She Knew the Right Buyer for Her Company–10 Years Before She Sold It

No entrepreneur can predict the future, but that shouldn’t stop you from making an educated guess. While still in business school, this founder identified a potential buyer for her company–even though she hadn’t started it yet. Ten years later, the fanciful notion proved to be prophetic.

It wasn’t a milestone as much as it was a personal event in my life–when my son was diagnosed with autism just after his second birthday. Getting to scale on a business that serves a vulnerable population was always going to be the driver of when it was the right time. The autism diagnosis was what pushed us to do that sooner rather than later.

It was the one player that I thought would be a fit because of capability, historical mindset around sustainability, and dedication to mission. And the fact that it was the second-largest infant nutrition company in the world.

It was bittersweet. I stayed a partner in the business until I left as CEO, which was January 2018. You’re used to being the Chief Mom and then all of a sudden you’re the Chair Mom and you’re not really making the day-to-day decisions. But you’re also excited because you’ve created a really wonderful organization and the team believes in the mission so strongly that you know they’ll make the right choices. So, in a way, it’s like letting go, but letting go proudly.