Interview with Jessica Postiglione the Founder & CEO of Bonny
Jessica Postiglione is the Founder & CEO of Bonny, the only deliciously clean and sustainably packaged fiber supplements brand on the market. Previously, she was the CEO & Co-Founder of OLIKA, a design-forward brand reinventing hand sanitizer. Before making the leap to entrepreneurship, Jessica was a finance professional and corporate strategist. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the Harvard Business School.
What is Bonny all about?
Bonny is a health and wellness start-up disrupting the multibillion prebiotic and fiber supplements markets. We offer consumers a fiber powder that they will want to take. Deliciously and thoughtfully formulated, with natural and organic ingredients, our proprietary fiber blend is vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free and contains an amazing 7+ grams of fiber serving (or 25%+ of your recommended daily intake.)
Bonny is plastic-free featuring forever recyclable steel tins and recycled labels made from 100% post-consumer waste. Bonny means beautiful in Scottish, and that is how we believe fiber should taste, look and feel. Launched December 2020.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your business?
After college, I was an investment banker and held corporate strategy and finance roles post-business school. I always wanted to do something entrepreneurial and I am now on my second venture, Bonny. I previously built a premium consumer products brand from scratch.
In short, I get sh*t done (no pun intended) and I am very excited about helping millions of Americans start to reach their daily fiber goals.
How has the pandemic affected you or your new business?
Bonny was born during the pandemic. During COVID I found a renewed interest in fitness. I became obsessed with nutrition and in turn, realized what I was eating was not the most ideal. I went down a research rabbit hole… reading everything I could and talking to every expert I could find. I thought I knew the basics, but (spoiler alert) I didn’t.
I discovered that like 95% of Americans!!, I don’t consume enough fiber This is disappointing because fiber has been shown to have a number of health positive benefits like helping build muscle, improving regularity, reducing bad cholesterol, balancing blood sugar, boosting immunity, aiding with weight loss, and much more.
I did what most people do and Googled “the best fiber supplements.” Did every supplement’s name end in ‘cel or ‘lax? Also, why were artificial ingredients, artificial flavors, and dyes like yellow #6 commonplace? Oh and the plastic. I purchased a few options and I should have known they would taste terrible as well.
This motivated me to do something. I saw an opportunity to launch a deliciously clean and sustainably packaged fiber supplement powder that people would look forward to taking. I researched and identified the best partners with deep nutritional supplement expertise; our formulator has over 25 years of experience creating dietary supplements. And so Bonny was born.
What were the top mistakes you made starting your business and what did you learn from it?
Entrepreneurship is all about making mistakes, learning and adjusting. One of Bonny’s brand promises is sustainability and we worked hard to eliminate plastic from our packaging. After going through the creative process of designing our packaging, we received samples to see how the material looked in real life. Unfortunately, the original design was not achievable given the properties of the sustainable materials.
We went back to the drawing board. Lesson learned: begin with the materials first, especially unfamiliar ones, to fully understand and appreciate their strengths and weaknesses before designing. In the end, we made it work and are very happy with our elegant, plastic-free Bonny tins.
What was your first business idea and what did you do with it?
Technically, my first business idea was launched during high school. I started a business selling homemade arts and crafts at local fairs. While it did not grow into a full business, I learned a number of lessons in the process!
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Bonny has realized a lot of success partnering with influencers in the health and wellness space. They provide valuable feedback on our brand and have been excited to share Bonny with their followers.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. There will be good days and there will be bad days. It’s important to be very passionate about your idea because it will become your sole focus.
Also as you think about the financial side of launching a business, consider starting a company as a side-hustle to mitigate down-side risk. If the side hustle becomes meaningful, then invest in making it your full-time job.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
This may not seem like a productivity tip, but taking a break from the business helps me stay very productive. It allows me to focus on recharging, relieves pressure and keeps my energy levels up during the day. I always advise others founders to prioritize their mental health.
What is your favorite quote?
One of my favorite quotes is “Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. To me, this quote speaks to relying less on academic scenarios of what may happen, and instead focusing on real world dynamics.
How do you personally overcome fear?
I’ve put myself in uncomfortable situations to tackle my fears head on. Case in point, I bungee jumped while traveling years ago. I was incredibly afraid of the jump, but my excitement to experience the sensation of bungee jumped trumped my fear. I often think if I can bungee jump; I can take on any challenge.
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How can readers get in touch with you?
Say hello @trybonny across social media.
