Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kate Bouchard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kate, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope that my legacy will be that when you set your mind to something, and go all in with determination, perseverance, and creativity, you can do great things. But I also hope it includes demonstrating that a sense of humour and humility will get you through the tough times, which are many, as a leader and business owner.

Kate, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As a second-time founder and owner of two businesses in Vancouver, British Columbia, Kate Bouchard has achieved success as an entrepreneur twice over. In 2018 she founded marketing agency Armature Collective, where she embraced a freelance, remote work model years ahead of the trend to support both clients and creative freelancers. As principal at Armature, Kate and her team have worked as partners with organizations in health, health tech, and real estate in launching their brand and marketing strategies. When the COVID19 pandemic hit, she steered healthcare clients through challenging environments, adapting to the pandemic and responding quickly with communications and advocacy.

In 2021, Kate founded wellness tech start-up, Loba where in under 2 years, her determination and resourcefulness has resulted in Loba’s smart supplement organizer and app being fully designed, developed, in market, and revenue-generating. In doing so, Kate has created a completely new “blue ocean” to streamline pill and supplement management for the wellness market.

Loba was conceived when, after some health challenges, Kate began a treatment plan which included both prescriptions and a number of supplements. When looking for a way to organize them, she couldn’t find something to suit both her needs and her aesthetic, let alone one that reminded her to take them. So, she made her own.

Loba is the first wifi-connected smart supplement organizer that looks beautiful in your space, is made to fit your life, and connects to technology via the Loba App (available on iOS and Android). Users set reminders for when it’s time to take their pills, and Loba lights up in the colour they’ve chosen for its LEDs to glow. The app is also available to those without a device to support their program with pill scheduling, notifications and more.

At Loba, Kate’s goal is to emulate the feeling of cherished daily rituals and infuse it in taking your supplements for better health. The company was created to encourage a positive sentiment around taking your pills in support of your path to wellness.

Kate has her sights set on becoming a global wellness tech brand at the intersection of the supplement, wellness app, and smart home markets, with Loba’s roadmap including software and information to support users on their path to wellness while addressing pain points across the industry for health practitioners and suppliers.

Loba has been featured in the Vancouver Tech Journal, twice in BC Business, exhibited at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and is now available both at shoploba.com and BestBuy.ca.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

In the beginning I bootstrapped the business with my own capital, but soon had interest from some friends and family in investing. Investing in research and development and investing in a hardware start-up is not a cheap endeavour, To support the costs of manufacturing, we also received funding from some Canadian financial resources. Then in September 2022 Loba brought in angel investment to support the early stages of growth. We are actively raising our Seed Round and looking for investment in order to scale the business.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

My background is in branding, marketing, and advertising. So no, I did not have any experience in manufacturing a product. What I did have, however, was a great understanding of design and building things – mostly, homes and renovations. I grew up with entrepreneurial parents in construction, building materials and interior design. I have also renovated and redesigned my own homes. There was a lot in the design process that I could extrapolate from my own experiences, but I definitely knew I needed help. Early on I hired an industrial and electronics design firm to support in bringing my vision to life. I learned a lot about plastics and injection molding, PCB components, BOMS and more. I was introduced to multiple manufacturers via our design firm and took it from there!

The biggest challenge was the lockdowns occurring overseas due to to COVID19 and supply chain challenges that came with it. Plus all of the technical uncertainties we investigated and tested with iOT and connection to our mobile application, the Loba app.

Somehow, against all odds, this marketer designed, developed, and launched a smart hardware tech product in under two years and it’s now in the hands of our customers, being displayed in their homes. I will forever be proud of that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shoploba.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shop.loba/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LobaPillOrganizers
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/72991395/
• Other: Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katebouchard/ https://www.instagram.com/mskathrynanne/