After noticing a real lack of a relatable, transparent and no bs brand in the nutrition space, Alessandra Sollberger knew she needed to do something about it and soon after, Evermore Health was created.

Evermore Health is an active lifestyle brand in functional nutrition with a line of organic superfood supplements which are transparently sourced from sustainable producers. You can also get advices on all things nutrition, health and lifestyle on the platform.

Below is my conversation with Alessandra.

Hi Alessandra, thanks for agreeing to share your story on YHP. Can you give us some background information about yourself?

I was born in Switzerland and grew up in a small town by the lake, speaking several languages. I caught the entrepreneurial bug at 11 years old and started a little resale business. I’ve always been sporty, which is where my passion for the wellness sector comes from. Whenever I can take some time off, I try to go explore a new country where I can kitesurf!

How did the idea for Evermore Health come about?

I grew up as a swimmer and used to teach snowboard and windsurf during high school, so my clients would ask a lot about functional nutrition. I got well-versed in the subject, but mainly I saw what a big difference it makes! After university, I worked as an investor in private equity and venture capital. Looking into this sector, I noticed a real lack of a relatable, transparent and no bs brand in the nutrition space. That’s how Evermore came about.

Tell me about the early days, the type of challenges you initially encountered?

All sorts of challenges! Being a founder tests your capacity to react to endless unknown unknowns. When you start out, you need to be open-minded enough to observe the feedback that the market gives you. You keep your convictions, but you need to be flexible too. Nobody gets it 100% right out of the gate. And if you decide to fundraise early like we did, you need to be resilient. Someone doesn’t get it? Who cares. Next up! Managing your mindset is very important.

What is Evermore Health? And what are you trying to solve with it?

We’re an active lifestyle brand in functional nutrition. Our goal is to be your partner in crime for a happy, active life. We have a line of organic superfood supplements which are transparently sourced from sustainable producers. They target functions like boosting your metabolism and clearing your skin. We also launched a platform for getting advice online on all things nutrition, health and lifestyle. We do that directly through experts who we carefully choose.

How have you been able to fund it so far?

We raised an initial round of funding from angel investors and seed funds, which helped us get to where we are today.

What advices would you give to entrepreneurs looking to raise funds for their start-ups?

Let’s put it this way: ask for advice and get funding, ask for funding and get advice. Never approach a discussion without trying to learn something from it. Being receptive to feedback is key, so if anything, you’ll show another good skill and you’ll get something out of all discussions. You’ll have to find out who’s the right fit for your business.

About the first few months, how excited were you, tell us about how those months felt, what happened?

I was motivated all the way through, but the rollercoaster was more intense in the early days. So much to adjust to. Once we launched our products on the market, it felt more exciting and active. Try and get to that point as early as possible, because at that stage your learnings are real – they’re actual market feedback.

How did you initially get traction?

Word of mouth and being present where our early adopters are. Speaking with them and understanding their needs was really helpful in improving our offering.

What are the most crucial things that you have done to grow your business?

As mentioned above, listening to the market and getting close to the early adopters who can help spread the word.

What would you say has been the highlight of your entrepreneurial journey so far?

Each time I get a grateful customer email, I feel like what we’re doing has purpose. Making customers happy is the best highlight.

What should we be expecting from yourself and the Evermore Health team for 2018?

New product lines and our digital health advice platform! Also expect seeing our products in unusual places.

Lastly, what three pieces of advice would you offer entrepreneurs starting out today?

1. Learn how to turn your obstacles into opportunities: it’s not enough to just seize opportunities, approaching issues in a creative way can give you a real edge
2. Don’t take things personally: manage your ego and don’t let it stop you
3. Enjoy the ride for the crazy experience that it is!