Sarela Herrada

Making Time for It All Co-founder of SIMPLi

SARELA Herrada, 33, is constantly fielding questions about why last May—with a 6-month-old baby girl at home—she enrolled in Wharton’s executive MBA program, which would require her to devote every other weekend to school for the next two years. She was already, after all, running Simpli, a burgeoning regenerative food company based in Baltimore that sells organic food staples such as legumes, oils, and salt blends.

“Food is at the core of my roots,” says Herrada, who grew up on a 135-acre organic chicken farm on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, before immigrating to the U.S. at age 14.

She co-founded Simpli in 2020 with her husband, Matt Cohen, 35. Simpli’s products are sold at 2,255 retail locations, including all Whole Foods Markets nationwide, and at quick-service restaurants such as Sweetgreen, Chopt, and Just Salad. Those brands and customers appreciate Simpli’s minimally processed food options, as well as its regenerative organic certification, which is given to companies that prioritize soil health and animal welfare, says Herrada. The company also nearly doubled its revenue between 2022 and 2023, as its partnerships with small farmers grew to more than 3,000 worldwide.

But Herrada knows she can have a bigger impact. And though she is once again expecting a child— baby No. 2 is due in April—she says Simpli’s mission to support sustainable farming practices and encourage healthy eating is just too vital to let wither. “Pursuing an MBA is much more than classes,” she says. “It’s the collective learning from my diverse peers across industries. It’s filling my knowledge gaps and empowering me to feel confident walking into any room, and it’s self-development to be the leader my organization deserves.”

She adds that staying on task has been key for helping her juggle her mission and family. “One of my skill sets is time management. I live by my calendar!”