#44: Lauren Bush Lauren, Founder and CEO of FEED — Building a business while making an impact, when not to take advice, learning to be direct, and how public service shaped her leadership Lauren Bush Lauren is the founder and CEO of FEED, the impact-driven lifestyle brand, making products that help feed the children of the world. A native of Texas, Lauren attended Princeton University where she majored in Anthropology. As a sophomore, Lauren had the opportunity to travel with the UN World FOOD Programme. While visiting regions across Central America, Asia, and Africa, Lauren witnessed firsthand the realities of poverty and hunger that people are facing all over the world. Using this experience as an inspiration, Lauren found FEED as a tangible way for her peers to make an impact in fighting childhood hunger.   Try, try again. If you believe in your mission like Lauren Bush Lauren, the CEO of Feed does, don’t take no for an answer. Learn how she combined her passions with a way to make an impact on the world, how she learned exactly who she needed on her team, and the mistakes made and lessons learned throughout the hiring process. Key highlights in the episode The founding insights of FEED (02:06) Lauren’s experience working with the World Food Programme (07:22)  How she realized that she could combine fashion with her desire to make an impact in fighting childhood hunger through FEED (13:34) What FEED does (16:57) How Lauren got into Whole Foods (17:40)  How her company evolved over the years and the key leadership lessons she has learned (24:23) Mistakes she made in hiring and what she learned from them  (27:28) Examples of hiring questions that Lauren asks in the interview process (29:50)  The staffing model at FEED (31:28) The most challenging elements of management that were difficult for her to learn and how she mastered them (38:59)  The company culture of FEED and how it has evolved (43:03) How parenthood has impacted how Lauren relates to her company and leadership style (47:33) What it was like growing up in the Bush family and how public service shaped her leadership (51:18)  Her experience with the impostor syndrome and how she deals with it (55:00) What Lauren wishes she had known earlier on her journey (58:30) Her advice for other founders as they embark on their journey to grow into leaders (01:00:32)    Notable Quotes “The lack of food is closely tied to the lack of opportunity.” ~Lauren Bush (11:28) “It’s one thing to have an idea, but it’s a whole other thing to actually have a physical product.” ~Lauren Bush (18:47) Be nice to everyone; you never know who your turn-out champion is gonna be.” ~Lauren Bush (23:13) “You naturally gravitate to doing what you love doing.” ~Lauren Bush (29:58) “Comparison is the greatest robber of joy.” ~Lauren Bush (55:42)   Don’t forget to Subscribe, Rate, Review, Like, and Share!  Connect with Lauren Bush Lauren! Follow Lauren Bush Lauren on: Website: https://feedprojects.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feed/