112 ● INC. ●SEPTEMBER 2019 ● ● ● PHOTOGRAPH BY AMY LOMBARD
Three-year growth 2,621% | 2018 revenue $3.1M
New York City | Founded in 2015Ashley Harris
LOVEBUGInc. Life
Brewing a Business
Trust Your Gut
When it comes to business, Ashley Harris
would rather listen to her own instincts
than to advice from well-meaning MBAs:
“If they knew exactly how to do it, they’d be
doing it,” she says. “We’re learning as we
go, and trusting our gut has been the best
lesson so far.” Here, Harris holds a symbi-
otic culture of bacteria and yeast—scoby
for short—which ferments kombucha.
After Ashley Harris and her family began
experimenting with probiotics at a doctor’s
recommendation, they saw digestive issues
clear up, eczema disappear, and moods
improve. She started LoveBug Probiotics in
2015, grew the brand 2,621 percent in three
years, and landed deals with major retailers like
Target and CVS. Harris also began fermenting
her own kombucha —an excellent source of
probiotics. Fermentation, like business, requires
balancing acidity, temperature, and time: “It’s
not just about how fast you can scale,” says
Harris. “It’s about putting the right things in
and letting it grow.” —ANNA MEYERNo.140