In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Clair Williams-Vavra, the COO of SI Delivery Consulting and winner of Des Moines’ Startup Weekend. Clair shares her eclectic journey into entrepreneurship, which began in the hospitality industry and transitioned into technology and entrepreneurial ventures like her Mason jar salad company, Green Mason. Despite moving into insurance, Clair never lost her entrepreneurial spirit.
During the podcast, Clair discusses her experience at Startup Weekend, where she pitched a concept around postpartum depression, an idea she had been nurturing for seven years. She describes the intense and emotional journey of transforming this idea into a potential business named “Held.” Her team, consisting of two other members, focused on listening to customer needs through extensive discovery, speaking to mothers, doulas, and therapists to understand the gaps in postpartum care. They identified a need for both community and clinical support for new mothers experiencing PMAD (Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders).
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Clair highlights the significance of the Startup Weekend, noting how it fostered a safe space for open conversations about postpartum experiences, which are often stigmatized. Winning the event was a powerful validation for Clair and her team, but she emphasizes that the real victory was in raising awareness and facilitating dialogue around postpartum mental health.
As they plan the next steps for “Held,” Clair and her team are focused on continued customer engagement and exploring funding opportunities to develop an app that provides 24/7 telehealth support and community features for postpartum mothers. Clair encourages anyone with an entrepreneurial itch to take the first step, as she did, by participating in events like Startup Weekend to bring their ideas to life.