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Christina Drake

Co-Founder & CEOWilla's Oat Milks

New York City Area

Member Since August 2022

Skills

Entrepreneurship
Marketing Strategy
Leadership

About

Christina is the CEO and Co-Founder of Willa's Organic Oat Milk, which is on a mission to create a plant-based milk that tastes as good as it is for people and the planet. Prior to co-founding Willa's, Christina spent 15+ years leading marketing and innovation strategy. In January 2020, Christina was diagnosed with breast cancer and launched Willa’s in the midst of a pandemic while going through chemo, radiation and immunotherapies. Now cancer-free, this experience solidified her commitment to using ingredients with integrity that not only do no harm, but actually do go for the health of people and the planet.

Published content

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The holidays is a special time of year which often reminds everyone to feel thankful for what they have and for what others do for them. This is even true in the workplace, where employers, managers and colleagues alike share their gratitude for their teams and peers and all the hard work they put in each and every day. However, gratitude doesn’t have to be reserved for a particular time of year. In fact, in order to keep morale high and relationships strong, professionals may find it beneficial to show their gratitude all year long. To help you find ways to do so, seven members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss the steps professionals can take to be thankful each day, no matter the time, and why it’s so important to do so.

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When you’re an entrepreneur, the way you start your day can greatly influence the rest of your workday, giving you the motivation you need to stay productive or setting you up for failure before you’ve even started. Rather than leave your morning to chance, finding ways to prepare for your morning the night before can help you ensure you have the right mindset and tools for a positive next day. To offer a few ideas on how to do just that, seven members of Young Entrepreneur Council share the routines that they’ve implemented for the end of their workdays and the individual habits they have that help set them up for successful mornings.

How To Avoid Common Brand Mistakes During Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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Here are the three major pitfalls to avoid and how to support the cause in a meaningful way instead.

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When you start a business, you not only become a part of your local community, but you also join a network of local business owners. Being part of this business network means you can often find help among your fellow entrepreneurs and even lend a hand yourself when others are in need. This may come in the form of advice, but it can also take the form of partnerships where you both support each other’s businesses while also marketing your own. There are a few ways to take on a partnership like this, so business owners can choose which solution works best for their situation. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council share the methods they recommend any business use and why this kind of partnership can be beneficial for both parties.

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When it comes to defining success, there’s no one right answer. It can mean owning your own business, making over a million dollars, driving a particular car or even just having more freedom with your time. But when broken down into a single workday, success can sometimes be a little more difficult to measure. Its definition can even change throughout your career as you develop both professionally and personally. This change has certainly been the case for the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. Below, they each share what they consider to be the biggest indication of a successful day and why, and why their definition of success has evolved over time.

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For many entrepreneurs, experience can have a major impact on the way they conduct business. Whether it’s changing a marketing strategy after an unexpected failure or pivoting a product after getting more acquainted with their target audience’s needs, leaders must constantly evolve alongside their businesses if they’re to succeed long term. This can also mean changing the way they interact with their customers, their employees and their peers on a regular basis.  As business leaders themselves, these 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council have evolved in their own ways over the course of their careers. Here, they each share how becoming a more experienced leader has changed the way they speak to others and what impact this has had on their business overall.

Company details

Willa's Oat Milks

Company bio

Willa's is the wholly superior oat milk company on a mission to change the plant-based milk category for good and forever. Why wholly superior? Willa's uses real, organic ingredients and the whole entire oat. The whole oat makes Willa's deliciously rich and smooth, lower in sugar, and higher in protein and fiber. Just as importantly, using the whole oat means no part of the oat is wasted. Food waste is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Willa's is a two-time EXPO West Finalist for Best New Organic Product / Beverage and sold on willaskitchen.com, and Amazon Prime, as well as specialty grocers.

Industry

Food & Beverages

Area of focus

Food and Beverage
Sustainability
Personal Health