Kara Goldin: "I Won't Back Down"

Stayin' Alive in Tech

Hint Water founder and CEO Kara Goldin certainly knows a thing or two about entrepreneurship at this point, but that’s not where she got her start. During the 1990s, Kara was immersed in the world of Silicon Valley, working on products like Steve Job’s 2Market and AOL when it was at its peak. However, by the time the 2000s rolled around, Kara decided it was time to focus on raising her kids.

But her next (and biggest) chapter was just around the corner. After initially noticing a personal need for healthy beverages that weren’t bogged down by sugars and artificial sweeteners, Kara launched Hint Water from her home just a few years later, despite having absolutely zero beverage industry experience.

In our sixth episode of season four, Kara explains what drives her to take the same risks that many others simply choose to avoid. You’ll hear how a simple reply to a letter she sent just out of college emboldened her to move halfway across the country to NYC and will herself into her first position on a whim. You’ll also hear Kara expound on the virtues of remaining curious and how she used the hard lessons learned during the 2008-09 financial crisis to raise additional capital for her company to survive the economic climate triggered by the pandemic.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Hint Water
• Kara’s book Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters
• The Kara Goldin Show
• “It’s important to bring your personal story into the brand identity.”—a profile on Kara from Forbes
• Sliding Doors, the 1998 film with Gwenyth Paltrow

MUSICAL INSPIRATION FOR THIS EPISODE ON SPOTIFY:

“I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Stayin' Alive in Tech is an oral history of Silicon Valley and technology. Melinda Byerley, the host, is a 20-year veteran of Silicon Valley and the founder of Fiddlehead, a digital marketing intelligence firm based in San Francisco.

We really appreciate your reviews, shares on social media, and your recommendations for future guests. And check out our Spotify playlist for all the songs we refer to on our show.