January 27, 2025

Zero Orders, Countless Rejections: How This Founder Went From Being Lost in Her Career to Closing a Deal on Shark Tank with Rosa Li, Founder of wildwonder

56 minutes

Rosa Li is the founder and CEO of wildwonder, a beverage brand revolutionizing gut health with the world’s first prebiotic and probiotic sparkling drink.

Growing up in Beijing, Rosa spent countless hours with her grandmother, learning about the healing power of traditional herbs and remedies. These early lessons in food as medicine planted the seeds for Rosa’s passion for wellness. However, it wasn’t until years later, while building a successful career in finance, that she realized the importance of prioritizing her own well-being. The high-pressure environment took a toll on her health, and she struggled with gut issues and fatigue. Determined to make a change, Rosa returned to her roots and began experimenting with herbal remedies in her kitchen and that’s when the first version wildwonder was born.

In this episode, Rosa shares her inspiring journey—from growing up in Beijing with her grandmother to navigating cultural shocks after moving to Indiana at 12, which shaped her belief in representation in business. She recounts her career transitions, from finance and startups to launching Rosali Tea, which she later pivoted to wildwonder. Rosa opens up about feeling lost in her career, creating her first product in her kitchen, and how COVID forced her to rethink her business after losing all purchase orders—a challenge she calls a blessing in disguise. She gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her Shark Tank experience, why she initially turned them down, and how it impacted her brand’s success, and so much more.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Rosa about:

* How perfectionism delays product launches. [03:07]

* Rosa’s upbringing in Beijing and her grandmother’s influence. [05:24]

* How her culture impacted her personal identity. [08:00]

* Rosa’s career in finance and business school journey. [12:53]

* Career transitions can be challenging but rewarding. [18:15]

* Rosa’s struggles after business school and feeling “lost”. [20:26]

* Launching Rosali Tea and going full-time. [22:15]

* From Rosali Tea to founding wildwonder. [25:42]

* Rosa’s first purchase order story and the challenges she faced. [31:43]

* Persistence is key in overcoming rejection. [36:15]

* How COVID-19 reshaped business strategies. [40:48]

* Adapting to market changes is essential for survival. [45:00]

* Rosa’s Shark Tank experience. [46:12]

* The influence of packaging on consumer preferences. [47:39]

* How she sold out on Amazon. [49:45]

* Understanding your finances is key to building a sustainable, successful business. [52:52]

This episode is brought to you by Beeya:

* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.

* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10.

Follow Yasmin:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri

* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com

Follow Rosa:

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkwildwonder

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosalisays

* Website: https://drinkwildwonder.com

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By Yasmin Nouri

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