It Started With an Allergy: Partake Foods

When Denise Woodard found out her daughter Vivi had severe food allergies, she went into super mom mode. She looked for food that was nutritious and fun but what she found at the store was disappointing at best.

So she took to the kitchen and started making her own snacks for Vivi, laying the foundation for Partake Foods, a Black-owned, female-led company offering allergy-friendly foods. As her snacks started to gain traction, Denise realized she needed more capital—and fast—if she wanted Partake to succeed.

Join Ben and Tanya as they chat with Denise about Partakes-humble beginnings and near failure to launch. Discover her commitment to funding Partake, pawning her engagement ring and emptying her savings in the process, and a chance meeting in a trade show bathroom that unlocked new doors for the company.

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