Telluride Venture Accelerator: makeena

09 Jun Telluride Venture Accelerator: makeena

You could pick up the “Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet, Nutrition, Supplements, and Other Holistic Methods” – the bible for easy-to-understand information on natural treatments and remedies for a host of common ailments…

Karen Frame of makeena

But what if you do not suffer from aches and pains?

What if you simply want to buy products that keep you and your family in the pink, while living more sustainably on this earth?

And what if you know that a reference book, even this best-selling “bible,” could not possibly address all your questions about health and wellness?

The glut of supplements, herbal medicines, Chinese medicines, natural hormones, and natural products, including anything you may find in a Sprouts or a Whole Foods Store in general is daunting. Not to mention very spendy.

makeena (yes, lower case is intentional) is a game-changer, a one-stop answer for consumers and brands alike.

The company was born because founder Karen Frame wanted to change people’s mindsets about shopping natural and level the playing field between healthy and sustainable and mainstream products. Imagine a world where Udi’s gluten-free bread costs the same as Wonder Bread and where Pirate Brand Veggie Booty costs the same as Cheetos.

That is the world of makeena.

And because makeena will facilitate more of these brands being purchased, people will experience fewer medical issues and the earth will be less polluted.

Hallelujah and amen.

makeena is one of six companies selected from a field of 75 applications from all over the world to participate in the Telluride Foundation’s Telluride Venture Accelerator. The six-month program, which began in February and ends in July, was founded in 2012 by Foundation CEO Paul Major and board member/philanthropist Jesse Johnson to launch high-growth businesses out of Telluride. Its current director is Thea Chase, a face that has launched over 1,000 start-ups.The initiative is supported by a network 60 high-profile mentors and is a member of the Global Accelerator Network (GAN).

About Karen Frame:

Karen became an entrepreneur in the early 1990s when she moved to Boulder, Colorado, and built and operated two interactive touchscreen kiosk companies, one for the real estate industry and one for the natural products industry. Since then, she has worked as general counsel for a number of emerging growth and publicly-held software and data analytics companies.

Karen earned her degree in accounting and business from Indiana University and a CPA and law degree from the University of Illinois.  She also attended Oxford University, focusing on international business transactions, and is on the faculty at the University of Colorado School of Business and teaches Principles of Business for Entrepreneurs in the Cross Campus Entrepreneurship Certificate Program.

To learn more about makeena and life at TVA, click the “play” button and listen to my chat with Karen.