Today we’d like to introduce you to Siffat Haider.
Hi Siffat, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
The story goes back to my early 20s. I’d struggled with my immune system for as long as I could remember, and decided I’d had enough when I fractured my rib from a chronic cough and was prescribed codeine by my doctor. I wanted to find a sustainable solution which I just wasn’t getting from alopathic medicine. So I decided to explore the holistic route, reading everything I could find from Functional Medicine practitioners, NDs and other wellness professionals. As I started to integrate herbs, minerals, and vitamins into my life, I started to notice huge changes in my immune system. From there, I started to make different concoctions for my digestion, anxiety, and other day-to-day issues.
Coming from a beauty background, I noticed a huge white space in wellness, whereby the category was incredibly complicated for consumers to navigate. So my husband and I decided to build Arrae, a brand of 100% natural, targeted supplements that work in under an hour. We worked with a Naturopathic Doctor to formulate the products to guarantee efficacy and use the highest quality ingredients.
We started the business out of our apartment, packing boxes up ourselves in March 2020, right when Covid hit. We bootstrapped the business with our wedding money and did everything ourselves. Now, we have grown to a team of 11 people, and are (hopefully) continuing on our upwards trajectory.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. Which entrepreneur goes on a smooth road?
There have been plenty of struggles. We launched our business during Covid. When we launched, I remember days where the post office told us they weren’t sure if they could even get orders to customers at all. I had to beg them to take the packages. It was a time of so much volatility and uncertainty. Then there were the supply chain issues – delayed orders, shortage of ingredients, etc. One time, there was already a delay in orders, and a box of products was on its way to us from our manufacturer so we could fulfill customer orders. That box of 500+ products got lost and didn’t show up until a week later. I remember bawling my eyes out as I responded to customer service tickets.
There are struggles at every stage of the business. For example, last year, with ioS15, the entire digital ads industry was in a tailspin. We of course felt the impact too. There are struggles every single day, but with time, we’ve become really good at dealing with the struggles. We know that it’s just part and parcel of being a founder.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We create 100% natural, targeted supplements that work in under an hour. I founded the business with my husband, Nish Samantray. Our goal is to provide effective solutions to day-to-day problems to help people feel their best so they can be their best. We’re proud to have built a brand that is doctor-formulated, and third-party clinically trialed – something that is rare for companies in the nutraceutical space.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think all success is a combination of good luck and hard work. For example, we were lucky that we launched during covid when people were dealing with digestive issues and stress and had created products that could really help. However, had we not worked hard and been strategic, we wouldn’t have been successful. Good luck alone is not enough.
Pricing:
- Bloat & Calm – $48
- Bloat Latte – $28
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arrae.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arrae.co/
