MILCOM Founders Podcast - Episode 3: From Military Service to Empowering Parents with Dr. Trillitye (Dr. Trill) Paullin, PhD.
Join host Rod Loges and guest Dr. Trill as she shares her journey from joining the Army National Guard at 17 to founding Free to Feed. Dr. Trill discusses balancing military service, motherhood, and entrepreneurship while helping families with infant food allergies.
In this episode:
- Joining the Army National Guard before high school graduation and serving in Baghdad
- Creating Free to Feed based on personal experience with her daughters' food allergies
- Expanding from a test kit concept to global telehealth services
- Using multiple funding approaches, including grants, venture capital, angels, self-funding, and crowdfunding
- Current patent status in 42 countries
Key takeaways:
- Military service provides perspective for handling business challenges
- Success requires pursuing multiple funding paths at once
- Business growth came from listening to parent needs
- Helping others creates success, whether one person or millions
- The military taught adaptability and learning new skills
Guest: Dr. Trillitye Paullin, CEO & Co-founder of Free to Feed, Army National Guard (19 years of service), PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trillitye-paullin/
Dr. Trillitye (Dr. Trill) Paullin, PhD, is a distinguished cellular and molecular biologist with a focus on the molecular components of human milk. She is an Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran, currently serving her 19th year in the Army National Guard, and is the CEO and co-founder of Free to Feed. Dr. Trill’s passion for empowering parents on their lactation journey was ignited after her own daughters experienced food reactions to proteins transferred from her diet to breast milk. Determined to provide the research, resources, and support she lacked during that challenging time, she founded Free to Feed alongside Dr. LaChiana Hamilton, DNP.
Dr. Trill’s groundbreaking work in breastfeeding and food reactivity has garnered grant funding from renowned institutions, including the National Science Foundation. She has collaborated with renowned research institutions such as Stanford University and the University of Idaho, contributing significantly to the expanding body of research surrounding lactation. Her innovative contributions include the invention of the first at-home test kit to detect allergens in human milk, which is currently in the manufacturing phase. This test kit is part of Free to Feed’s comprehensive offering, which includes an educational support package, a tracking app, and personal consultations, all designed to support and empower parents on their lactation journey.
Looking ahead: Free to Feed currently helps families globally through telehealth services while working toward test kit commercialization.
The MILCOM Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from successful veteran entrepreneurs.
Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com
Want to support veteran entrepreneurs? Learn about the Dick Loges Veteran Entrepreneur Scholarship Fund at https://www.milcomfounders.com/
