Pausing a business you built from zero is one of the most honest tests of whether you actually believe in what you made.
Host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Angie Tebbe, founder of Rae Wellness, for one of those real founder stories that doesn't gloss over the hard parts. Angie built Rae Wellness into a brand with 4.5 million customers in three years. Then came the scaling challenges that most founders never talk about publicly. A retail rollout that went sideways, misalignment with a key partner, and a foundation that wasn't ready for the speed of the growth. Instead of patching holes or chasing short-term recovery, Angie paused the entire company.
What happened next is a testament to the authentic relationship Angie built with her customers. The community didn't move on. Customers kept checking the site. They kept spreading the word. They kept asking when Rae Wellness was coming back. That kind of loyalty is the direct result of years of community building for business and treating customers like partners from day one. Angie had been running focus groups with women before the brand even launched, getting feedback on values, messaging, and products before anything hit the market.
This episode speaks directly to women founders who are building something that actually means something to people. Angie talks about the decision to return, the team she reassembled, and the mindset shift she brought into this second round. She's growing an audience again, but on different terms. No paid lists, no boosted ads, no manufactured momentum. Word of mouth is driving new customers in numbers she didn't expect.
The bigger message is about scaling responsibly as a real strategy, not a fallback. Angie is staying close to inventory, operations, and aligned partners. She's moving at a pace the business can actually hold.
If you're facing scaling challenges or questioning whether your business deserves another shot, this conversation gives you something real to work with.
Episode Breakdown:
00:01 Rae Wellness Comeback Story and Why Angie Tebbe Paused the Company
02:35 Rapid Growth, Retail Setbacks, and Scaling Challenges
07:55 Community Building Strategy That Shaped Rae Wellness
10:41 What Angie Tebbe Learned During the Business Pause
14:44 Retail Buyer Interest and the Rae Wellness Relaunch
15:37 How Rae Wellness Rebuilt Customer Trust After the Pause
18:33 Relaunch Sales, Subscriptions, and Returning Customer Loyalty
20:26 Word of Mouth Marketing and Growing Without Paid Influencers
24:10 How Angie Tebbe Is Scaling Responsibly the Second Time
32:10 Three Founder Lessons on Values, Non-Negotiables, and Trusting Your Gut
Connect with Angie Tebbe:
Visit the Rae Wellness website
Subscribe to The FoundHer Files
Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
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