High-protein recipes built Lainie Kates’ platform. But long before they became content, they were a response to a diagnosis she could not ignore.

“I struggled for years with undiagnosed PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), navigating unexplained hormonal imbalances, weight fluctuations, and persistent acne without clear answers,” she says. After years of hormonal issues, weight gain, and acne, an emergency room visit for ruptured ovarian cysts forced clarity. Doctors suggested birth control and Spironolactone (potassium-sparing diuretic and anti-androgen) to manage symptoms.

“I didn’t want to do birth control. I didn’t want to do Spironolactone for the rest of my life,” she says. “I wanted to start learning about holistic health and finding ways I could heal my body naturally with food and lifestyle.”

That decision set the foundation for what would become both a creator business and a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand. Today, Lainie is a holistic nutritionist, recipe developer, and co-founder of Perdi’s Protein, a dessert-focused protein powder company. Her journey traces a familiar Creator Economy trajectory, but with an operational layer that distinguishes it: she has steadily built assets beyond the feed.

Pandemic Cooking, Platform Momentum

Before becoming a full-time creator, Lainie worked in private aviation sales. She spent more than seven years at Surf Air before leaving to pursue content full-time. Her entry into content creation came during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Stuck at home and cooking daily, she began uploading simple recipe ideas.

“I started posting on Instagram stories, just today’s lockdown menu,” she says. “People were really liking that. They were learning how to cook healthy.”

She brought the same approach to TikTok in 2020, when the food category was far less saturated. “I had posted only two videos to TikTok before the second one went viral. It was an instant BOOM!”

At the time, she was balancing her aviation job with content creation. The turning point came when brand deals and recipe development began to demand more time than her corporate role could provide.

“I reached a point where I was getting enough brand deals and spending more time on content creation than my other job,” she says. “So it made sense to leave.”

The niche was clear: easy, approachable, high-protein recipes that felt attainable for busy women and mothers.

“I want people to watch my videos and say, this is something I can do,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be complicated.”

High Protein as a Foundation

Protein now dominates wellness conversations, but Lainie emphasizes that her focus predates the social media surge.

“It’s definitely a big trend right now, but it’s not a trend for me,” she says. “I’ve been doing it for the past 12 years.”

For women with PCOS, Lainie notes that stabilizing blood sugar is critical. “One of the best ways to do that is to eat high protein so you can keep your blood sugar stable and not have crashes later in the day,” she explains.

Her own breakthrough came when she shifted from processed protein snacks to whole-food sources. “When I learned more about whole foods and how to actually nourish your body with protein, that’s when it really switched for me, and I felt my best.”

That lived experience informs how she monetizes. Lainie reveals that she turns down “99%” of brand partnerships. “I don’t post much about wellness products unless I’m absolutely loving them and using them every day.”

Trust, in her view, is the core currency of a wellness creator. She’s a strong advocate for comprehensive lab work to uncover nutrient deficiencies and hormone imbalances so treatment can be tailored. “Go get your lab work done and see what you’re deficient in,” she says. “Then look at what you actually need.”

For creators entering the space, she recommends clarity. “You can’t post about everything every single day,” she says. “People need to know why they’re going to your page and why they’ll return.”

Systems Over Virality

While Lainie has experienced viral moments, she frames growth as a systems exercise rather than a lottery.

“A few years ago, I created cottage cheese ice cream, and it took the world by storm,” she says, referring to the recipe’s viral spread online. “I was the first person to ever do that.” The recipe spread across social platforms, bringing new visibility. 

She compares content creation to writing a music album. “An artist can have 10 to 20 songs on an album. Not every song is going to be a viral hit. It’s all part of the album,” she says.

Lainie posts three times a week to maintain consistency without burnout. She experiments with Instagram Trial Reels to test variations before pushing content to her main feed. In one instance, she re-recorded the audio on an older recipe video.

“I reposted it and got over a million views,” she says.

For Lainie, series formats, recurring meal prep content, and family-driven recipes provide predictable entry points for her audience.

Lainie is managed by Odyssey Entertainment Group.

Thinking Beyond the Feed

As Lainie’s platform grew, so did her awareness of the risk of platform dependency.

“You never know when social media could go away,” she points out. “I wanted to have a newsletter where I could collect emails from my followers.”

Her weekly newsletter, “Lainie’s Weekly 3-2-1s,” includes three meal prep recipes, two product recommendations or health tips, and one drink or dessert idea. It serves as both a community touchpoint and owned infrastructure.

That long-term thinking extended to product development. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset,” she says. “I knew I wanted to do something outside of content that would be more on the business side.”

In 2025, she co-founded Perdi’s Protein. The concept blends indulgence and nutrition: a shelf-stable, almond-based protein powder designed to be eaten as an instant dessert.

“There are no protein powders that are designed to just be eaten on their own with a little milk and a spoon,” she says. Each packet contains 10 grams of protein.

Rather than overproduce, Lainie and her co-founder opted for limited drops to validate demand.

“We didn’t want to make hundreds of thousands of products without testing the concept,” she says. “We sold out three times.”

Only after repeated sellouts did they scale.

The Operational Reality of CPG

Transitioning from creator to founder introduced new challenges.

“In content creation, you make a video, you post it, and you get instant gratification,” she says. “With this, there are a lot of moving pieces.”

Production timelines stretch weeks or months. Packaging must align with machinery. Cash flow determines inventory decisions.

In one early misstep, a supplier delivered 500 pounds of vanilla bean sticks rather than vanilla bean powder. “We had to wait an extra three or four weeks,” Lainie shares.

Scaling required additional packaging adjustments to fit the upgraded machinery. The operational learning curve, she says, was steeper than expected. “It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be,” she admits. “Everything takes more time.”

Still, Lainie describes the work as deeply rewarding. “Seeing people excited about the product and helping them on their health journeys makes it worth it,” she says.

Building for Longevity

Lainie is deliberate about separating her personal brand from the long-term viability of her company.

“You need to have an army of people talking about it in order to be a successful business,” she says. “It can’t just run on one person forever.”

She plans to spotlight customers alongside influencers, treating everyday buyers as advocates. “I want the customers to feel as if they are influencers,” she says. “They’re the ones sharing with their friends and coworkers.”

For creators considering launching products, Lainie’s advice is direct. “Are you ready to work another 40 to 80 hours a week?” she asks. “You have to be 110% dedicated.”

She emphasizes capital planning, differentiation, and problem clarity as prerequisites. “Most businesses do fail,” she says. “You have to understand what problem you’re trying to solve and what sets you apart.”

What’s Next?

In the near term, Lainie’s focus remains on growth across both platform and product.

“My focus this year is to grow Perdi’s and really grow my platform overall,” she says. “I want to be a strong educator and voice in the wellness community.”

Long term, she envisions retail distribution and broader access.

“My PCOS journey became my blueprint,” she says. “In five years, I plan to be a defining voice in women’s hormone health and a go-to for women in the kitchen while scaling Perdi’s into a category-leading brand for high-quality, functional protein that is accessible.”