“When a physician honestly recommends your product, that sincerity is very meaningful” with Adrienne Bitar & Jennifer Han
Founded by a powerhouse team—Adrienne Bitar, PhD and Jennifer Han PharmD BCACP—Seen Nutrition is on a mission to bring science-backed innovation to the menopause market. With their debut product, the first dietary calcium chew formulated specifically for bone health, they’re tackling one of the most overlooked aspects of women’s wellness with clarity, care, and credibility. By blending deep clinical expertise with foodtech innovation, the founders of Seen are redefining what it means to support women in midlife—making bone health approachable, effective, and even enjoyable.
What inspired you to start your business, and what problem were you passionate about solving?
From the beginning, we were motivated for personal reasons. My mom has struggled with her osteoporosis since I was a young child and she was in her late 40s. After a failed knee replacement diagnosed her osteoporosis, she has continued to break bones throughout her adulthood. She struggled with the calcium her doctor asked her to take: big horse pills full of calcium carbonate or synthetic gummies that caused GI upset. Drawing from my background in food studies research, I had wondered if there wasn’t a better way to give women like my mom all the calcium she would need from food.
When I met Jenny, it all began to click. Jenny, my friend and co-founder, is both a clinical pharmacist and an osteoporosis patient herself. With her skills and expertise, we began to talk about nutrition, food, and bone health and, soon, we decided we needed to create a company to do the R&D necessary for a better bone health option. You can read more on our about us page here. Nearly 3 years later, Seen Nutrition has served thousands of women across 50 states, finally offering a better option to synthetic calcium.
How did your early days as a founder look? Can you share one moment that tested your resilience?
Our early days often tested our resilience. Between balancing professional jobs (as a food studies professor for me and as a practicing pharmacist for Jenny) and the many demands of young children with starting an innovative company founded on meticulous research, we were often stretched thin. Manufacturing has tested our resilience the most; it’s very difficult to predict demand, warehouse inventory, test every batch, and maintain the absolute highest quality control. Many manufacturers were not interested in working with us after we explained how seriously we took our measurements and formulation. It was a long road to find the right manufacturer, but now that we have someone we entirely trust, it was worth the journey.
What’s the meaning behind your business name or brand identity?
Seen is ripe with meaning. Too often, women’s health and women’s needs are unseen by design. Women’s needs are overlooked. Women’s health is dismissed as a “woman’s problem” and undeserving of serious research funding. We created Seen to ensure that the unique nutritional needs of women (particularly women in vulnerable life stages like menopause) are truly recognized and seen.
What were the first 3 things you did to build momentum in your business?
I took a leave of absence from Cornell University, where I teach, to focus on the business full time. We also did a lot of cold emailing, asking leaders in the bone health fields for their addresses so could send them samples of our calcium. We also relied on the supportive business incubators and networks locally, joining the SBDC as a client and becoming members of a local incubator.
How did you land your first paying customer or client?
I’m not entirely sure. After our friends and family purchased our calcium, the slow growth at first came from word of mouth and social media.
What’s one “micro move” that created outsized impact in your growth journey?
We decided early on to showcase how we’re regulated as a food product and run nutrition facts on the product. Many companies prefer to be categorized as a dietary supplement but, since we are a food, we’re subject to far more scrutiny and regulation from the FDA. We actually welcome that because it even better communicates to our customer just how seriously we take our dosing, composition, and quality.
How do you manage the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship?
It’s been difficult, but Jenny and I have one another. The co-founder relationship is so important. We lean on each other, run ideas by one another at all hours, and remain best friends despite all the highs and lows of starting a business together.
What does your current work-life blend look like—and how has that evolved?
Taking a leave of absence was key to better juggling my work-life balance. I needed to step back from my academic position to free up time to work on Seen. It was a mature decision, but still difficult to pack up my office, put away my books and syllabi, and close the chapter on my ongoing research projects.
What are your favorite ways to build thought leadership in your space?
I love listening to podcasts like Dr. Casperson’s You Are Not Broken, reading newsletters like Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s newsletter, and purchasing all the latest nutrition products. I really try to stay immersed in the menopause and osteoporosis world, especially since we joined the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation as corporate advisors. I also love to call customers – I’ll take any excuse to call a customer and check in and learn what their concerns are.
Can you share one risk you took that paid off in an unexpected way?
We have cold emailed and cold called so many people. It takes a bit of swallowing your nerves, but, once, I even saw a physician I recognized from her menopause advocacy work walking by me at JFK. Even though we never met, I flagged her down and said hello. I was nervous to, but it was wonderful to make the in-person connection, however impromptu, and she has been such a supporter of Seen ever since then.
What are your favorite tools or systems for staying organized and productive?
Jenny and I share an email address and that helps for being able to pick up where the other left off. It may be confusing to the people we’re corresponding with, but it is so helpful for us to work as a team.
What marketing channels bring you the most qualified leads?
We have found working with medical professionals active in the bone health field to be so illuminating and helpful. When a physician honestly recommends your product, that sincerity is very meaningful.
What does success look like for you now vs. when you started?
Success looks like reaching all the women we now know need our calcium chew and bone health support. So many women have told us that it is a game changer for them, and we find it deeply meaningful to make that positive impact. I’d like to reach them all now. When we first started, I didn’t truly understand just how important our products would become to our customers.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a founder just starting out?
Be flexible and adaptable. When we first started, we were so enthusiastic and wedded to a particular vision for the packaging. We spent a lot of time trying to manufacture that custom packaging and, as it turns out, a standard light-protective stand-up pouch works just as well!
What legacy do you hope to leave through your business?
We hope to raise awareness for the important preventative work you can do in your early adulthood to prevent osteoporosis and fractures later in life. That would be an incredible legacy to leave.
What can we promote for you (offer, product, launch, etc.)?
Our calcium chew is available for subscription for $29.75/month at www.seennutrition.com. Read our blog for bone health insights or reach out to us directly on our contact form.
Where can our readers/listeners find you online?
Follow us on Instagram @thecalciumqueens, Facebook at Seen Nutrition, and via our website www.seennutrition.com.
