide products to NICUs and other lactation groups aimed to support women on their breastfeeding journey.
Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?
Absolutely. I love my job and working, but I love my family more. One of the best tips that I like to follow is to prioritize what NEEDS to be done vs what would be NICE to have done. Also, as a working mom, I am constantly juggling plastic balls and glass balls. I make sure to live my life in such a way that I can prioritize the non-negotiables in my life. One of my biggest tips is to surround yourself with a community that supports your aspirations and delegate tasks when you’re able to.
Learning from veteran entrepreneurs is so beneficial when starting out. What's a piece of advice you can share that you wish you'd known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?
Not everyone has it all figured out in the beginning; just start and place one foot in front of the other and never lose focus of your “why.” Reach out to entrepreneurs that have been where you are and ask questions. Build a community you can consult with and educate yourself as much as you can. You will have some incredibly encouraging days on your business journey and days where everything is just hard. Know that that’s normal and never lose focus on what made you get started.
Daniela, you have lots to celebrate! What have you achieved recently that you'd like to celebrate with our community?
After years of development and officially launching our product, we have been able to support women on their breastfeeding journey with our ready-to-drink lactation support beverages. Most recently, we partnered with a NICU to provide some extra support to mothers with babies in the NICU in honor of World Breastfeeding Week; where we were able to provide SOLMA teas to help women with their breastmilk supply.
What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?
Our initial production run was 3 tea flavors: Lemon, Chamomile and Rooibos. We are looking ahead at our next round of production where we will incorporate more flavors to the line up, in addition to offering teas with other galactagogue ingredients. In addition to the beverage space, we are looking forward to supporting women in other areas of their postpartum journey through partnerships with a meal service and apparel brands.
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