Shazi Visram
{{Short description|American businessperson}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shazi Visram
| image = HAPPYFAMILY® SHAZI-PRENATAL.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Toronto
| education = Columbia University (BA, MBA)
| occupation = Entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist
| known_for = Happy Family
}}
Shazi Visram is an American entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, best known as the founder, CEO, and Chief Mom of Happy Family Brands.{{Cite news|url=https://happyfamilybrands.com/our-team/shazi-visram/|title=Shazi Visram - HappyFamily|work=HappyFamily|access-date=2017-10-16}}
Early life and education
Visram was born in Toronto to immigrants from Pakistan and Tanzania.{{Cite magazine |last=Parekh |first=Rupal |date=2013-06-02 |title=Women to Watch: Shazi Visram, Happy Family |url=http://adage.com/article/special-report-2013-women-to-watch/women-watch-shazi-visram-happy-family/241783/ |magazine=Ad Age |access-date=2017-10-16}} At the age of three, she moved with her parents and brother to Birmingham, Alabama, where they lived in a room at the motel the family operated.{{Cite magazine|last=Shah|first=Khushbu|date=2016-05-08|title=Thanks for Making Me a Fighter|url=http://www.success.com/article/thanks-for-making-me-a-fighter|access-date=2017-10-16|magazine=Success}} Visram says that owning their own business was her parents’ biggest source of both stress and pride. She credits her entrepreneurial parents for their example.
Visram graduated from Indian Springs School in Indian Springs, AL before attending Columbia University, where she received her BA in History and Visual Arts in 1999, and later her MBA from Columbia Business School (‘04) in Management and Entrepreneurship.{{Cite web|url=http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jul_aug07/updates5.php|title=Columbia College Today|website=www.college.columbia.edu|access-date=2018-01-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiansprings.org/page/about/notable-alumni|title=Notable Alumni|website=www.indiansprings.org|access-date=2018-01-09}}
Career
= Founding Happy Family =
While attending Columbia Business School, Visram began writing her business plan for Happy Family after chatting with a friend, who admitted to feeling guilty about not being able to make homemade food for her babies.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiasavchuk/2016/06/15/happy-family-shazi-visram-women-entrepreneurs/#101aba496cfa|title=Shazi Visram On Building A Multimillion-Dollar Business And Work-Family Balance (It Doesn't Exist)|last=Savchuk|first=Katia|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-01-09}}
After a brief round of investment from family and friends—the first person to write a check to the company was Visram's mother, Zarin—Visram raised $23 million from 186 individual investors from 2004 to 2012, including Honest Tea CEO Seth Goldman, chef Tom Colicchio, and actress Demi Moore.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/honest-tea-ceo-seth-goldman-is-expanding-the-company-in-pursuit-of-healthier-foods/2013/09/03/f933d1c2-14a4-11e3-b182-1b3bb2eb474c_story.html|title=Honest Tea CEO Seth Goldman is expanding the company in pursuit of healthier foods|last=Jordan|first=Mary|date=2013-09-03|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2018-01-09|issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite news|url=https://worleygig.com/2012/10/24/happy-familys-shazi-visram-talks-to-chef-tom-colicchio-about-organic-food-for-kids/|title=Happy Family's Shazi Visram Talks to Chef Tom Colicchio about Organic Food for Kids|date=2012-10-24|work=The Worley Gig|access-date=2018-01-09}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/238155|title=How 'Happy Family' Became Healthy Baby-Food Pioneers|last=Pothering|first=Jessica|date=2014-10-08|work=Entrepreneur|access-date=2018-01-09}}
= 2006–2013: Growth, initiatives, and sale to Danone =
In 2006, Visram, along with Founding Partner and COO Jessica Rolph, formally launched Happy Family, known at the time as Happy Baby. In May 2013, Visram sold 92% of the company to Groupe Danone, noting "the broader opportunity we weren't able to tap into" provided by Danone to bring more than 100 products to market in 34 countries.{{Cite news|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/201309/jeff-haden/acquisition-advice-from-shazi-visram.html|title=The Best Exit? The One You Do On Your Own Terms|date=2013-08-26|work=Inc.com|access-date=2018-01-09}} Following the sale, Visram remained CEO until December 2017.{{Cite news|url=https://www.fooddive.com/news/happy-family-taps-new-ceo-teases-breakthrough-developments-in-2018/513052/|title=Happy Family taps new CEO, teases 'breakthrough developments' in 2018|work=Food Dive|access-date=2018-01-18}}
Recognition
- An Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company{{Cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/happy-family-co-founder-has-reason-to-smile/136445433/|title=Happy Family co-founder has reason to smile|work=Star Tribune|access-date=2018-01-09}}
- Rockstar of the New Economy (Fast Company, 2012){{Cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130320005356/en/Happy-Family-Founder-CEO-Shazi-Visram-Honored|title=Happy Family Founder and CEO Shazi Visram Honored as Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum|access-date=2018-01-09}}
- Innovator of the Year (Stevie Awards, 2016){{Cite web|url=http://stevieawards.com/women/2016-stevie-award-winners|title=2016 Stevie Award Winners {{!}} Stevie Awards|website=stevieawards.com|date=5 October 2016 |access-date=2018-01-09}}
- Distinguished Early Achievement Award (Columbia Business School, 2016){{Cite news|url=https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/centennialdinner/honorees|title=Honorees|last=yz|date=2015-09-25|work=Centennial Dinner|access-date=2018-01-09}}
- 20 Most Influential Moms of the Year (FamilyCircle, 2017){{Cite web|url=https://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/volunteering/the-20-most-influential-moms-of-2017/?page=20|title=The 20 Most Influential Moms of 2017|website=Family Circle|access-date=2018-01-09}}
- University Medal for Excellence (Columbia University, 2018){{Cite web |title=Shazi Visram {{!}} Office of the Secretary |url=https://secretary.columbia.edu/directory/shazi-visram |access-date=May 8, 2024 |website=Columbia University}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Cite web |url=http://www.milkeninstitute.org/videos/view/leading-a-healthy-life |title=Leading a Healthy Life |website=Milken Institute}}
- {{Cite magazine |url=https://www.inc.com/wanda-thibodeaux/how-this-daughter-of-immigrants-went-from-living-in-a-hotel-to-commanding-a-nati.html |title=How This Daughter of Immigrants Went From Living in a Hotel to Commanding a National Baby Food Empire Worth $150 Million |date=2017-06-14 |magazine=Inc.com}}
- {{Cite magazine |url=https://www.inc.com/video/shazi-visram/how-to-create-an-on-brand-viral-ad.html |title=How to Emotionally Connect With Customers While Staying on Message |date=2017-05-24 |magazine=Inc.com}}
- {{cite news |title=New Organic Baby Formula Modeled After Breast Milk |url=https://www.wsj.com/video/new-organic-baby-formula-modeled-after-breast-milk/74834B96-1A84-406A-82B5-4D9F575911C6.html |work=The Wall Street Journal}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Visram, Shazi}}
Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States
Category:Canadian people of Gujarati descent
Category:Canadian businesspeople of Pakistani descent
Category:Canadian women business executives
Category:American women chief executives
Category:American women company founders
Category:American company founders
Category:Businesspeople from Birmingham, Alabama
Category:Businesspeople from Toronto
Category:Columbia College (New York) alumni