Madeline Haydon (nutpods) - Developing creamers from scratch with no food and bev experience, using Amazon as a testing ground, and fundraising without a network

Thank you Alison Ryu for the introduction to our guest today, Madeline Haydon. Madeline is Founder and CEO of nutpods. nut pods is a dairy-free half and half alternative made from almonds and MCT-rich coconuts in a convenient, easy to use coffee creamer. What I most appreciated from this conversation was how open Madeline was about the beginning days of nut pods, starting the company without any food and bev experience, taking on alot of risk and now leading the business to incredible heights.

Some of the questions I asked Madeline -

1. What attracted you to entrepreneurship? Especially Dairy Free creamers
2. What attracted you to the world of creamers and what was the insight that led you to founding Nutpods?
3. Walk me through the process of developing creamers in your kitchen to actually having commercial manufacturing?
4. How did you go about building your supply chain?
5. What was your approach to distribution early on?
6. Daily free vs. non-sweener
7. What was that moment like when you knew you were on to something / wanted to take this full time and put everything you had into Nutpods?
8. When and why did you choose to raise capital?
9. What was your approach to fundraising?
10. What were some of the challenges / biggest hurdles you had to overcome?
11. What are some of the differences fundraising from VCs vs. private equity groups?
12. When did that transition start for you?
13. What was your approach to board construction?
14. What would you like to see change in the fundraising process?
15. How did the pandemic change nut pods? Did you have to pivot your strategy, channel mix?
16. What has been your approach to new distribution channels, partnerships and product extensions?
17. When you take a look back at all of what you've accomplished with nut pods, what were some of the key reasons why you've been so successful?
18. What's your vision for nutpods in the coming years?
19. What's one thing you would change about venture capital?
20. What's one book that inspired you personally and one book that inspired you professionally?
21. What's the best piece of advice that you've received?
22. What's one thing you would change about venture capital?