The Pivot Sessions: from comms consultant to gut health expert

Hey ??

For our next instalment of the Pivot Sessions, earlier this week I sat down with Gemma Stuart ?? - the Founder of Gutsy Health , and the maker of Gut Wealth liquid supplement.

We covered a number of pivots - in both life and business, and Gemma’s journey is a testament to the power of embracing change.

As she said herself - she knew where she wanted to get to, but didn’t know what the path was going to look like!

Catch up on the full discussion here, or read on for the highlights:

Life Pivot: From Corporate consultant to gut health expert

Gemma's journey began in the corporate world as a consultant, helping businesses navigate significant changes.

And it was during the pandemic, with a bit of extra time for reflection, that Gemma decided it was time for a change.

Despite earning a good income and enjoying the challenge of simplifying complex ideas in her role, the high-level stress that often came with the work wasn’t conducive with how she wanted to live her life, and started to detrimentally impact her health by exacerbating her IBS.

Driven initially by a desire to better manage her own condition, she started studying biotics at the University of Michigan, which sparked her passion for gut health and ultimately led to the founding of Gut Wealth, a business dedicated to improving digestive health through innovative liquid supplements.

Business Pivots: Adapting for Success

As with every early-stage business, Gemma’s journey wasn’t linear!

There were plenty of inevitable bumps in the road, and she shared two specific ‘aha’ moment’s with us:

Pack size:

Initially, Gut Wealth supplements launched as a 30-day pack, which made sense from both a scientific production point of view as well as customer budgeting.

But in reality it was a hard sell for a new product people haven’t tried before.

It also meant the pack size was too big for Royal Mail large letter postage so it ate into the margins.

In response, Gemma changed to a 14-day pack and this one change had ramifications for several areas of the business: it improved the margins, made it easier for people to buy with a lower entry point, made upsells to 28-day packs simple, and it also meant the pack size fit through letter boxes which meant deliveries weren’t missed, leading to a better customer experience overall!

Balancing Product and Business Purpose:

Gemma spoke about her passion for helping people with IBS and how in the first year this meant she gave a lot of product away! Although well-intentioned, it wasn’t sustainable.

Learning to balance her passion for helping others whilst staying commercially minded was crucial.

And one key area she focused on was making sure the communication and signposting around the product was really clear so it was really easy for customers to sign up.

Making sure the value - what it is and why it works - is front and centre, and making sure the steps you want your customers to take are clear is key.

Advice to fellow founders

Understand Your Margins and Bottom Line:

Gemma emphasised the importance of knowing your financials inside out. Avoid promotions that undermine your profitability and always keep an eye on the bottom line.

Find Your Community:

Building a supportive network of fellow entrepreneurs is invaluable. Gemma highlighted the inspiration she felt watching a friend, Natasha Whiting , grow her DTC business and connecting with and getting support from the Jonathan Lundy ’s brand group, where members share insights and support each other, have also made a significant difference in her journey.

Next up in The Pivot Session series…

Next, we’ll be speaking to David George from Bikmo | Certified B Corp .

Starting as a bike and kit comparison engine, Bikmo pivoted to insurance in 2014. With their cycling expertise and tech passion, they quickly began selling policies.

Tune in on Monday 13th May at 1pm to hear David's insights on navigating this dynamic journey.

Don’t miss this one!? ?? Sign up to watch here ??

Lucy ??