Lara Merriken’s story begins with a simple act of courage: listening to her body and trusting her instincts when the food industry offered no good answers. What started as a homemade snack quickly became LÄRABAR — a brand that helped spark the clean-label movement and changed how millions of people think about what they eat. Her journey is a reminder that meaningful innovation often starts small, personal, and a little bit unconventional.
At Tom Tom, Lara will share what it really takes to build a values-driven company in a high-growth world. From navigating rapid scale to staying grounded through acquisition, her experience offers rare insight into the tension between purpose and performance — and the courage required to hold onto both.
Today, Lara’s work extends beyond business into leadership, wellness, and conscious living; rethinking innovation not as disruption for its own sake, but as the brave choice to build healthier systems and lead with intention.
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Note: This Summit session is ticketed.
Please purchase your
tickets on Humanitix. You will then receive an email from Sched with login information that allows you to make your personal schedule.
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A special thank you to our sponsors: The 14th Annual Tom Tom Festival is presented with the University of Virginia, Virginia Tourism, R.L. Beyer Custom Homes, Ludwig Kuttner, and The City of Charlottesville
