Serenity Carr, a visionary mother, embarked on a mission when she recognized a gap in the market for truly balanced and nutritious food for her newborn daughter. Dissatisfied with conventional baby food options, she boldly stepped into her kitchen, taking charge of her daughter’s nutrition.
Today, Serenity, alongside her co-founder and husband Joe, and with the invaluable taste-testing expertise of their daughter Della, is spearheading a revolution in the baby food industry. Serenity Kids stands out by crafting baby food pouches packed with real vegetables, healthy fats, and high-quality meats, all meticulously designed to support children’s healthy, joyful, and robust growth.
We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Serenity to delve deeper into her inspiring journey and gain insights from her experiences as a successful entrepreneur in the baby food sector.
1. What Inspired You to Create Serenity Baby Food?
My journey into the world of baby food is deeply personal, rooted in my own childhood experiences and my mother’s well-intentioned but ultimately misinformed dietary choices during her pregnancy with me. Thinking she was providing the healthiest environment, my mom adopted a vegetarian diet. However, this diet inadvertently lacked essential nutrients crucial for fetal development and still included high amounts of sugar, wheat, and dairy. The consequences for me were immediate, starting with an ear infection at just two weeks old. Growing up, my diet was filled with sugary, processed foods – I have a particular fondness for doughnuts and Cool Ranch Doritos! – which led to chronic infections, repeated antibiotic treatments, and debilitating heartburn.
Baby food was never on my career radar. For twelve years, I diligently climbed the corporate ladder before pursuing a master’s degree in higher education. During my graduate studies, another ear infection struck, leading to yet another course of antibiotics that further disrupted my gut health.
I was exhausted, in constant pain, and feeling hopeless. The only solution offered by doctors was a lifelong daily medication. The thought of being perpetually dependent on medication was unacceptable to me. While sharing my frustrations with my dad, he recommended “Primal Blueprint” by Mark Sisson. Adopting the Paleo diet principles outlined in the book, I discovered the incredible power of food to heal. By simply changing my diet, I was able to resolve many of my chronic health issues! This transformative experience motivated me to leave the tech industry and become a health coach, dedicated to helping others heal through nutrition. It was during this career transition that I met my now-husband, Joe Carr.
As Joe and I began discussing starting a family, we naturally turned our attention to baby food options that aligned with our own high nutritional standards – food rich in nutrients and free from unnecessary junk and fillers. What we uncovered was frankly shocking and infuriating. The vast majority of baby and toddler foods available were loaded with sugar and offered minimal nutritional value.
Given my personal history of health issues stemming from poor childhood nutrition, I was determined to provide a superior option for babies, ensuring they wouldn’t have to endure the same struggles I faced. Joe and I embarked on a mission to create a different kind of baby food, initially for our own family and then for other parents seeking truly nutrient-dense choices. On August 5, 2018, Serenity Kids was officially launched, a date that serendipitously coincided with the birth of our daughter, Della.
Joe and I are deeply committed to making the world a healthier place, one baby at a time. My overarching mission is to revolutionize the baby food industry by developing innovative, nutrient-rich products that genuinely support infant health and development.
2. What Challenges Did You Encounter in Building Serenity Kids?
In the initial stages of Serenity Kids, Joe and I were fueled by immense excitement. It was a completely new venture for both of us! Joe, with his innovative spirit, was brimming with ideas but lacked prior manufacturing experience. My background in operations naturally made me more cautious and detail-oriented. This combination of personalities, while generally balanced, led to some early hiccups.
Joe was confident that our initial manufacturing tests would be successful, so we made the decision to start taking pre-orders for our products before having a fully confirmed, finalized product. Unfortunately, we encountered unforeseen manufacturing challenges with the equipment, which meant our products weren’t ready until over a year after we had begun taking pre-orders. By the time we were finally ready to ship, many of the babies who were on our pre-order list had already aged out of baby food! Dealing with the subsequent wave of refunds, incorrect email addresses, and a surge in customer service inquiries was incredibly stressful and a significant learning experience.
Adding to the complexity, I was navigating the launch of the business while simultaneously adjusting to motherhood for the first time. Launching a company and becoming a new mom concurrently is a challenge I wouldn’t recommend lightly! Balancing meetings, team management, breastfeeding, the critical need for sleep, and the constant worries about my daughter – Is she eating enough? Is she sleeping well? Is this diaper normal? – felt overwhelming at times. Ultimately, with perseverance and adaptation, we found a way to successfully manage all aspects.
3. What Key Entrepreneurial Lessons Have You Learned?
One of the most crucial lessons I’ve learned is the importance of hiring talented individuals early on. In the beginning, I was juggling numerous roles and wearing many hats. Fortunately, wise advisors recognized this unsustainable approach and urged me to relinquish some control and bring in experts in specific areas to manage the growing responsibilities of the company. Building a strong team of specialists has been instrumental in our growth and success.
Another vital lesson, particularly pertinent for entrepreneurs, is to prioritize self-care. The launch of Serenity Kids on the same day Della was born is a testament to the intense period we experienced. Imagine the whirlwind of becoming a new mother while simultaneously launching a company and a new product line! There were times when the exhaustion was so profound that I couldn’t even fathom running a company. Sleepless nights led to missed morning meetings and a general sense of being overwhelmed. However, once I began to establish clear boundaries, practice self-compassion, and acknowledge my limitations, I was able to creatively restructure my work schedule and ensure the company continued its upward trajectory. Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s essential for sustained entrepreneurial success.
Finally, cultivating a positive and supportive company culture is paramount. Before Serenity Kids, I had never founded a company, nor had I directly managed employees. Building a company culture and a cohesive team were completely new concepts to me. However, I’ve come to realize that founders have the opportunity and responsibility to create a company culture they themselves would thrive in. This philosophy is why we offer flexibility to our team, why Serenity Kids observes a company-wide shutdown between Christmas and New Year’s Day, why we don’t impose rigid dress codes or operate in a traditional, impersonal corporate office. It’s also why we provide maternity and paternity leave policies that I am genuinely proud to offer. We strive to create an environment where our team members feel comfortable being themselves, supported in their professional growth, and valued as individuals. A positive company culture directly translates to a more engaged, productive, and successful team.
4. What Does the Future Hold for Serenity Kids Organic Baby Food?
The future of Serenity Kids is incredibly exciting, filled with innovative product development and expansion. We have a robust pipeline of fun and nutritious products in development! We’re actively working on new formats that will broaden our target age range, extending our reach to support children at different developmental stages.
Beyond product innovation, we are driven by a larger mission to challenge the dominant players in the food industry. We aim to demonstrate that it is entirely possible for companies to produce nutritious and delicious products while also prioritizing the well-being of their employees and operating in an environmentally responsible manner. We believe in ethical and sustainable business practices and want to set a new standard in the industry.
Ultimately, we aspire to influence government policy to ensure that all women, infants, and children have access to nutrient-dense food options. We believe that access to healthy food is a fundamental right, and we are committed to advocating for policies that support this vision and improve public health outcomes. Serenity Kids is not just about baby food; it’s about creating a healthier future for the next generation.
5. How Do You Achieve Work-Life Balance, and What Inspires You?
Joe and I are deeply committed to fostering a culture of work-life balance within Serenity Kids, a commitment that benefits not only our employees but also our own family. We believe that a healthy balance is crucial for both personal well-being and long-term professional success.
We make a conscious effort to conclude our workday by 5 pm and to refrain from working on weekends, except in genuine emergencies. After-hours work is treated as the exception, not the norm, and we encourage our leadership team to adopt the same approach with their respective teams. We highly value our time outside of work and actively encourage employees to utilize their unlimited PTO. When we or our team members are out of office, we are truly disconnected, not just occasionally checking emails. We strive to model this behavior and respect and support our team members in taking time off to recharge and pursue personal interests.
As a mother, finding time for myself can be challenging, so I’ve learned the importance of building accountability into my self-care routine. Scheduling activities that bring me joy and involving someone who can hold me accountable has been incredibly helpful. Whether it’s planning dinner at a favorite restaurant with a friend, purchasing concert tickets in advance, or committing to workout sessions with a trainer, putting these activities in my calendar and having an accountability partner makes it far less likely that I’ll back out.
I won’t pretend that the entrepreneurial journey is always easy. There were moments, particularly in the early days, when I considered quitting, especially on those days when a nap seemed essential but a packed schedule of meetings loomed. However, what consistently reignites my passion and drive are the customer reviews. To this day, the overwhelmingly positive feedback and heartfelt testimonials from parents who have seen the benefits of Serenity Baby Food for their children serve as my greatest source of inspiration and motivation to keep pushing forward. Knowing that we are making a tangible positive impact on the health and well-being of babies and families is the ultimate reward and the driving force behind Serenity Kids.
