By Henry L. Davis
The Buffalo News, N.Y.
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) Quick Q&A with entrepreneur Rachel Jackson, founder of “Rachel’s Remedies”
The Buffalo News, N.Y.
Who: Rachel Jackson, founder of Rachel’s Remedies
What she’s doing: Rachel’s Remedies makes comfort pads for breast-feeding mothers. The company recently partnered with a major brand to place two products in 1,600 national stores.
Why she defines the entrepreneurial spirit: Through personal experience, Jackson found and filled a significant gap in the marketplace for treating women’s breast-feeding conditions.
“My husband and I started Rachel’s Remedies in 2014 with no experience or background in medical devices, the mom-baby industry, or consumer goods,” she said. “We went to every trade show and medical conference we could manage, we talked to as many people in the industry that would talk to us, and we worked day and night making important industry contacts, and building relationships with buyers, retailers, sales representatives — and the list goes on.”
Advice for the new entrepreneur: “Always follow your instinct, especially when it’s hard to do so. No one knows your vision better than you. If you think something is wrong — your product or service — take a close hard look and don’t be afraid to change it or start from scratch until you know it’s right.
Get involved with your local business school and entrepreneurial organizations. UB, Launch NY and Z80 Labs have been instrumental to our progress and success. Most importantly to stay afloat, your venture will always cost more than you project, and it will take longer to raise money than you think, so start early.”
