Powering Up: How Katie Webb Is Elevating the Active Wellness Industry Through Superfood Blends

Katie Webb, Founder and CEO of Aila, is building a better way to energize through products that are free of artificial ingredients and post-consumption jitters, and packed with real superfoods and a plethora of benefits.

After trying many different methods to effectively boost her energy levels and continuously coming up short, Katie decided to create her own alternative to the many products on the market. Through lots of research and trial and error, Aila was finally born when she uncovered the perfect combination of energizing superfoods and vitamins.

We asked Katie about how her past experiences have influenced her career, the struggles she’s faced as an entrepreneur, and how she has grown as a leader over the years.

Q: Tell us the story behind Aila’s founding. How and why did you start working on Aila?

A: I started Aila out of my love for an early morning workout, but desire for something better in terms of energy and fuel. I’ve spent way too much on Starbucks, and I’ve tested out a lot of pre-workout supplements that left much to be desired. I thought, “why do we have all of these great, plant-based products in the wellness world, but not when it comes to performance and fitness?”

So, I created Aila to combine the best of both worlds. We use the nourishing benefits of superfoods for your overall nutrition and wellness, combined with the functional, proven benefits of vitamins and organic caffeine sources to support energy, performance, and focus.

Q: What problem does Aila solve?

A: We’re addressing a niche of the active consumer market that prioritizes their nutrition but also needs that added energy boost for the in-between moments. Convenient energy isn’t always coming with the best ingredient label, and we aim to fix that.

Q: What are some of the most meaningful impacts Aila has had so far?

A: It’s so rewarding to me whenever I hear from customers that they’ve been able to be more active with Aila because we were their little boost. We’ve also had some customers who have completely ditched coffee and are now drinking our supplement blends instead, which have a more manageable amount of caffeine from an organic source. Some of our earliest customers still email me directly when they have questions, and I love having that personal contact with them!

Q: What makes your company different from others?

A: We’re the only brand I know of that’s combining performance and wellness. We don’t believe they need to live separately on the shelf. For some reason, products that target gym-goers have always been really intense in their marketing, high in artificial ingredients and stimulants, and, most of the time, targeted to men. Aila is different because we speak to the active, often female consumer who doesn’t feel a real connection with today’s performance brands.

Q: In what ways has your upbringing or past experiences contributed to how you operate as an entrepreneur?

A: I come from more than 10 years of experience in sales, mainly in the advertising and media industry. I’ve heard a lot of no’s, as it’s a major part of that role. I think being comfortable with hearing no, figuring out why, and continuing to push forward is a strength of mine as an entrepreneur that applies to a number of areas.

Q: Have you ever felt like you’re “different”? If yes, in what ways has this contributed to your journey as an entrepreneur?

A: Only all day, everyday! In terms of different, I guess I could say in some ways I’ve never felt like a real girly girl. I’ve always been into sports, fitness, etc. I will pretty much always pick trying out a new fitness class over getting my nails done. I think that’s a huge reason as to why I started Aila. I felt like the traditional active girl brands like Lululemon always come back to appearance. I think active girls crave functionality too.

Q: Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

A: Nope. It never crossed my mind until I had the idea for the product. It also helped that I was living in NYC and was beginning to surround myself with people who had side hustles or were doing their own thing. That definitely made me feel like it was attainable or that I could at least try.

Q: What’s one thing you wish you had known before starting your company?

A: I wish I had known a little bit more about the supply chain process and nuances with manufacturers. It’s a completely different world, but I’ve learned a lot.

Q: What were the most difficult and most impactful lessons you’ve learned?

A: Realizing that I can’t be everywhere at once. I feel fortunate to have learned basically an entire new skill set, in going from a sales role to more of a building and operating role in a completely new space. That said, trying to be on every channel or spreading myself too thin across things that aren’t as impactful has been a learning experience for sure.

Q: What’s been the hardest part of your entrepreneurial journey?

A: Bootstrapping for as long as we have has made it challenging to hire. However, in the last few months in our accelerator program, we’ve been able to bring on some great talent who have been integral in scaling the business.

Q: What’s been the most unexpected part of your entrepreneurial journey?

A: I think I’ve surprised myself at how much I work. I went from a role where I was constantly counting the minutes in the day, or looking for opportunities to step away from my computer. Now, I’m always wishing there were more hours in the day. Work/life balance is a constant learning experience, but I’m grateful to be doing something that motivates me daily.

Q: What are the biggest mistakes you’ve made?

A: Early on, we had to change our company name because someone already had the trademark and I didn’t know—woops! You live and you learn. I like Aila much better.

Q: What’s the biggest misconception that others have around entrepreneurship?

A: That it’s all about press mentions, interviews, and publicity. The rise of podcasts like How I Built This, gives people a very skewed perception of what running a company is like, and that everything just happens overnight. I particularly like the story about Kodiak Cakes. Their company didn’t really take off until about 15 years later, and now they’re worth millions.

Q: Have you struggled with self doubt as an entrepreneur? Have you felt like giving up?

A: Oh yes—daily. I certainly haven’t conquered it. But I keep a running list of all we’ve accomplished in the last few months and glance at it whenever I feel stuck or am doubting myself. Also, I’ve been lucky to connect with a lot of founders in a similar space as mine, and I know the feeling is not uncommon.

In terms of giving up, honestly, not all that often. I definitely have days where I feel like I’m just pushing things around and am not as far along as I’d like to be, but I can’t really picture myself doing anything else.

Q: What achievements are you most proud of?

A: We had our biggest sales month this past July, and just launched in Urban Outfitters and Free People!

Q: Has your definition of success evolved throughout your journey as a founder? What resources or people have contributed the most to your successes?

A: Yes. In the direct-to-consumer space, at first, everyone thinks the big sales just appear immediately. Those are the only stories you hear about—the overnight successes. It is not like that. I’ve learned to appreciate the smaller steps and hurdles, and to try to celebrate every milestone. In the past, I often kept successes to myself because I felt uncomfortable. But I’ve realized sharing them with people close to me is important to reinforce the success and broaden the celebration.

My fiance has been an incredible support system. He’s an e-commerce wiz, a great in-house resource, and my biggest cheerleader. Dreamers & Doers has also been integral in connecting me with other female founders for support and advice.

Q: How have you grown as a leader since starting Aila? What experiences have contributed to this growth?

A: I like to think that I have! We’ve hired five people in the last couple of months, so jumping into that has taught me a lot about managing a team, even if they are remote or freelancer status. Understanding strengths and weaknesses is huge, as is being able to shape roles early on so that team members can be successful.

Q: Have you discovered any underappreciated leadership traits or misconceptions around leadership? What have you learned about building a team and a support network around yourself?

A: Saying thank you and being grateful. Also, I’ve learned to lean into my team’s expertise in areas that I’m not strong and let them run with what they know. It’s important to be able to share your vision clearly with your team, get them excited about it, and make them feel like a real part of it. Most of the time, that’s what employees want from a start up but often feel like they’re kept on the outside. I want my team to feel like they’re an integral part of our growth, because they all very much are.

Q: What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your entrepreneurial journey all over again?

A: Network first and ask for a lot of help. I was hesitant in the beginning, but if I’d had the support system then that I have now, I’m sure I would have done a few things differently.

Entrepreneurship can often feel like starting and stopping. The journey is not always up and to the right as a lot of these start up companies show. But knowing what I know now, I would surely do it all over again.

Katie is a member of Dreamers & Doers, a private collective that amplifies the entrepreneurial pursuits of extraordinary women through thought leadership opportunities, authentic connection, and access. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and subscribe to their monthly The Digest for top entrepreneurial and career resources.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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