Founder Spotlight // Kimberly Jolasun, Founder of Villie

Meet Kimberly Jolasun, Founder of Villie. Villie is an online platform that enables pregnant mothers to seamlessly receive financial and emotional support from their new-baby village. When Kimberly was pregnant with her first child in 2018, she was lucky to have a village of friends and family willing to help her in a multitude of ways. She couldn’t imagine going through her pregnancy journey without the support of her community, and she wanted to find a way to help other pregnant mothers in the same way. So while pregnant with baby #2, she founded Villie.

Check out the interview below to learn more about Kimberly and some of the best advice she received on her journey to becoming a founder.

What motivated you to become a founder and start your business? Walk me through your career up to this point.

Growing up whenever someone asked me, “What do you want to be when you get older?” To their surprise I’d confidently tell them, “I want to be an obstetrician!”

Now, I know what you’re thinking — what 8-year-old knows how to spell obstetrician let alone knows they want to be one? Call me ambitious, but even at a young age, I knew I wanted to play a role in helping moms bring their babies into this world.

The pre-med route didn’t quite work out, but I started a few entrepreneurial endeavors in high school and college while studying public health — with a special interest in maternal health.

When I got pregnant with my first child in 2018 I realized there’s a huge gap. Pregnancy can be an incredibly isolating and overwhelming experience, especially for first-time moms. I was lucky to have a village of friends and family that helped. I wanted to find a way to help other pregnant mothers connect and receive financial and emotional support from their village in the same way.

Thus, Villie was born.

What part of your day do you look forward to the most?

My coffee run to Starbucks! I get the same venti caramel latte, extra shot of espresso each time. I take the long way there to have time to listen to my daily podcasts. My favorite podcasts are Business Wars Daily, Marketplace Tech, Limited Supply and the Hustle Daily Show.

What do you enjoy most about running a startup? What are some of your challenges?

I really enjoy being able to work and surround myself with other founders. Founders are the most interesting people. Folks who wake up every day trying to change the world, and risking it all. It’s inspirational!

My current challenge is getting back in shape and making sure I am in tip-top physical health. With 2 kids, a start-up, and a lean team, sometimes it seems impossible. However, I know that my productivity and my health are equally aligned.

What do you wish you knew when you started your journey as an entrepreneur?

I wish I knew more entrepreneurs building software-based companies. It would have saved me costly mistakes at the beginning of this journey.

What do you enjoy most about being in the XRC ecosystem?

The best part of the XRC ecosystem is undoubtedly the other founders. Having a group of like-minded founders to lean on, ask for help, or simply vent to is a major advantage. I have made lifelong friends with the help of XRC Labs.

What’s your most satisfying founder moment so far?

Oftentimes pregnancy is treated as a disadvantage in business and this is a narrative I want to change. I started Villie while I was pregnant. The most satisfying moment was hiring my CMO, and being a support system for her as she welcomed her baby boy into the world.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the direct impact we have made on expecting moms. So much so that I often receive photos from new mothers and their newborn babies. Helping parents raise money to get more of what they need is what fuels me.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Working smart is just as important as working hard.

What’s your favorite book?

The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa. I discovered this book in 2010 when I decided to read as many books as I could that had won a Nobel Prize. This book is full of action. Once I started, I could not put it down!

Favorite recent purchase

As a mom of 2 small (messy) children, a ruggable.

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

“Be relentless about killing your own bad ideas.” I do not remember where I read this quote but it never left me. I think about it often. It is a reminder that failure is part of the process and should be welcomed. This also helps me keep my team agile and open to taking risks.