The Anti-Silver Bullet with Angie Tebbe

(highlights from Episode #16 of the Gutsiest Brands podcast)

Check out the latest lessons from our Gutsiest Brands podcast as GutCheck’s Chief Revenue Officer, Jess Gaedeke, sits down with Angie Tebbe, founder of Rae Wellness. Jess and Angie talk about following your gut, how to gather a toolkit from a corporate career, and what it means to be an “anti-silver bullet” company. 

Rae Wellness was born out of a desire to “nourish the body and mind from the inside out.” Angie talks about growing up in a very holistic household, making her the “weird five-year-old meditating on the lawn, trying to figure out what’s next.” But this lifestyle taught Angie important lessons. Angie says, “if I’m not learning, I’m not growing. If I’m not growing, I’m not happy.” This push to learn and grow is what has made Angie into who she is today and helped her build and launch a successful brand. Here are some highlights of what she’s learned along the way… 

Takeaway #1 – Listen to the Universe

Angie was in the midst of a wonderful corporate career when “the universe started showing up for me one day and telling me, ‘I don’t know if this is right for you anymore.’ There might be something else out there.” Angie decided it was time to honor her late father and join the wellness space. “I’d always had this dream [that] at the right time, I would become a wellness expert and start to live my life personally and professionally in the well-being space. I just got called to it in a matter of weeks, and the forces were strong.” Anyone can find these signs from the universe. Angie says, “I think they’re there all the time. It’s just when you’re ready to see them.”

Takeaway #2 – Be the Chief Listening Officer

“We’re all just doing the best we can, and wellness is a journey for all of us,” Angie says. “It shouldn’t be so expensive to take care of yourself. That’s the core of our brand. It should be for everyone. And we’re really proud of the inclusivity that we bring from an ethos and voice perspective around that consumer.” How does Angie get that? “We just listen. That’s all we do. You may as well call me Chief Listening Officer because that is the most important part of the whole journey…It is truly with the consumer in mind and our community in mind that we have to continue to evolve.” Angie lets consumers lead her in leading the brand.  

Takeaway #3 – Keep Mental Health in Mind

In the wellness space, it’s easy to get tunnel vision and only focus on the body. But our minds deserve just as much attention. “Everything that we do is holistic in nature and impacts both body and mind. But at Rae, we lead with mind.” Which is why Angie brought in a clinical psychologist as their first external partner. “[She] really centers herself on stress, mental fatigue, and on helping people feel their best and be their best. Because so much of it starts with your mental health.” As Angie likes to say, “if you put your mind at the top of the priority list, everything else falls into place.”

Takeaway #4 – Being an “Anti–Silver Bullet” Company

“Lifestyle to me means living with and for your community, period. [It’s about] asking questions every day to figure out how you can better serve them in their journey.” For Angie, that means digging into the way they serve the women who use their products. “We’re a part of the equation. You know, we keep saying that we are not a silver bullet. We don’t say, take this, you’re going to feel ninety-five percent better tomorrow.” Instead, Angie concentrates on the way her brand integrates into her customers’ lives. “Our consumer reviews tell us that they’re very effective and work very efficiently and quickly. But it’s really understanding that you’re a component of their life. If you [can market] in the right voice with authenticity, I think consumers understand those that are there for them and not just capitalizing on them.”  

Takeaway #5 – Learn from “No”

Angie remembers being turned down hundreds of times by investors, but “when I think back to all those conversations, none of those were wrong. All of those no’s were based on data, real data and real feedback and real-life experiences that everyone had had. So those were really great nuggets of wisdom to carry on.” Angie harnessed the power of these insights to drive her business forward. She believes that “the best thing in my position is for people to tell you what you don’t want to hear because then it forces you to self-reflect and figure out what you are so convicted about.” You can’t just rely on intuition to follow your convictions. Data is critical too. “You just figure out the right blend of how those two things come together.” 

Angie‘s Best Advice?

“If you’re being gutsy, it means you’re doing something. You’re bringing something to the world in a way that no one’s done before. So have an infinite mindset, play the long game, and always follow your instincts.” 

Keep Learning 

Catch up on Jess and Angie’s full interview by listening to the Gutsiest Brands podcast. If you are interested in how your brand can uncover the deep customer insights that can enable you to lead with empathy, pioneer new paths, stand behind bold ideas, and lean into ‘the power of AND’, we’d love to help. Drop us a note!