Highlights From Interview with Bobby Healy: Founder and CEO of Manna Drone Delivery

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to interview Bobby Healy, the founder and CEO of Manna Drone Delivery. This interview was especially interesting for me because drones fascinate me and I’m particularly interested in this technology.

Manna is a suburban drone delivery business that delivers orders from coffee shops, pharmacies, grocery stores, etc., to customers’ backyards. 

Bobby previously worked at Nintendo. He began writing video games as a kid and always loved coding. He says, “For me, being able to write code helps me to grow a business and is a big advantage.”

He also describes himself as a risk-taker. He is always pushing to come up with new ideas and build new things. Despite many people being motivated by money, Bobby is instead motivated because he finds creating fun and enjoyable.

Sustainability to Bobby is important to Bobby because it’s investible. He was happy to see that he was building something with a sustainable angle. He values the societal impact equal to sustainability.

The name, “Manna,” came from an investor. In the Bible and Quran, there is a long mission, and God sends food through birds on a mission. The food from Heaven was called Manna, and Bobby says when he heard that name, he knew it was perfect right away.

In the beginning, Bobby convinced other companies to partner with Manna easily. This was because over time, Manna drones can replace road-based delivery—it is also cheaper, can be implemented in any weather, and is more efficient for staff. No brand or customer that they asked to do business with said no!

When asked about his advice for people who want to start a company, Bobby says it’s important to understand the inner workings of a big company, but it will also undermine your ability to run a small one. Small companies also ignore the best advice, make mistakes, and constantly fail. So, it's important to witness that type of environment, too. Secondly, Bobby says that your network is one of the most important parts, and the people you work with can make or break your success. 

Thank you, Bobby, for the wonderful interview! I had a great time speaking with you and I wish you well with Manna.