Knowledge is Power at Ahara Ft. Julie Wainwright of Ahara | EYB

Julie Wainwright is an entrepreneur and e-commerce pioneer with over 20 years of experience in technology and consumer businesses. She is currently the CEO and co-founder of Ahara, a precision nutrition company founded in 2022, which raised over $10M in seed funding. Previously, she founded The RealReal, transforming it into the leading luxury consignment company and taking it public in 2019. Julie is a frequent industry speaker and has received numerous prestigious awards, including Entrepreneur’s 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs and Forbes' 50 successful women over 50.

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Transcript

00:00.00

elevatemybrand

Everyone and welcome back to another episode of elevate your brand of course I'm your host Laurel Mintz and I'm joined today by Julie Wainwright who is the Ceo and co-founder of Ahara but you probably know her best because she was previously Ceo and founder. The real real Julie thank you for joining us today.

00:19.13

Julie Wainwright

Oh thanks for having me. Okay.

00:32.56

Elevatemybrand

I saw you on stage at a visionary women's summit and you just had so much life and energy and the stories about being in a room fundraising for the real real and how that whole evolution came about and then now launching Ahara was so inspiring I couldn't wait to have you on the show. So I'm I'm I'm happy you're here share with us a little bit about what your current journey is with Ahara. Yeah.

00:51.14

Julie Wainwright

Sure. Well thanks for saying that Laurel was a good room I thought everyone on the panel was great and Julia borston did a great job at that. It was quite an event. Um so ahara is about personalizing what you eat to increase your house span and um. You know as I've gone through my aging process I noticed that certain food and even drinks don't work for me anymore. But I didn't know how to optimize my diet for where I am in my life. And now nutrition is moving toward personalized nutrition and that's what ahara does so we've taken all the science that is actually we're deep in the science but you don't even have to worry about that but we give you after a simple health survey and ah and. Also taking account of what you eat on a regular basis and it's really quick. It's a 3 minute survey then we give you your key nutrients. You need to focus on for your health span and also a dedicated meal plan that's tuned to your personal needs and. I think we can all agree that um what I need in my body right now given a woman in in their sixty s isn't the same as a man in his 20 s or a woman in her 20 s or a woman going through. Um you know having just had a child so when you look at what do we need to do to be. Um, optimize our health It's really comes down to personal nutrition and nahara takes the lead there.

02:28.51

elevatemybrand

Well there's so much happening in the world of personalization across every single market. Why did you decide that this was the category that you wanted to be in because you were previously at a fashion house fashion brand um and doing all kinds of what we call now upcycled. Fashion right? So you found this niche where women and men wanted high end fashion but that didn't want to pay the retail price point for it and so you were able to create this incredible brand that phrase they still shop on today. Let's be very clear. Um. It's a bit of a leap from that to the health side. So tell us how you got there.

03:06.41

Julie Wainwright

You know it. It comes down to a couple different things. 1 was um I kept wondering how my genetics as you know as genetics become really important and everything we're doing and getting precision medicine. At some point I kept wondering how my genetics impact my health and it. It's pretty well established that what the genetics you're born with don't don't necessarily present. They need. They can be turned off and on and I kept thinking if food is medicine which I believe what does that. How does that apply to my personal genetics and it also came from you know, sort of a sad place because my father passed away in 2021 and he died of complications from metabolic syndrome which basically were diabetes and um and and other terrible. Impacts of diabetes and it came after he had his heart attack and he kept saying I don't know how to eat I don't know how to eat for my health and when I talked to the nurse on the hospice floor. It was ah in a hospital. She said everyone on the floor at that time was dying of a metabolic issue. Mostly obesity related but not solely and someone as young as in their early 50 s and I kept thinking if we knew what to eat for our bodies to to avoid um, you know, bad outcomes I mean obviously we're going to all die. But it's a. Terrible way to die with a disease state when it could be preventative I think it'd be really good for the planet and you know precision when I looked into it. Precision nutrition is really advancing quickly. It's an exciting field. And look I loved what I did at the real real I started that in my kitchen. It was fabulous I'm all about ah recirculating goods given how bad and the fashion industry is on the planet for for an environmental reasons but even more than that I loved beautiful things. So I loved doing that business. But I felt like I had 1 more thing in me and um and I really think the most important thing we can all do is figure out what food we need to eat for our body and not just do a one size fits all because the science is moved. And um I felt like I could deliver it working with some of the top nutritional experts in the world which is how it evolved.

05:34.47

elevatemybrand

So take us through the actual process. How to so you said there's a quiz and I've I've gone through this process but I want everyone to understand how simple it is what the outcomes look like um so take us through from step 1 You take the quiz then what happens.

05:48.33

Julie Wainwright

So and and this is about by the way it's about what took you maybe 3 to 5 minutes so the next thing we get next thing I mean we do have a charge. It's only $10 but beyond that you get a.

05:54.33

elevatemybrand

Yeah, super simple.

06:04.71

Julie Wainwright

Deep nutrition report that focuses on nutrients and based on self-reporting what key nutrients may be missing from your diet. What optimal foods would actually give you those ah those key nutrients and then we also look at. Um, if you possibly need supplementation and what supplementation we would recommend now some people and I was one of them I took tons of supplements I'd read about something like oh it looks like I need that and you know and and you know it became insane and of course.

06:35.30

elevatemybrand

Same Yep, Always adding something.

06:43.57

Julie Wainwright

They were making big claims mostly in my case were about anti-aging or you know making sure you can really focus on things and you know what about your gut and I thought what about my gut. You know it's all fear that was all fear driven and but I didn't know if I needed him. So Ahara actually helps people understand based on their diet and their health history and their family health history. What supplements do you need possibly if you're not taking them. We do sell clinical grade supplements but we're more than a supplement company then so you get this great dense report. On your your nutrition report your optimal foods your recommended supplements if any and then we ah have a personalized meal plan for you that is auto generated every week where you can then make replacements and put it and the rest. It's all recipe driven. And let me just talk about the recipes and and how we even got it. We started with something like 15000 recipes those were actually labeled with key nutrients and they were culled to only down to 5000 of generally healthy recipes after that. Ah, with the key nutrients. You're going to understand what nutrient you need in your body you get personalized recipes from those 5000. They're incredibly healthy. Um, and then we also reward you for logging and it's a simple logging for logging those nutrients. Now to complete it. We've got a couple things we're working on. Um, again, you know? Um, even though you should eat as many fruit vegetables and light lean proteins as possible people eat packaged goods I know I do and I never and I love to snack on certain things. That I may or may not be good for that may or may not be good for me and 1 of them like I love those hip tea I don't know if you've had them laro but they're really oh my god.

08:40.28

elevatemybrand

Oh the hippies. Yeah, very cool. They're like they're like a better version of a um, a cheeto. Yeah, a very addictive for sure. But you can see how something like that would affect your gut health because it basically when you eat it. It becomes like a little lumba clay in your but in your gut right.

08:56.62

Julie Wainwright

Yeah, so you know so I I keep thinking. Okay I want to be able to scan products in the grocery store because what you do get with ahara you get your personal algorithm for your best health and that's where we're taking it next. That'll be introduced in June. The beginning of June where you can scan any Upc code and you're going to get a personalized recommendation of you know what? Yes, go ahead, take pick up that package goods. Yellow okay, you may want. It's not optimal for you. It's not going to do a lot of damage if you eat it occasionally and red. Date away. So I can't wait to scan those hip peas because I can I just can't believe anything that addictive is that good for me and they may be I don't know I'm just saying that like if I'm going to snack I have to watch it that I don't eat half a bag you know, just.

09:49.72

elevatemybrand

Um, I mean oh I know they're super addictive.

09:53.40

Julie Wainwright

Throughout the day. Um, oh they're so good. But I think the key is just to eliminate thinking about what's good and what's bad I mean there's so much confusion out there and it's more than you know, eat this not that it's like here's what I need to eat to avoid for my optimal health.

10:10.66

elevatemybrand

Absolutely.

10:12.90

Julie Wainwright

And to avoid Disease you know what it? Um, another I Always listen to sanche gupta because he's I Really love the way he explains complex issues and he has been most recently focusing on food and diet and um. His last one or a couple weeks ago he was talking about understanding longevity and he said when they really looked at it. It comes down to the diet because the people that are living the longest with the healthiest lifestyles. Yes, exercise is important Yes, sleep is important Yes community but the end of the day. The biggest difference was diet and that that is so critical and that's where a horror comes in.

10:51.21

elevatemybrand

Yeah, absolutely yeah, it's a really important starting point. We're going to take and a quick break. We'll be right back.

11:07.14

elevatemybrand

Ah, thanks for sticking with us chatting with my friend Julie Waynewright who's the Ceo and co-founder of Ahara previously Ceo and founder of the real real before the break we were talking a little bit about how so much of our longevity and not just longevity but being healthy later in life. Has to do with not just exercise but diet and diet has to do with the types of foods that we consume the quantities of foods that we consume and the truth as you pointed out Julie is that we love a packaged food and it's. Probably the thing we should eliminate the most from our diet but this new scanning technology that you have is allowing people to see what is like an okay food and what is like a hard pass. No no red food which is a really unique technology before we started the podcast we were talking about. The company in the Uk that actually created this original technology but that you have now basically built a better version of it to have it be more personalized. Can you double click on that a little bit.

12:09.87

Julie Wainwright

Yes I mean look I Um I Love that product but it was. It's not about meeting my needs where I am and all what Ahara is is personalized nutrition so we want to serve you if you cook if you buy packaged goods. We even have a menu scanner. Which will tell you when you're eating out what your optimal foods are so it becomes not just good or bad foods. But your optimal foods for you and I would say Also we're a little um you know the yellow zone for us is a little forgiving I mean look, we're not, We're not, We're not trying to. Ah, say to people like don't enjoy a good brownie once in a while. It's like yeah, but you know maybe not that often. So we're trying to get you know at the end of the day if you you're alive you love food, great. But let's. Focus on getting your Keyatt tunes in your body and eating less of the things that aren't great for you. But we're really, um, it isn't a strict program I'll give you it I'll give you a really interesting point Laurel and I don't know if you tried the testing module because we have a testing module. But. Um, and you know what you have. We're going to figure this out because you really should do it and what the testing module does it's it's expensive. It's six ninety five it tells you genetically how you absorb nutrients it then tells you how you're aging internally. Um, so through cell methylation and then lastly it's a. Has a biomarker this is all at home testing through you know, pricking your fingers spinning in a container. Um, and.

13:44.55

elevatemybrand

I know it took me a second. It's so hard for me to do that. But you know you you work yourself up about it. It's actually not bad at all I'm just like oh my god I have to pick my own finger and then you know work myself out of like I I literally put it down like 3 times and then what I did I was like oh you're such a baby and that was not a big deal. But.

14:04.28

Julie Wainwright

I'm by the way I'm with you because you're like I don't know if I want to hurt myself but it isn't a big deal when you do it? Um, it's better than a paper cut. How's that um, but what was fascinating for me because now I've done it twice and they. Rate of aging is actually your key I change my diet based on what aha's personal recommendation. So originally I was four years younger internally then I started adding nuts and seeds and more omegas my omega might turns out my body doesn't absorb omegas. Ah, well at all and omega are so important for heart house skin health they're just critical. Um, which means I can't really eat salmon um or any fatty fish without getting sick and once I start taking more omega supplements adding nuts and seeds and reducing. Some other foods that I was eating um I redid the test in six months and it turns out I'm now nine and a half years younger internally so it worked it just shows you that that's my metabolic age and that is an outside company measuring it. Um, and.

15:05.85

elevatemybrand

Um, Wow That's your metabolic age. Got it.

15:16.34

Julie Wainwright

I'm like okay it's working I mean that's how I knew it was working um and made me feel great I went out and bought something incredibly inappropriate for my age to wear but I felt like I'm I'm I'm nine years younger now and but you know what it key it just shows you the impact of.

15:16.66

elevatemybrand

Wow.

15:33.41

Julie Wainwright

Diet on your body. It's Significant. We All know that if you have high cholesterol you have to go on a special diet if you have diabetes you go on a special diet if you are going through cancer treatments. They want you on a special diet. Why don't we move that curve upward and start eating What's good for your body to avoid all those other. Situations in the back end and you know what I think it's something like 40% of all cancers can be avoided by eating the right. Food. So think about that. It's remarkable.

16:03.80

elevatemybrand

Wow, Yeah, for me, the amazing thing was like looking at the biomarkers and your metabolic health and all of those um pieces that the test reveals and um I think knowledge is power I mean that's really what the what this particular platform is about right. Like you said moving up that horizon that time Horizon on taking advantage of all of this incredible knowledge base that technology has allowed us to advance that you are now packaging in a way that is so easy for the average consumer to to use to their benefit right. So The goal is to reverse the aging process as much as possible Botox can only do so much as you will know. Ah we got to do it from the inside on and that's really what a horror is all about right.

16:49.35

Julie Wainwright

That is I mean I think most people would say food is medicine Absolutely then give me the right medicine. Don't make me take your medicine I need the medicine for my body. Um, and it's simple. Um, like I said where it's not this. Horrible diet you have to go on or some biohacker thing where you're only eating carrots all day. Um I you know the only reason I bring that out is um Steve Jobs went through a period where he was eating like he really believed in the healing power of carrots and he went overboard and turned a little. Orange from people that knew him back then so he was probably one of the first biohackers that gamed fame for what he ate and not in a good way. We don't have to do that anymore. We don't have to use our bodies as experiments we can actually use data use science to figure out. What my body needs now in nutrients and how do I eat better for health and it's the same thing you know, think about as you age and go through any men and women um especially women osteoporosis is a real issue now look it. You know it's just natural. But what if you could avoid it by eating and then um. Impact exercise. It's it'll be It's remarkable what you can do with diet versus of ah drugs and you know I'd I'll avoid taking medicine at all costs versus following a good diet plan. It's so easy I mean we don't even say don't drink wine. We're just like.

18:05.42

elevatemybrand

Um, yeah.

18:17.93

Julie Wainwright

And red line but not a lot. You know it's sort of you. You need to get yeah every I know.

18:19.86

elevatemybrand

Yeah, balance everything in moderation even moderation as they say um, it's fine that you talk about the medicine thing because my because I take a ton of supplements too and actually one of the things that the test showed me was that I probably don't need to be taking most of those and I was um. Hesitant to share it with my husband because he always laughs at me when I put all my cases of pills together for the two week period that I have he's like so making expensive urine again. How fun have have a good time with that because he spends so much money on these supplements and to your point. It's like you read the latest. Bad you leave read the latest thing on what you need to take philion hu score whatever you know and then you just add it to your diet but without a real base knowledge and without any testing like he says he's mean he's not wrong. It is expensive urine.

19:09.30

Julie Wainwright

That that is so funny. That's exactly right? like I said I was I mean I was told not to use this term but I'm going to use it with you. Um I was like I was a supplement who and and and.

19:20.10

elevatemybrand

Um, yeah, totally.

19:24.46

Julie Wainwright

You know to the point where it was silly because I'm like well where does food come in on this I was taking like I'm like oh I got to take 10 of these in the morning I mean taking 10 supplements every day and some people I know take 30 and like it's insane and honestly I didn't feel better.

19:39.79

elevatemybrand

Um, yeah.

19:41.19

Julie Wainwright

And some of them made me sick to my stomach and more importantly, supplements are regulated so you know they're not regulated by the Fda which is why by the way the ah aha made their own. That's why we make our own because we go to clinic we use clinical grade supplement materials. But.

19:46.45

elevatemybrand

Ah, yeah.

20:00.85

Julie Wainwright

They're not regulated who knows what I was putting in my body All I know is I didn't need it I didn't feel better and just taking the small number I take now which is oagus I do take ah a powder for focus a magnesium powder that is unbelievable from Ahara It literally. I Don't know if you given the fact that you and I share the same disease with supplements I don't know if it was I don't know if it was recommended for you. But um, this little powder which is basically a magnesium powder that I put in my smoothie every morning is called focus is. Amazing and it does fact it sort of clears my brain that and exercise that in cardio sort of gets my brain off to a really good start and it that one I felt right away and I thought this is this so efficacious. I was so excited about It. Yes.

20:55.32

elevatemybrand

Yeah, yeah, um, yeah I am recommended for that one and it's in my cart as we speak. We're going to take another quick break. We'll be right back.

21:09.50

elevatemybrand

All right? yall thanks for keep to taking what's sticking with us we are chatting with Julie Rainwright who's a Ceo and co-founder of Ahara previously c co-founder of the real real. What are some of the lessons that you have that you learned at the real real that you're now implementing in a more effective way at a horror.

21:28.30

Julie Wainwright

Oh gosh, There's so many in fact, ah laurel I'm gonna in fact, there's so many I'm gonna I'm putting them in a book. Um, all the key lessons from the rail um look I mean at the end of the day. There's lessons you always learn and then things that need to be reinforced. So. The real real invented a new category and that's always hard So What do we have to do there. We had to make it feel as if it's relevant So One of the key things in the axioms of the of the real rail was we were the company sells use things but those use things. Have to be desirable and it had to be relevant. So if you look at it. It is a great fashion site and honestly I think it does a better job in the editorial and it always has than most fashion sites online. In fact, it was ahead of the curve. So we had to make it relevant and it was a completely new category with um Ahara It's breakthrough. So when you think about personalized nutrition. No one is approaching it in this Way. No Nutrition packages. The only people that are approaching any kind of personalization is if you meet with a doctor so we have.

22:42.97

elevatemybrand

I was going to say it's that it's really expensive. It's concierge. Yeah.

22:48.40

Julie Wainwright

And honestly most doctors weren't trained in nutrition. In fact, what what they're doing is like looking at omega and vitamin d level and they're saying you really need this in fact, almost I think there's only 300 people

22:52.42

elevatemybrand

Yeah, it's fair.

23:00.64

elevatemybrand

Literally every single time. That's what they tell me.

23:05.70

Julie Wainwright

Ah, but it's because those are easy and the science is on their side but they really don't understand personalized nutrition. That's why diet at and most of the research is coming at most of the data feeding into our algorithm. Is from heavy duty researchers in food science and nutrition. So that information isn't necessarily being applied and it's certainly not being applied in a doctor's office and I'm not I love doctors I think you know they they know a lot. They don't know that so there's only I think 300 doctors in the Us. . and have completed really sound coursework and nutrition and could be can speak intelligently about it. It's also an evolving field. It's changing. It's changing so quickly. 1 of our advisors is working. Um.

23:51.81

elevatemybrand

Totally.

24:00.74

Julie Wainwright

First they worked with animals and now they're going into a human test trying to identify key nutrients that work on the gut and the brain that would actually replace and and let's just be clear may not get there replace the weight loss drugs like a zepa bye.

24:17.74

elevatemybrand

Wow.

24:19.66

Julie Wainwright

Isolating nutrients that have the same impact um on the brain and the gut as weight loss drugs now. Is it possible. Um, it's working right now in animals and it would be a supplement and it's and it's food. It's just extracting a nutrient from Food. What work in humans I don't know were much more complex. But if you think about that and the side effects of eating good food. That's ripe for your body. There's none unless you have an allergy unless you have Allergy. So really, this isn't a.

24:48.75

elevatemybrand

Um, yeah, that's mild. Yeah yeah.

24:54.54

Julie Wainwright

Evolving science the experts that inform the algorithm are some of the best in the world and um as the science evolves our algorithm will evolve. But right now if you really want a simple way to change your health. And have it personalized from a food first and not see a functional medicine doctor. It's ahara and it works.

25:19.34

elevatemybrand

Yeah, well I'll tell you I've made a couple big changes since I got my reports back and to your point earlier I have um, added more pumpkin seeds and shia seeds into my diet because it was the same outcome that you were talking about that I wasn't absorbing enough so I have made some significant changes in my diet. And you really do feel better. So it's an incredible program and you're just at the beginning and the truth is Julie like this is what you do you see the future like you're basically a futurist as it comes as it becomes relevant to the end consumer. So I would follow you to the ends of the earth whatever project you decide is the future I'm like she knows what the house she's talking about let's get on board with this so um, with that in mind how can people get in touch with you and try the product.

26:07.37

Julie Wainwright

So for me personally, anyone wants to get in touch with me I do mentor a lot of entrepreneurs. Um, just for fun and you know no charge Julie at ahara a h a r a dot com gets to me. And go up to ahara a eight Ara dot com and you can do on the website you can download the app and get started because honestly it's simple. Simple changes. Knowledge is power and you know who if we're going to live women or living longer if we're going to live into our eighty s into our 90 s let's. Be healthy. Let's have some fun I mean this is you know and we have tools that weren't available to our parents.

26:42.48

elevatemybrand

Um, yeah, yeah I Love it.

26:50.25

elevatemybrand

Totally totally well in the last few minutes we have left I like to do what we call our quick fires this is whatever comes up top of mine. You ready? Um, what is your biggest pet peeve.

26:56.13

Julie Wainwright

Oh boy. Okay.

27:03.82

Julie Wainwright

Yeah, oh you know I'm getting ready to go on a road trip I would say bad drivers you know and I'm just like put just indicate when you're gonna turn left don't just just don't stop and turn anyway. But I bad drivers.

27:20.26

elevatemybrand

Um, ah drivers. What was your favorite subject in school.

27:24.28

Julie Wainwright

And um, it was started my career in biochemistry so it looks like I'm full cycle and art I had I was do an art I Really loved art I Still do I.

27:32.25

elevatemybrand

Wow Wow! You're so center Brain You got the creative and the technical piece. It's probably why you've been so successful in business. Um, how do you deal with stress?

27:43.40

Julie Wainwright

I I work out I have to get I have to get a good sweat on and it can't be just I mean I love stretching I Love pilates but it can't be anything relaxing I need to get a good sweating. Get the heart rate going and it works every time.

27:58.94

elevatemybrand

You know, same What was the last thing that made you cry.

28:05.40

Julie Wainwright

And oh laurel last night my nephew Jacob and his wife Rachel just had a little baby girl and her name is prudence. Um, and she was um, born a little prematurely. Um, because.

28:11.80

elevatemybrand

So congratulations.

28:23.46

Julie Wainwright

They thought she was going to be really really tiny and she would do better outside the womb than inside the womb and she came out over 5 pounds so everyone's happy. She looks healthy. She's going home today. Um, and it just you know there was a lot of medical. Research that went into making sure this baby ah was going to be ok because she was just they called her the bean she was so little. But anyway, it's all good and it's and she's adorable and I can't wait to meet her. So yes, it made me cry especially because new parents new parents. A lot of angst.

28:48.98

elevatemybrand

Ah, you know.

28:52.55

elevatemybrand

Love that last one. Oh yes, oh yes.

29:02.84

elevatemybrand

Um, what last question is what is your favorite word and why this could be something that's had real meaning to over time or something that just pops into your head with this conversation.

29:12.94

Julie Wainwright

And this is so easy. Yes is my favorite Word. Don't tell me what can't be done tell me what can be tell me how what can be done always go for the yes, it's so um, I just live with the yes. I Don't like a no but.

29:33.44

elevatemybrand

And that's why you've been so successful in your career to date. Um Julie wrap us up with some final words of wisdom.

29:38.78

Julie Wainwright

You Lucky only have one life so you better take care of yourself. Use Ahara use science to inform your life and by the way have a lot of fun because it goes fast I mean honestly I would say having fun being healthy and. Taking and loving people. That's really all it is so.

30:00.67

elevatemybrand

I love those words of wisdom Julie thank you so much for spending some time with us today and thanks to everyone who showed up listened in and hopefully took some really great stage advice away stay tuned for more course from elevate your brand coming up next.

30:06.16

Julie Wainwright

So thanks so much.