Intercept (YC W24)

At Intercept, we’re excited to share insights from conversations with experts in fields we’re passionate about. This week, we spoke with Megan Burton, founder of brainfood. Megan’s journey from a demanding career to a focus on health and wellness, inspired by her study of epigenetics and the mind-body connection, led her to create brainfood. Below are some of the bullets from our conversation. ?? Stress management: - When experiencing brain fog or lack of focus, start by assessing your physical health. Are you well-rested, hydrated, and nourished? Take a moment to recognize that the physical impacts the mental, then practice box breathing (breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, breathe out for 4) to stimulate the vagus nerve and reduce stress. - Evaluate your nutritional intake, and eat whole foods for nutrients often lacking in our diets—think vitamin D & omega-3 from fish, or B12 from dairy or nutritional yeast for vegetarians. Consider supplements if needed, and consult your doctor for any sensitivities. - Most importantly, prioritize sleep. Be careful about caffeine intake later in the day. Caffeine can linger in your system for up to 10 hours, disrupting both REM and deep sleep, even if you fall asleep quickly. ?? CPG startup wisdom: - Start with solving a consumer need, not just creating a product. - Early on, focus on market feedback—develop an MVP, gather feedback on taste, and iterate. - Nothing is ever finalized or will be finalized. Give people something to react to instead of making it perfect because it should get redesigned and reformulated over time. ?? Brainfood Fun Fact: Did you know it took 17 flavors to perfect brainfood’s current offerings? Megan iterated through many data-driven focus groups to get the flavors to where it is today. Talk about dedication to quality! ???? Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eK3QtgxE

Grateful to have been mentioned as a Staff Favorite by TechCrunch! https://lnkd.in/gmeEvpmN

Grateful to have been mentioned as a Staff Favorite by TechCrunch! https://lnkd.in/gmeEvpmN