An Interview with Clair Williams-Vavra, Winner of Startup Weekend DSM

The latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Kaylee Williams, comes to life from the Jethro's Barbecue Studio in the East Village, where Kaylee chats with Clair Williams-Vavra, the Chief Operating Officer at SI Delivery Consulting. Clair, the recent winner of this year's Des Moines' Startup Weekend, shares her eclectic journey from hospitality to technology and entrepreneurship. She reflects on her past ventures, like the B2B mason jar salad company, Green Mason, and her deep-seated entrepreneurial spirit that traces back to childhood endeavors. The discussion takes a heartfelt turn as Clair opens up about her experiences with postpartum depression, which inspired her latest project pitched at Startup Weekend.  Throughout the weekend, Clair and her team delved into extensive customer discovery, uncovering the critical need for better support systems for postpartum mothers. This led to the conceptualization of 'Held,' an app designed to offer both clinical and community support for those experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. The podcast highlights the challenges faced by Clair and her team, the emotional journey of creating Held, and the powerful validation they received from peers and judges. Clair's story is a testament to the strength of sharing vulnerable experiences and the potential for innovation to address deeply personal and widespread issues. As Clair continues to build Held, she remains committed to listening to the needs of her community, reinforcing the importance of empathy-driven entrepreneurship.  If you, or a birthing mother you know, has experienced ANY symptoms typically associated with Postpartum Depression or Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder, please consider taking the anonymous survey here: https://shorturl.at/Tpb5J  Hear the full show: https://iowapodcast.com/clair-williams-vavra-postpartum-depression-support