The two decided to do something about what they thought was a big hole in the market. They worked with a chemist who helped them develop formulations that were made from plant-based, botanical ingredients, and are fragrance free. No chemical, synthetic or artificial ingredients are in Kushae’s products.
On January 1, 2018, they officially launched. Williams gave notice and started working full time as CEO and cofounder. McLaren maintains her full-time medical practice and oversees R&D for Kushae. She is president and cofounder. The company was on track to triple sales. But sales for their number one product came to a crashing halt last year when, from March to May, the packaging was stuck at port waiting to be unloaded. The ingredients for the Kushae products are sourced in the U.S. but its packaging comes from overseas.
Cash flow is particularly challenging for early-stage CPG companies that need to have inventory on hand to meet surging demand. This was no different for Kushae. Big banks turned the company down. Williams had won $350,000 in 15 pitch competitions including IFund Women, the National Association of Women-Owned Businesses , P&G Ventures Innovation Challenge, and TiE Access.