From naturopath’s clinic to MECCA shelves, this week’s Founder Friday hears from Emily Carlstrom on how clinical frustration became SolBiome, and why leading with evidence beat following trends.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of adaptability. Things rarely go exactly to plan, so being able to pivot, problem-solve and keep moving forward is essential.
Emily Carlstrom had been a naturopath for years when the question that would become SolBiome finally crystallised.
She had worked with hundreds of patients dealing with gut issues, skin conditions, hormonal imbalances and mental health concerns. The pattern was consistent. “The gut microbiome sits at the centre of so many of these presentations,” she says. So was the problem. “Clients would often leave with multiple products, one for digestion, one for skin, one for stress, and it simply wasn’t sustainable.”
The question she could not shake was obvious once she asked it. “Why hasn’t someone created a truly multi-functional, clinically formulated probiotic that addresses these systems together?” Nobody had a good answer. So she built one herself.
From clinic to product
SolBiome launched as a direct-to-consumer brand with a single, evidence-based formulation: Multi+ Probiotic, a multi-strain product where each ingredient has a defined clinical role, supporting IBS symptoms, skin inflammation, immune function, and the gut-brain axis. “We’re not adding ingredients for marketing claims,” Carlstrom says. “Everything is there for a reason.”
In a market where supplement brands often swing between overly clinical and aggressively wellness-driven, Carlstrom positioned SolBiome deliberately in the middle. “We lead with science, but deliver it in a way that resonates with modern consumers.” That positioning, backed by human clinical trials and each strain selected for a specific function, became the brand’s most durable competitive asset.
One of her earliest and most consequential strategic calls was to launch direct-to-consumer first. It gave SolBiome the ability to validate demand, gather customer feedback and refine messaging quickly, without the complexity of retail from day one. Alongside it, Carlstrom used her personal brand and social platforms to document the journey, sharing education, behind-the-scenes content and real customer experiences. The result was an engaged audience built before the brand had wide distribution.
Securing retail placement with MECCA was, in Carlstrom’s words, a pivotal moment. It gave SolBiome immediate credibility and introduced the brand to a wider customer base already invested in health and beauty. From there, the growth strategy has combined performance marketing, particularly Meta, with strong email marketing, retention systems, and a subscription model designed around the reality that probiotics work best with consistency. “Subscription has been a key focus, as our product works best with consistency and this has supported both customer outcomes and business growth.”
What the hard parts actually looked like
Carlstrom is direct about where the difficulties landed. Navigating Australia’s TGA regulatory framework was among the most demanding. “Ensuring every claim was substantiated, and that the product met all regulatory requirements, required significant time, investment and attention to detail.” Manufacturing and supply chain timelines added further complexity. Delays, she says, are inevitable, and learning to manage them without losing momentum was a lesson in itself.
There was also the personal layer. “Building a business while raising two young children added another layer. There’s a constant balancing act and there were definitely moments of burnout and doubt.” What carried her through was staying connected to the reason the business existed in the first place. “I’ve seen first-hand the impact that improving gut health can have on people’s lives, and that made it easier to push through the harder moments.”
The lessons she took from those periods are practical. Adaptability matters more than having a perfect plan. And perfectionism, she warns, is a trap. “Growth comes from taking action, learning quickly, and iterating.”
What she would tell a founder starting out
Carlstrom’s advice to aspiring founders does not come with caveats. “Start before you feel ready. A lot of people wait until everything is perfectly mapped out, but the reality is that clarity comes from action. You learn by doing, not by overthinking.”
Beyond that, she keeps returning to a few principles. Build something that solves a real problem. Stay close to your customer. Listen to their feedback and let it guide your decisions. And build for trust, because in today’s market, transparency and credibility are what make growth sustainable. “If you can build a brand that people genuinely believe in, growth becomes much more sustainable.”
The long-term vision for SolBiome goes beyond a single product. Carlstrom is building toward what she describes as a microbiome-first wellness ecosystem, combining products, education, and tools that position gut health as the foundation of overall wellbeing. The question she asked in clinic years ago has not changed. The answer is still being built.
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