Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Yinka Davies, Founder, and CEO of LYVECAP, located in Sacramento, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am the founder and CEO of the probiotic company Lyvecap. We currently have an eight-strand bacterial formulation on the market, STRONG, fortified with Leucine and Taurine. Our patent-pending mechanism, STRONG, was created to enhance athletic performance, recovery, and overall wellness.
Our customers are primarily athletes ranging from up-and-coming amateurs to elite-level Olympic performers. However, our products are also used by everyday individuals, health enthusiasts, and anyone looking to enhance their active lifestyle by strengthening their microbiomes.
Tell us about yourself
As a pediatric gastroenterologist, my passion for medicine and science started at a young age. Through my years treating young children for gastrointestinal issues, I discovered the unparalleled influence of the microbiome on overall wellness. When you discover ways to mitigate gut flora imbalances, you unlock a world that fosters not only disease treatment but disease prevention.
When I was working at Stanford as a fellow, I treated a young patient with crippling gut-related symptoms. Her family tried nearly every probiotic on the market at the time, and nothing provided relief until she tried the De Simone formulation. This was when the idea for Lyvecap emerged, as I knew the market was missing a trusted and tested probiotic supplement backed by science and founded by doctors. I partnered with Claudio De Simone, a world-renowned expert in intestinal microflora, to create the Lyvecap formulation.
My goal is to break through the noise of the unregulated supplement market with a clean product. Consumers deserve to easily source reliable probiotics that are clinically proven to deliver results. I am motivated by the Lyvecap mission, helping individuals live well each and every day. We are here to shift the paradigm from disease treatment to disease prevention while shedding light on the full-body impact of microbiome health.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Some of my biggest accomplishments as a business owner have been building strong relationships with over 20 Lyvecap athletes. Additionally, we have just recently become the probiotic partner of Brooks Beasts and an alliance partner of Wu Tsai Human Performance Center. It has been an amazing experience to make powerful industry connections while expanding our outreach as a business.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Some of the hardest things about being a business owner are juggling the many hats that come with maintaining and growing a company. As a practicing doctor, I often have to switch gears to ensure we are continually pushing the business forward, articulating our messaging, and refining our marketing to engage an audience that understands the value of efficacious, science-backed probiotics. I have so many ideas for the future of the company and have to remember that growth and expansion is a never-ending, gradual process.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Lead with authenticity. If you believe in the value of your product, your audience can tell the difference.
- Stay in your own lane. There will always be competitors in your industry, which is why you have to be true to your brand and mission. Don’t try to be anyone else; instead, find your unique edge and run with it.
- Grit and Dedication. It’s not easy to keep pushing against the grain when it feels like it’s easier to give up. In my opinion, grit is essential for business owners. It’s what will set you apart from others and keep you showing up every day. Dedication is what gets things done when motivation is lacking.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://lyvecap.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lyvecapUS/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyvecap/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yinkakdavies/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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