891 Julia Kim: Innovating Postpartum Care

What Political Organizing and Campaigning Can Teach an Entrepreneur

Mother-centered postpartum care is often perceived as a luxury rather than a critical support system that yields considerable advantages for the entire family unit – mom, dad and baby. Assumptions like “women have been doing this for generations,” “childcare is easier than working a regular 9 to 5 job,” and “women can have/do it all” stand in the way of getting new families the care they need.

Julia Kim is on a mission to transform postpartum care as we know it, inspired by the South Korean tradition of ‘sam-chil-il’ retreats for new moms, dads and babies and solving a $1.1 BN gap in postpartum care in the US. Hotel-based, Sanu Postpartum retreats help mothers recover from childbirth, get vital mental health support and more with a round-the-clock nursery, for an average 5 to 7 nights. Julia is now expanding her locations beyond her flagship in Tysons Corner, VA in the Washington DC suburbs.

CEO and Founder of Sanu Postpartum, Julia inspired by her own challenges as a new mom six years ago. Julia says that despite thorough preparation, reading numerous books, visiting various specialists, and attending courses at multiple pediatrician offices, she found all that learning didn’t match up with reality. So, she left her successful 15-year career in politics as a policymaker and communications expert on campaigns to jump into entrepreneurship.

Today Julia shares her entrepreneurial journey from the world of politics where most recently she served as the national co-chair for Korean Americans for Biden in 2020, mobilizing volunteers and orchestrating efforts to engage hundreds of thousands of Korean American voters in key battleground states. We discuss the parallels between starting a business and running a political campaign, because both require a deep understanding of, and responsiveness to, people’s needs and desires. Plus, the very real challenges faced by new parents and how her company Sanu changes the game.

More about Julia Kim at sanupostpartum.com

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More about Julia at Sanu Postpartum

Julia Kim is the CEO and Founder of Sanu, a postpartum retreat company dedicated to redefining care for new parents with comprehensive support and personalized experiences. She’s a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in lawmaking, policy, communications, and political campaigns. Serving as the national Co-Chair for Korean Americans for Biden in 2020, she mobilized volunteers and orchestrated efforts to engage hundreds of thousands of Korean American voters in key battleground states. Additionally, as the former Chairperson of the Virginia Asian Advisory Board (VAAB), Julia provided invaluable counsel to the governor on a range of issues, including education, civic engagement, and business and trade matters, championing the interests of the AAPI community.

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