From Pathology to Purpose: Angela Zeng on Building Karviva and Bringing Ancient Wisdom to Modern Wellness Artwork

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Badass Women in Business

From Pathology to Purpose: Angela Zeng on Building Karviva and Bringing Ancient Wisdom to Modern Wellness

September 23, 2025 • Aggie & Cristy • Season 4 • Episode 44

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Angela Zeng, PhD, MBA, is the founder and CEO of Karviva, an award-winning wellness beverage company that blends Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern nutritional science. A pathologist by training, Angela immigrated from China to the U.S., built her own factory in St. Louis when co-packers couldn’t support her unique formulations, and has since carved out a space in the competitive natural food and beverage industry. In this episode of Badass Women in Business, she shares her story of resilience, cultural heritage, and the relentless pursuit of quality. Angela opens up about facing bias as a woman of color in business, the importance of educating consumers, and why she believes food is the best medicine. Her journey is both inspiring and practical for anyone looking to build something meaningful while staying true to their values.

Show Notes
In this conversation, Angela Zeng discusses:

Her early fascination with Traditional Chinese Medicine and how it shaped her entrepreneurial vision
Transitioning from pathology and pharmaceutical research into launching her own wellness beverage company
Why she built her own production facility instead of outsourcing to co-packers
Challenges of entering the U.S. market with products rooted in Eastern medicine
Navigating systemic bias in funding and retail as a woman and immigrant founder
The importance of consumer education in driving health-focused innovation
Lessons on resilience, rejection, and thinking outside the box when scaling a CPG brand
Advice for entrepreneurs on staying aligned with their mission while adapting to market realities

Guest Contact

Website: https://karviva.com
Facebook: Karviva Wellness
LinkedIn: Angela Zeng
TikTok: @karvivawellness
Instagram: @karvivawellness

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