Built by Heart: How This Couple is Changing the World Together and Apart

Dear Happiness@Work Community,

Have you experienced a morning recently that hasn't gone as planned?

Behind the Scenes: Unscripted

Some mornings don’t go as planned — and sometimes, that's when the unusual happens.

When we recently gathered for the Harvard Club of Research Triangle’s talk with Kathryn Shah of Spring & Mulberry and Neal Shah of CareYaya, the coffee wasn't there yet. We hadn’t scripted questions in advance. Instead of trying to fill the space with small talk, I invited each of the audience to introduce themselves.

What followed set the tone for something rare: a morning that felt more like an intimate living room conversation than a formal speaker event.

It was a gathering of many firsts including the first time we hosted a couple on stage together.  What emerged was a pattern: nearly everyone in the audience felt personally connected to either Kathryn’s journey or Neal’s. Some were drawn to the reinvention of food and celebration; others to the reimagining of caregiving and human connection.

Kathryn and Neal anchored the conversation with a vulnerability that was palpable. They weren't pitching high-tech startups or reciting polished decks. They spoke about solving human problems in low-tech, high-truth ways — drawing from their personal experiences to build companies rooted in compassion.

Memorable themes:

• The paradox that despite the intensity, startups can feel more freeing than corporate life — because you’re finally doing work aligned with your soul.

• If you truly meet an unmet need, followership will come organically, not because you push harder, but because you listen better.

What struck me most was how everyone felt included. In a world where panels can sometimes feel performative or hierarchical, this morning was different. It was built by heart — just like the two entrepreneurs we came to celebrate.

Personal Journeys that Sparked a Mission

For Kathryn Tisch Shah and Neal Shah, entrepreneurship isn’t about chasing a market opportunity — it’s about answering a deeply personal call.

Kathryn’s journey to founding Spring & Mulberry began after a major health crisis. Diagnosed with cancer, she reevaluated how she nourished her body — and noticed how many of life’s celebrations revolved around processed sugars. She imagined a new way to celebrate joyfully, naturally: beautiful confections crafted from fruits, nuts, and botanicals. As she put it, “celebrating life, beautifully and naturally — without compromise.”

Neal’s story, too, is grounded in experience. He witnessed firsthand the difficulty families face finding affordable, compassionate caregiving for elderly loved ones. That need inspired CareYaya, a platform connecting families with healthcare students who provide care with empathy, energy, and heart.

Neither founder set out to create a startup just to create one. They were pulled forward by a sense of responsibility — a belief that if you see a real problem clearly enough, you are called to help solve it.

Building Separate Dreams, Together

One of the most refreshing parts of Kathryn and Neal’s story is how they honor each other’s paths without trying to merge them.

During our conversation, Kathryn spoke about the deep creative ownership she feels for Spring & Mulberry — building something beautiful on her own terms. Neal, too, shared the emotional weight of scaling a mission-first caregiving platform like CareYaya.

When asked how they balance entrepreneurial life with partnership, they smiled knowingly. “We celebrate the wins together,” Neal said, “and when the inevitable tough days come, the other one steps in to bring perspective.”

In a world that often glamorizes hustle at the cost of human connection, Kathryn and Neal offer a different model: one built on respect, encouragement, and patience for each other's separate journeys — even as they share a life together.

Choosing Mission Over Short-Term Profits

A clear theme pulsed through our conversation: impact before profit.

Kathryn could have opted for faster scaling strategies — introducing mass-market products made with shortcuts. But she stays true to her vision, using only real, pure ingredients. "We could have gone the easy route," she said. "But that’s not why I started."

Similarly, Neal isn’t rushing to turn CareYaya into another faceless platform. Instead, he’s nurturing a network where caregivers form real human connections — and where families trust not just a service, but a community.

Attendee Teresa Monteiro captured the audience’s thinking so well:

“Their commitment to mission and authenticity is unparalleled.”

In a market often obsessed with fast exits and inflated valuations, Kathryn and Neal are choosing a harder, more meaningful road. They are building companies designed to last — companies that solve real, human needs.

Authenticity That Resonates

What made this morning memorable wasn't just the stories Kathryn and Neal shared — it was how they shared them.

There was no pretense, no polish for its own sake. Just two people telling the truth about what it takes to build from the heart.

Kathryn's face lit up when describing her "jewels of the earth" — her fruit-studded chocolate bars — while Neal's voice softened when recounting students who found purpose helping lonely seniors.

Their willingness to be vulnerable — to admit that even in the stress of a startup, there's a freedom corporate life never offered — resonated deeply with everyone in the room.

It was a reminder: authentic leadership isn't about being perfect. It's about being real.

A Future Fueled by Purpose

Kathryn and Neal are not racing against the clock or angling for quick exits. They are quietly — but powerfully — building companies that honor their values, their personal journeys, and the unmet needs they see in the world.

Kathryn is redefining how we celebrate — making beauty, indulgence, and health coexist. Neal is reimagining how we care — bringing dignity, affordability, and connection to eldercare.

Their work is a testament to an important truth:

If you build from the heart — if you solve a real problem — success will find you in its own time.

And if last Thursday’s morning taught us anything, it’s that success built by heart is the kind that truly changes the world.

Rick Waechter, Past Harvard Club President and Founder of Old Peak Finance commented, 

“Neal and Kathryn are the definition of mission-driven entrepreneurs; the world will benefit from the good work they are doing.”

I share our conversation in full - enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym5_sRedVf0

About Grace Ueng, Founder of Savvy Growth

Grace is founder of Savvy Growth, management consultancy and coaching firm focused on helping impactful leaders and their companies solve the world’s greatest challenges and achieve extraordinary results. 

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