Good Food For Good Founder Richa Gupta talks to the DTC Growth team about her experience leading a company that is focussed on clean ingredients and giving back to the world.
Good Food For Good Founder Richa Gupta talks to the DTC Growth team about her experience leading a company that is focussed on clean ingredients and giving back to the world.
DTC growth show. Hi and welcome to the DTC growth show by hashtag paid.
2
Speaker 2
0:07
I'm Sophia and I'm Gabriella. And if this is your first time joining us, every episode we sit down with founders and leaders at some of the most exciting DTC brands on the planet. We talk to them about how they started, haven't launched and what they're doing to grow.
1
Speaker 1
0:20
So I'm super excited because today we're talking to Reshef founder of good food for good reaches an entrepreneur and mother with a simple idea. Make it easy for everyone to eat well and do good. Starting her entrepreneurial journey back in 2013. She brings over 15 years of experience in retail, fashion and food marketing that she channeled into her own brand. You may have seen reached on Dragon's Den or CNN making waves in the natural foods industry.
2
Speaker 2
0:47
reshoot. We are so excited to have you on let's jump right in.
1
Speaker 1
0:51
So I wanted to ask kind of as like an initial question, in your own words, describe what is good food for good.
3
Speaker 3
1:01
So good food for good is all about making it easy for people to eat healthy, right? Like that's what good food for good. started when I started the company, the name itself tells what it is about it is about creating good food for people who are looking to eat healthy, and donating a meal to feed a person in need with every purchase. That's like the big part of our for good for the for good also includes being better for the planet. So all our products are packaged and reusable glass. So for us good food for Good is a brand promise is a promise that we make to the consumers that our food will always be good. And it'll always be for a good reason.
1
Speaker 1
1:51
Yeah. And how did it come to life the idea because I well, even when I was interviewing you for the shoe like podcast, you're diving into kind of what happened before starting the company with like your career and everything. So I was wondering if you can shed more light into what you were doing before and how this idea came to life?
3
Speaker 3
2:09
Yeah, like I like I can there three to four reasons that made me jump into entrepreneurship from career in marketing. First. Personally, I was a new mom, I was really struggling to feed my own child food, the kinds of foods that I wanted to feed her that was made with fresh, wholesome ingredients. Because I had 20 minutes after work, to feed her to bathe her to put her to bed. It's a common problem that all mothers go through. So I was not the only one struggling. But for me, the challenge was I grew up in a house where food was cooked from fresh ingredients, three times a day. So for me accepting the shortcuts that were loaded with things that I didn't call food was very difficult. So I went through like major mom guilt, right? Like, as all parents, we want to do better than what our parents did for us, for our children. That's, you know, just the how generations work. So major mom guilt to I before joining General Mills and marketing or food marketing, I worked actually in fashion. And I left fashion to do my MBA. So I went to shoe like and switch industries because I was feeling like I needed to do something more meaningful. Fashion was no longer fulfilling me. I felt like there was a bigger purpose that I need to fulfill that I'm not able to do when I'm you know, fighting for color and the button color and the shirt color matching altogether or not, right. So I did my MBA and I switched to food. And then so there was a purpose reason why I was in food industry. I taught food everybody eats so if I am part of that industry, I would be making a difference in many lives. However, the time period that I was in the food industry, this information about how processed food is bad for you, kinda was getting everywhere, right? How preservatives too much salt, too much sugar, what it's doing to our health. The fact that 20% of world's deaths debts now could be linked to a bad diet. Right? It's no longer things that we don't you know, we don't have a cure off. Like this is a very simple cure. It's our lifestyle. That's, that's, you know, leading to 20%, which is one in five deaths are linked to just our lifestyle, right? It's not a disease. And on the other side, like 10% of the world's population still didn't have enough food to eat. Right so It was the combination of multiple factors that were playing in my head at that time. So when this idea came to me off, hey, you know what, there is nothing in the market that I could buy my child and feed my child, there is nothing that's giving back theater, so much food problems happening. And I tried to solve it internally, I tried to be the champion and, you know, present presentations about how we can change the ingredients from like Betty Crocker solutions to what I thought they should be. So it wasn't working, right, it's very hard to maneuver a big ship from inside. You know, what's the when this idea came, I just felt like I was in love again, I felt there was something that would allow me to make that meaningful difference that I've been craving to make for a long time. And rest is history was interesting, because
1
Speaker 1
5:55
your product is really unique, because they're sweetened by dates, right? Like a lot of your product. So how did you one come up with that? And then to like, how was the process of finding like a really, obviously healthy alternative, but it tasted really good? Was that like a long process to figure that out?
3
Speaker 3
6:15
Totally. So our ketchup took actually six months to develop, because I was using children as my taste. So I love that
6:28
the most honest critics
3
Speaker 3
6:31
totally they are, and you can, you know, as adults, when we know something is healthy, we are ready to compromise on our taste. Because we know it's healthy, right? We're like, no, no, no, you know, this test is fine, because it's better for me, I'm going to eat it. So you can't get a four year old or six year old or 10 year old to eat things just because they're healthy. Like that just does not fly. So for me, that was very important, right? Like healthy eating doesn't need to be only for adults, once they understand what healthy is healthy food to be for everyone, right? And we need to break that taste barrier that people have today when they think, oh, it's healthy, it might not taste good, because you know, they've been burned so many times. You know, buying things drying it and especially for kids. They're like, Oh, I eat it. But I don't think my child will eat it. Yeah, it's so we did. And I don't say 100% of kids would like it. You know if that was the case, there is no product in the world. Yeah, that horrible. Number so so. Right, but but we wanted to make it in a way that kids enjoy it as much as adults do. Yeah.
1
Speaker 1
7:45
Have the date though. Come like was it do you? Did you previously use dates and like your diet a lot? Like how did you come up with because now actually, it's more common people I feel like are now incorporating that into products by sweetening things, but with dates, but I'm sure when you started wasn't as common as like a practice. So I was wondering like, how did you come up with like a date to sweeten it with?
3
Speaker 3
8:07
Yeah, so when when I started the company, I was doing farmers markets, right. And at that time, I was using very small amount and catch up was that their ketchup did not exist. At that time. I was using very small amount of organic turbinado sugar in my sauce. And I met this lady at the farmers market who was like, Oh no, all sugars are the same. Doesn't matter whether it's organic or not. You know, you shouldn't have any sugar in your fruit. So when I started thinking, I'm like, what is the sweetener that I can use? Because because you need that little sweetness, right? Like, it sure makes us happy. Like think sugar makes us happy sweetness makes us happy.
8:50
wired that way. You're right. Exactly, exactly.
3
Speaker 3
8:52
So I looked at what are the alternatives and almost every other sugar substitute that I researched, whether it's stevia, whether it's monkfruit moncrieffe was not there at that time. But stevia was the monkfruit. I researched later. Xylitol, all of them had so many side effects. That just did not work with my philosophy on food, right? So when I research on, you know what fruit is there that does not have a lot of flavor on its own. And dates is just like a perfect substitute for that. Right? It doesn't have a strong flavor like a banana or an apple or a pears. Its sweetness. And that's what we need it right. It's a sweetener, it's Ticknor and at that time, actually there was no I couldn't find a source that was selling organic dates. So in 2017 when I could actually source organic datas when I went first organic certification, and that's when we started scaling their company. Because as you said, right ducks weren't that you
1
Speaker 1
9:56
know, now they're so popular. It's like the the avocados right? like it's the but like everybody, it's either dates making things which I do with like the dip chocolate and peanut butter and like, Cecil and that it's like the avocados like everyone loves dates now. But like at the time, it probably wasn't the case, right? Like, you'd have to like educate people because they're probably thinking like, sweetened by a date like, oh, that's kind of gross. And then when they probably try your product, it's like, oh, nevermind, like this, it doesn't. If anything, it could taste better than like, the products that
2
Speaker 2
10:26
they're using. I gotta say, like, I'm so thankful that you explored other alternatives to like refined sugars. Because like, as you were saying, like, when you're a kid and stuff, like, of course, like your, your palate isn't totally, totally refined, it's not the most sophisticated thing. But, you know, you're figuring out what you like, and you're also figuring out like, what works for you. And looking in my own household. You know, it's, I wish we had your products like 20 years ago, because, you know, I think my mother as well kind of exports similar similar challenges and stuff like working moms of trying to find like the best ingredients and stuff the the most accessible thing she can use for her for her to like growing hungry children. And what we didn't know is that in our family, we actually have a lot of food allergies. And for a really, really long time, right? Like it's, we looked everywhere else and such just help start solving problems internally not realizing that sometimes the best way is to start really simple. And start eliminating really, really complicated ingredients. Because you're there for a lot of these types of ailments, there isn't a cure, but eliminating some of the harmful stuff. eliminating some of the triggers that we don't totally understand yet is our first step forward for health is our first step and reclaiming like, okay, what are how can I fuel my body with things that are going to help make me work helped me thrive? And I'm just so grateful that you that we have this now.
3
Speaker 3
11:59
I'm glad it's helping that you know, that's what I when people question like people because our brand stands for so many things, right? Like they're plant based beer organic, with no added sugar and, and it has no corn, no soy, no nuts. No wheat. So when people ask me that question, on patrol, you're targeting, I'm like, just, I'm targeting a community who wants to eat clean. I remember, when my daughter was little, I would go to organic section. And the only two things I saw there in terms of sauces. Three things was a salsa, which was also not very clean, it had sugar added to it. And marinara sauce, and a soy sauce. And a source alternative. There wasn't anything even till days, there aren't many things that if you're really looking to eat clean without the sugars without dairy without, you know, read or nuts and things such as there aren't that many options. So you're left to cook everything from scratch, or just eat pain, boring food every day. Right? So So I my purpose of good foods for goods was for people who and and those people actually don't even eat out as much so they don't have those options outside too. Right. So it is for people who are choosing to take that simplicity path of eating simple but still eat flavor. Like food is beyond just nourishment. It's so much about flavor and enjoyment.
2
Speaker 2
13:29
Yeah, I love products that allow you to share experiences with with everyone else. You know, like it is it's sad moment why like, especially when you think about like experiencing lockdown have we spent all this time inside. And then we finally want to get together or we finally want to be able to join our friends. I say your restaurant and you come to the table and you realize that, you know, should we order fries, but I can't experience the same, the same experience as all my friends do. But, but now I can bring a product. And I can have the same experience or if not a better one. Just as my peers have.
3
Speaker 3
14:08
No, totally, totally. I think it's so important to feel feel comfortable, right in your own skin right? Like you. This is who you are, this is what you need. And if it's not available, you make it happen. You know, that's that's where we went
1
Speaker 1
14:24
under percent. And I think pivoting on to because I know you are on Dragon's Den, which is pretty cool as watching that episode. I want to ask you some questions around I guess like your time on the show. So because I think it's also important to like you'll see a lot of businesses going on Dragon's Den, but for me, I was always so curious, like, Well, what was the process? Like, you know, how did you feel in the show? Were you intimidated? Like take us back on to kind of like before you were on the show and like the process getting on the show.
3
Speaker 3
14:59
Yeah, so To the for us, it was little different. So the Production Production Manager, I think that's what they're called. I think they reached out to us because Dejardin is a bank was sponsoring a segment for Social Entrepreneurs. There aren't many in Canada. So they reached out to us and asked us, hey, if we would like to audition, because they want to do feature on social businesses. So I went, we weren't even thinking of, I think they were not supposed to be in country. So I told him, I'm not really sure if I can make it to march 31 When they actually had the auditions. But, but if I am, then I'll walk by it's like, it's okay. If even if you don't then come later, and we'll audition you later. Yeah. So anyhow, we were there on March 31. We came a little early from Vancouver. We were in Vancouver earlier that month. And me and my daughter we walked in it was in downtown Toronto somewhere in like a CBC, building CBC. And, yeah, we went and we just gave them the simple information about hey, do you know how much sugar there is? In ketchups? Like, one tablespoon of ketchup has more sugar than a Chips Ahoy. Cookie. And then Rhea jumped in and say she's like, do you know? So that statement, that's all if you said is like, yes, you're in, you know, let's make this happen.
1
Speaker 1
16:30
So you pre audition, I was gonna say, so you pre audition before you got onto with the sharks.
3
Speaker 3
16:36
Yeah, that's how it always works. So you have to pre audition. And then this, they pick a few, they don't take everyone who auditions, they pick a few. And then from there, they then shoot, you know, in a month or two after that. So you have that time to prepare. So we of course, practice our pits, blah, blah, blah. I know my heart was pounding so hard when I was about to it to the desk.
1
Speaker 1
17:04
But you know, like I looked, I was like, I would be nervous as like not sure what to do. But you seem so like calm and like collective and just like very professional. So I admire you for that.
3
Speaker 3
17:19
Thank you. My, my heart was beating so fast seriously, because now they have changed the set. But the older set, you have to walk through this. And then there's a door before you walk to the second we were like right outside the door. I was hearing my heartbeat so loud. And I was asking you if you're hearing this doors just so hard for like it's gonna jump out of my chest. But then once I was in the room after the first 20 seconds, I was fine and comfortable. And I remember someone told me, I don't know if that's true. I mean, that my manager one manager in general was told me it's like you're like a duck. You could be you could be like really struggling inside. But you know, your persona stays calm. Yeah, I was like before that nobody had ever
1
Speaker 1
18:16
know, but it's me. Maybe Yeah, surely you seem very like calm, very composed, which I mean, so great skill to have obviously like running your own business and when they when you know you're under pressure for a lot of things but okay, so you got on to the show. He like gave your pitch did you go into they're expecting to give a certain amount of like equity for capital like what was that? Because like obviously they're negotiating and they want the best deal you want the best deal so what was that process on? Like settling for because I think what was it you it was 200,000 for 30% with both the sharks
3
Speaker 3
18:56
so we sit here just before I went to the show, I spoke to a colleague who would spin on the show and and he was very nice. He told me Give me one advice that worked so much in my favor. He's like in the show you can say no. Right after like it's a show so treat it like a show because you can say no to whatever to agree on the screen the second you walk out of the door
19:23
yeah
3
Speaker 3
19:25
so what we were doing was putting a show and he's like, no matter what valuation big game just take it when you shake hands. It looks to the viewer as a few you know what, as a game show Yeah, but but that's how people see like this is this the inside talk so you know, maybe if you want to place a bid you can I don't want Dragon's Den, no, no, no to them comfortably.
1
Speaker 1
19:57
I mean, I've heard the opposite way to where people was made deals and like they want to follow through and then the dragons ended up ghosting them. So I've heard it actually from that end as well. So I can and at the end of the day it is a show.
20:10
Yeah, okay. It was done for PR. Like for us it was publicity. And I think that's how people should go in Dragon's Den.
3
Speaker 3
20:20
That's not how you raise money. Yeah. On TV. Yeah. That's, there's so much that happens behind the scene. There is so much financial details that have it's a show and you need to see like a TV show. Yeah. Even on a TV show. Yeah,
1
Speaker 1
20:34
that's it. That's super interesting. Well, especially because I don't know how it specifically works is obviously I've never been on. I just like watch it on TV. But that's interesting how that works.
3
Speaker 3
20:45
That's how it should be kept. Okay, cool. Yeah. All the all the shows that you see any reality TV show as well. It's a show. Yeah. It's meant to entertain. Yeah. The stories they choose the way they edit. It's all meant to entertain. That's the purpose. Official? Yeah.
1
Speaker 1
21:07
Yeah, yeah. Well, no, it's not a document. 100% 100%. But then you see it end up like the sharks that end up do investing and like their stories and whatever success or failure stories behind that. So sometimes, yeah. Oh, there you go. There you go. Clearly, I've never been on Dragon's Den reports. I've no idea.
3
Speaker 3
21:29
It's like social media. Right? It's always a highlight. Yeah. Right. It's, it's, it's a show that you have to put it's nice. Yeah, yeah.
2
Speaker 2
21:39
I'm so happy that you that you bring that up. And so because I think for, for our generation, we are often seen as the generation that was raised by television. And television is such a great resource and stuff to be able to learn things, but maybe not, you know, the gospel when it comes to learning how to, like, grow and invest in your company. So for like budding entrepreneurs, where do you think is the best place or the best resource to, to start learning about building relationships with investors?
3
Speaker 3
22:11
Good question. Again, investor is a broad term. Once you're running a business, you meet people, I mean, you don't build anything solo solos. Now you have LinkedIn, it's, you know, resource powerhouse for connecting with anyone and everyone you want to connect. So and it just I think investment has been glamorized little too much. Raising money. It's, you know, it's been seen as a, you know, the people, the minute people get an idea, they're like, Oh, I'm going to raise money. First, before testing the idea, before showing any, you know, market fit. And, you know, when things have things have gone in different directions, like you only hear a couple of stories that are successful. For every successful story, there are 200. That didn't make it. Yeah. Right. So, so I have a very different view on on investment and raising money, like I am traditional. I believe in unit economics, I believe business should be run sustainably. A lot of companies that do raise a lot of funding very early on or have not been in product space, very sustainable. Because, again, when you have too much too fast things, you know, maybe you're invested in them too early, too fast. For some it works, but for most it doesn't. And it takes them years to get back to the unit economics because, you know, you're pretty much the amount of money you're spending on marketing and building sales. To acquire consumer is like 10, next of the revenue that you're making. Then, you know, for those that are that are, again, it's more more complicated issue than what you wanted to know. But LinkedIn, I would say would be a great resource. What I
2
Speaker 2
24:31
love about social entrepreneurs is that I think that they do this kind of passing of the torch. So well, relating to earlier about the community and not having to be a solo entrepreneur, being able to find strength in numbers, being able to learn from each other being able to build together I think social entrepreneurs have like legacy kind of built into their practice, which I find to be so interesting. So I was hoping to hear from you. Like what does legacy mean to you? And how do you feel like that has shaped the legacy that you're building with good food for good.
3
Speaker 3
25:06
I don't know, when I started the company, if I was seeing it as legacy. For me, it was, for my personal satisfaction, to be honest, like, I just wasn't happy doing what I was doing. I wasn't happy to doing something for, for money. I really, really wanted to do something that helps someone in need. It's just I don't know, where and how it started. It's something that, you know, as I said, fashion, like, that's what I felt. And I was just fulfilling myself by doing something that I felt meaningful. And I think that as long as we live each day, fulfilling ourselves whatever fulfills us, right? Because I think most people are unkind because they don't feel fulfilled. Like I remember going through, like anger and rage, because you are just not happy. You're not at peace with yourself, once you make that peace. The world is a better place, right? With more people at peace versus more people aggravated about everything. So for me, one was that making myself feel good about living each day to like, I just wanted to help people like myself, live good each day, right? Like, I know, one of the reasons for my struggle, the mom guilt, that there were other moms going through that, right. So if I can do something that would make a difference in their life, was probably the legacy that I want to leave like, if you want to use the word legacy. Pudding in general, right. Like, the other day, I would say the first point would be, I was inspired by TOMS Shoes, I read Blake's books on start something that matters. I discovered it during my MBA and I knew if I would ever do something, like the question is not why are you doing this? But I think why aren't businesses doing this? Right? Like, if you can build a business, that's good for you, that's good for the planet. That's good for the community. Why wouldn't you? Right? Like, why would you build any other kind of business? Right? Why would you make money selling shirt when you can make money? selling things that makes people's health better? Right?
1
Speaker 1
27:35
Yeah. So, um, when you're talking about fulfillment, because obviously you set out to like, do something better to not just kind of stick with the norm of what other people do? Have you reached a point where you feel that you're fully fulfilled in your work? Or is there a constant, or like a fulfillment that you're searching for as well? Do you know what I mean? Like now that you're here, you have the brand? Are you fulfilled? Like, did you achieve what you set out?
3
Speaker 3
28:03
So I have actually become a little too comfortable. My life around my values, right? Like, everything I do is around what I believe in. And now I've started to think, Hey, maybe I need to shake these values. They just become too comfortable. So yes, I am at peace. I don't think I've ever had this much satisfaction from my work that I have today. So yeah, I am I would say I feel very fulfilled that every day I wake up excited about doing what I'm doing. Not feeling that, hey, I should be doing something else. I remember in when I was my last two years when I was going through that phase of is this what I'm supposed to do in General Mills. I was trying taking salsa classes. I was trying to play soccer for the first time in my life right at 35. I joined soccer league. I was trying to play Catholic do new things because I was trying to find passion. Yeah, I was feeling so. Lost inside and unfulfilled inside there was such a void that I was trying to find things that would make me feel passionate about something like that fire. And now, seriously, I don't do any of that. But yeah, I do my meditation. That's it.
1
Speaker 1
29:40
I think that because everything you were saying in some way, shape or form I feel like a lot of people fail. So for example, even with myself, like everything you're saying is exactly how I was feeling and especially even now to like coming it's even a huge problem with like students coming out of school because you work so hard in school and like you're in and that sort of vortex and then when you transition out of school, it's like, okay, well, what next, you're sort of just you go with what everyone else goes with a lot of times, so working for those big companies, which I did as well. And I felt exactly like the same feeling. I was just like crying all the time, I wasn't happy. And I feel like I'm still in my version of an exploratory phase, like, what do I want to do? And for someone like me, who's kind of like, I like a lot of control of my life, it is difficult being lost and acknowledging that you're in that last phase because especially, you know, when you, you know, like, map everything out in your life. And now you're in a point where, like, Okay, well, what, what is next? Like, what, what are some things I like to do? How do you, how did well, for you was the business, but I guess like applying that to maybe people who maybe not necessarily want to, like start a business? What's your advice and kind of navigating, I guess, being lost.
3
Speaker 3
31:05
Just be open, like I feel, be open to learning be open to new things. Because, like, I was reading this book by subgroup called karma. One of the things he says, and I think he says it in his talks too, about this, it's like, I wish for you to not get what you dream off. Because I wish that you get what you have never dreamed up because our dreams and our beliefs make who we are, right. And they are all come from our past experiences. So when he says that he means, you know, be open to what the universe has to offer to you. And it is a journey, like for anyone who like the podcast that I talk to you about when when I speak to people, whatever they're doing today that they're finding, fulfilling, fulfilling is not what they started with. Right? It's been a journey to find it, just do whatever you're doing, to the best of your ability, give yourself, you know, when you do the best you would know it would result in something, it might not be what you want, but it will take you somewhere that will get you what you want, or where you will feel satisfied. So end of the day, that that satisfaction and every you know, every path, or all these curves that you take every obstacle that you have, trust me, eventually, when you look back and see you will see everything taught you or brought you where you are today. Yeah. And, and help you stay there, we'll be successful, but just you know, just a basic thing of whatever you do, just do your best in that. Right, just give your 100% and things will turn out. It might not be your you might not know if that's your passion, or you find your passion through something. But just give your best in whatever you do. And things will turn out and have faith have faith in yourself. Yeah. Right. Like we, we all made it.
2
Speaker 2
33:11
Right. Yeah, I love that we get to explore almost like both sides of that mountain of when you're beginning that journey of not knowing you know where this is going to take you. As well as like, once you found that satisfaction. Having that clarity at the top of thinking of being able to reflect on yourself and say, maybe this is my time to like shake up my values. Maybe this isn't a matter of like I'm descending this now it is I see a new mountain from the peak of this one and I'm gonna go pursue that or see where that takes me.
3
Speaker 3
33:43
Totally. Totally. I think that's that's what we need to be we need to be open and I think a lot of our especially the individualistic society, the slightly we live in pleases us for being like who you are, like, what's your what do you stand for like, and sometimes those beliefs is what causes so much angst and anger and you know, what's happening in our community right now we are divided over vaccines and, or something else, we always find a reason to divide ourselves. Whether it's food now, most people are divided on food for like five years ago, 10 years ago, nobody ever talked about this, you know, the amount we are divided on what you should
34:38
say and everything
3
Speaker 3
34:39
because Exactly, exactly. I mean, what if we all found ways to unite versus divide and I think we are always finding reasons to say how you are different versus you know, how we are not so different. And, you know, just accept the way people are are in and be cleaned. Right? Not happening Sadly,
2
Speaker 2
35:05
no, I totally agree. I think there's, there's so much power in a dialogue. And whatever it is a type of society where everybody has has a saying can project you know, their, their ideas and their opinions to masses. And so if we, we kind of lose some of our power by not bringing it back into a group and being able to project it to each other, learn from each other, push each other to to choose better options versus to explore better ideas to find some type of enlightenment in like the the toils of the questions that we that we face every day, I'm I can imagine stuff like in your journey and stuff like you weren't alone in this and that it's with food revolutions, I always find that there's it's so helpful to find those early champions of your product, early champions in your community. Can you tell us a little bit more about who are the early champions for you?
3
Speaker 3
36:02
Absolutely. And we've made our Brand Champion or persona around that person. So her name is Lisa, her actual name is Lisa. And her persona is also called Lisa says she, she is she's a person who you know, is full of values, right? Like she just wants to do good is a very kind person. And, and she tries her best in everything that she does to be kind to understand people to eat well to feed her children. Well. You know, it's not about showing off. She's about living well, not living to shows that not someone who, you know, buys shops, labels, she's someone who would, maybe thrift shops, she's someone who would buy organic, plain t shirt over, you know, a Gucci because labels don't matter for her. What she puts inside her body matters for her more how she treads the planet matters for her more than other things, then how she looks and how she you know, what, what other people what are the things that other people see it matter? Right? What so she drives in our, in our persona, she drives a Prius or something that's you know, kinder to the planet or walks with her where she can write she she's the person who chooses organic wherever she can, she goes to farmers markets to buy her foods, and because of the person that I actually met at the farmers market. She's a great champion for our brand. And and since then we have like a lot of people who are into nutrition, who became our brand, champions, people who are, the body is there. You know, so like personal trainers or athletes, anyone who really cares about what they're putting in their body, because end of the day, we realize that this is the only thing we get one body deliverable life, right? If we don't feed it, right, if we don't feel it, right. Eventually, something's going to break down just like in cars, right? If you're have a premier car, you put premium fuel, but if you go out and the shop the cheapest food for our body, which is the only only thing that we have, we were born with just this will die with just as nothing else. Right, everything else is seriously in material. So still, so she she knows that she understands that and that's one common thing between all our brand champions, and I try and talk to one of our customers every week like from social media, like somebody post about us, I reach out to them and I say hey, would you like to jump on a call with me? I just would love to know you better. They're very optimistic people to which which really, you know, makes me very happy to feel that case. Our brand is chosen by people who are just optimistic about life. Yeah, they they believe they believe in doing bad business trying to do good and they're not they're not the show off or they're not going by food trend. Oh charcoal is everything with charcoal. Yeah, they're you know simple living people who just want to do good for themselves and leave the planet happy.
2
Speaker 2
39:46
That's I love this concept of like this Lisa persona this Lisa champion because I feel like that type of champion for your brand. Who who above all acids and valleys like the internet Tegrity treating themselves belching the people around them mulching their planet. Well, like those are the type of people who build the strongest communities. Because you can rely on those people of not only thinking of what's the choice that they're making impact the impact of that on themselves, but on their neighbor, on their family members on the next generation. And I feel like that is I agree, coming back to kind of what we were talking about earlier, and stuff like, that is such an incredible and powerful legacy, that you can almost rely on bank on stuff like, that's gonna keep going on. And that's going to be such a great learning tool, generation after generation.
3
Speaker 3
40:38
Totally. And it's just the Back to Basics, right? If the basics are right, if the basics are there that, hey, you food, that's good for you. You don't destroy the planet, right? Like, I mean, everything we manufacture does use energy, but at least you don't leave it in the worst place, then then you stop your quiz, you know, by using plastic or packaging that's not right for you and help people who who need help who, you know, maybe know, the world has so many people who could use just a little help from us. That's it. Right? Like we've been fortunate. We are fortunate the the world that we live in the food that we eat the roof that we have on our heads, yeah, not everyone is born like that, right? So.
2
Speaker 2
41:28
So when I was in school, I had the opportunity to spend some time studying semiotics, which is the relationships of signs and symbols and the way that we use them to create meaning. And so I was curious about understanding, like the entrepreneurs choice in their own like symbols and concepts that they feel really encapsulate like the core mission, like up their brand. So I noticed that good food for good uses meal metrics to really illustrate the impact of that you make, like the big numbers that really really hit me were like 900,014 309 meals donated 33,102,901 grams of sugar avoided, like those numbers are so powerful, and they give you an immediate image in your head of like, really, the impact of of your purchase makes. So could you share with us how you settled on this approach? And what other storytelling tools that you'd like to incorporate when you when you communicate to your customers?
3
Speaker 3
42:38
Absolutely. I think you described it so well. And that's the reason why we choose the mu metrics, right? Like I went, when I was not in business. And looking for businesses who are giving back I felt very challenging when they just have a CSR that we donated X percentage or we donate X dollars. Like for me, it was very difficult to understand, what does it actually do? Right? What does that donation do? Right? So so I knew when I was and also inspired by TOMS Shoes, right? So it's something that matters, because he just made it so easy for people to understand. And I think that was one of the reasons for his success is, it's so so simple, right? It's not like, hey, 10% of our revenue or profits will be donated, businesses don't make profit for a very, very long time. That's just the business world. So So, so I just wanted it to be simple. You buy one, we feed one so you know exactly how much we sold. That's how much we fed. Now that number is over a million meals. So we've sold over a million bottles. Very simple map. And in terms of sugar, we know one serving of traditional ketchup is four grams of sugar. When you replace it with ours, what is the balance that's the amount of sugar you avoid? When you switch to our product, right and then we know four grams of sugar is one chips away cookie may even be converted we actually, we actually now stay in cookies terms by using our products our consumers have been able to avoid sugar with 17 point 7 million cookies. It's much easier to understand than grams, right? Yeah. 100%. So it's all about just making it easy, right? Like a million plastic bottles that we've been able to avoid by selling a million glass bottles from going to landfill is worth 400 cn towers stacked next to each other. Wow. That's just an easier thing to imagine for at least for Canadians. Then imagining Okay, what does a million bottles together look like? Right? Yeah, yeah. For ease of understanding, I feel in storytelling, it's very important. For us storytelling is actually a little more complicated because the brand stands for so many different good things. And different things matter to different people. Like for some people, it's all about sugar. For some people, it's all about organic. For some people, it's about their diet that they we're doing. So we actually experiment with messaging. One clear message at a time. So even on social media, when we're talking about it here, when you're talking your case, we just beat first they taste and then we say no added sugar. Or when we're just talking about sugar, we just talk about this comparison, so people can relate to, to that. I think visual comparisons are very important. When I talk about purpose, my personal struggles, help a lot of people understand because a lot of people do struggle with finding their purpose and, you know, finding their calling and, and just, you know, being their true selves. And I share my story, like how I felt like a misfit. So it's again, relating to you is what makes a story relatable, right, like sharing my vulnerable moments like me feeling like an outsider in a company. Because I wasn't aligned with my values. So if you feel like that, you know, there is like, those are the signs that, you know, there's something that you need to do about finding your tribe, because we all are happiest in our in our tribes where where we feel aligned, where you don't have to go on an uphill battle for every everything.
1
Speaker 1
46:44
Yeah. And this actually kind of wraps up perfectly for our last question. Something that we ask everybody at the end, or will, because you're our first guest, but what's one piece of advice? What's one piece of advice you give someone who has like a great idea to start a business, but maybe lacks the courage to do so?
3
Speaker 3
47:06
Just take the first step. And then the second step? And then the third step, just one step at a time. Yeah. And even if you are doing like, if you're working somewhere and, you know, started on side side, hustle is big today. Right? Like, do we don't sigh tip that first write a business plan, perhaps our talk to somebody who's doing something similar? Most people new businesses are actually shared, are scared to share their ideas thinking that somebody will steal it. Yeah. Remember, it's not like ideas are a dime a dozen. Yeah, it's the execution that makes it what it becomes. Right. So and no one can steal your execution idea. Because you make it what you make it out of it. Yeah. So yeah, just take that first step. Like that's, that's, that's the first step to doing anything. If you have an idea, if you want to do something. It's not just about business in general in life, right? If there are things that you want to do. Take the first step.
1
Speaker 1
48:13
Yeah. And it does. Someone told me one time, it doesn't matter how big the step is, it's just one step at a time could be a small step, it'd be a big step, but it's just one step. So I really liked how you said that.
3
Speaker 3
48:24
Someone posted this graphic on LinkedIn the other day, there was a ladder with smaller steps. And then there's a ladder was bigger, will need steps. And a ladder with smaller steps. The person reached like a tire and the luggage was bigger. The person is still trying to get to the first step. Yeah, it's because that's the step you make a sauce. There is beauty in small steps, like small, small little actions every day, lead to a bigger result versus just waiting for the like, you know, people who are starting to exercise thinking that oh, I need to take an hour to work out everyday versus okay. 10 minutes just to go 10 minutes. Yeah, you know, yeah. And do your workout. Oh, I need to drink two liters of water that's there. But they don't even drink a glass. It's just have this desire to drink two liters and the two liters look like a mountain. Yeah. But just hasn't gotten high. That's it. Yeah.
2
Speaker 2
49:18
I love that imagery. Because I think it also helps with like, the other side of that coin, which is the fear, the fear of failure of if I take this first step, am I falling? Is my foot slipping down a little wrong? Or that huge? That huge rung on the larger on a larger ladder and stuff that we that we have?
3
Speaker 3
49:39
Yeah, yeah. And there's no failure it's right there only learnings in adult life. Like in school where you get graded, they just pass and fail in adult life. There's no fail just as lessons.
1
Speaker 1
49:52
Yeah. Oh, that's I love how you worded that. That's actually super great.
3
Speaker 3
49:57
Right like this. We're not in school anymore. We're not in University. Nobody is grading us. Yeah, yeah. And there's nothing that cannot be fixed. There is nothing. And there is nothing that you can't get to if you as you need to be ready to try hard enough to get it. I think that the challenge is most of us give up and it is fine to Right. Like if that's what you want. Yeah, but don't say that. You, you know, you fail. You didn't fail. You just didn't try harder.
1
Speaker 1
50:27
Yeah, right. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it was not even like a bad thing to like, you could fail. And that like failure builds character as well. Like if you succeeded. Yeah. If you succeed at everything you do, are you really learned? Yes, exactly. But
3
Speaker 3
50:43
again, it's not about it's not about failure. It's what lesson you learn, right? Like life when it doesn't give us what we want. It's teaching us something, right. And failure can sometimes sound or be perceived as I'm done. You know, this is this, is this this? Or I'm not capable. No, but it just means, like, way of telling you that, you know, maybe you need to do take a different tour and raise everybody's path is different than speeches and lessons learning. Everything is a learning opportunity. I'm learning so much from the two of you right now. Oh, I love this conversation.
51:22
That's amazing.
3
Speaker 3
51:23
Do you like bright young women? I mean, it makes me so happy. When you know, I'm guessing you both are in your early 20s. Right. You have you have some such a long runway ahead of you. And you're already so purpose driven. You're already reaching out and doing things beyond just making money and just doing the work. You're thinking about those things this early on in life. Yeah. future of our planet is bright.
1
Speaker 1
51:56
Yeah, no, definitely, I am really big on the idea of purpose. So for even just in my personal life, I feel like I've been exploring that spiritually as well. So I don't want to just do something. And I've done it before just to make money and just for a name, but I don't demean it just doesn't fulfill me. So, I'm on my journey. I know, Gabs on her journey. And I don't know, we just enjoy speaking. And that's also why we do this podcast too, because we enjoy speaking to people like you, we learned so much. And it's great to hear people's stories. And, and it's nice to hear that process on and how you found your fulfillment, right? Because we're finding ours right now. So it's, it's just great to, like, hear that and be surrounded by that positivity and that energy. It's just a great feeling.
3
Speaker 3
52:42
And everybody's journeys. Everybody's journey is different for eight and it's just enjoy the journey, and it is going to be different. And you know, don't compare. Like I know, comparison, just studiously kills all the joy on the planet. It still some days it does that to me, too. And I have to bring myself back to the point where, hey, it's my journey. Yeah, it's my life. Yeah, my success depends is how I define it. Not how someone else defines success. Yeah. And yeah, and then you just, as long as you're happy living every day, you've done the right thing, right. You need to find the joy because once you have joy inside, you make others happy. Yeah. That's, that's infectious. Yeah. Those passable?
2
Speaker 2
53:30
Absolutely. So where can our listeners and us? Where can we follow you on your journey?
3
Speaker 3
53:41
Of course, on good food for good social platforms on my LinkedIn, reach Agatha on LinkedIn, our website, we do put information out there, good food trigger.ca. And you can support us by buying our products at all our retail partners like Walmart and Whole Foods and Loblaws Sobeys and Metro in Canada.
1
Speaker 1
54:04
Well, this was great. Thanks for coming on the podcast.
2
Speaker 2
54:08
Wow, isn't really just the best. Like, what's your takeaway from that conversation? So?
1
Speaker 1
54:15
Yeah, I think it's really interesting. The thing I noticed throughout the conversation with Russia and just even applying it in my own life, is that a lot of people now which I think we're extremely fortunate to live in this kind of generation really care about the importance of fulfillment. So you know, rather than just working a nine to five just kind of putting your head down and you know, just making your money a lot of people want more than that, which is extremely exciting and something like I've noticed I just even reached a following her dreams it kind of just subconsciously allows people to do the same and I've even noticed this in my own life. So I recently you know, quit my nine to five corporate job to I work for hashtag paid, which is startup. And I noticed when I did that, and I had such a positive experience and was talking about that I even noticed in my own life that a few of my friends who are working jobs that these big companies that they hated, they started to switch. And then when I switched out, you know, people in my old jobs started to leave the company and, and do their own thing. And it's extremely exciting to see that and it, it just, it just allows you to be able to do something that maybe you didn't think that you could do before. And it gives you that kind of motivation. So that's something that I've noticed throughout the conversation with Russia, and she just has this like incredible light and energy, and it just rubs off on other people.
2
Speaker 2
55:43
Yeah, no, I totally, I totally agree. And it's like, we're taught how hard transition is. And we're taught how challenging evolution is. But I don't think we do a really great job at teaching people like how that when you do take those steps to like, transform and make a change, that fulfillment fuels you every single day. And that's why it's so worth it. That's why that the pain of making making a decision to leave what you're doing and pursue what you're passionate about is, is worth it. For me, I wonder what my outlook on life would have been, if in my childhood, I got to meet mission based founders like Resha. Looking at my nieces and nephews like growing up, like I really do envy, this younger generation who get to walk into a grocery store, and learn something more that goes beyond like the colorful pictures and like fancy packaging that like we grew up with. That grocery store experience is like a library now, you can learn about your food system, you can learn about what ingredients go into your food, you can learn about how this is helping you what it means to put this in your body and how you can help other people in the process. I think that's such an incredible experience that I love for the generations to come. And I know for our generations, it's, we're still kind of stuck in some of our ways of like, what was convenient, or what we're used to. But like, it's such an exciting time to learn about what is innovative, and what is better, and how we can take better care of each other. And I'm just so excited for, for what's to come down reaches, like pipeline and for other all the other, you know, like mission based founders out there trying to make a difference.
1
Speaker 1
57:25
Yeah, and it really is to with like, even with the rise of social media, I mean, obviously, we're a creator marketing company, but even using, you know, creators influencers to get that message across and just speak about their personal experience, I think it just helps in that educational factor and just, you know, gets like the name out and the education out. And I think that's important. Yeah, like a lot of people don't really even like, pay attention, like what they eat. I feel like a lot of times you sort of live in this weird like matrix where we just kind of put our heads down, just kind of get through the day, and we don't really think about other things. Because, you know, sometimes we don't even have the capacity to think about those things. Because we're so stressed and wrapped up in our own lives. And it's really important because like a lot of these things like even the importance of food. I've been studying food lately. And it's funny because like a lot of these foods like you don't even understand, like some of it can contribute to inflammation and diseases. And you don't even pay attention like Oh, I'm just, you know, eating my fries and ketchup. But yeah, that ketchup has a crapload of sugar in it. It's probably not great for you, and you don't even account it kind of that you're eating it. You're more just think oh, yeah, I'm eating fries, right?
2
Speaker 2
58:36
Yeah, totally. Like I'm thinking about their products and second, even the way that they're made, made and like the amount of plastic and like wasted stuff that they save, it's, I look at my own pantry and I like don't want to say I'm ashamed to admit it and stuff but like, I have one of those like ketchup stores of just like all those little packets and stuff that you that you hold on to and stuff and like it's it's a weird way of eating because it's not intentional eating. Right. It's kind of like just in case eating is just for now eating. Do you really end up eating it? Do you really end up enjoying it? I feel like with ratios kind of approach it like intentional ingredients and like intentional consumption, intentional eating and stuff like it elevates that experience it makes it ensures that you use up your products and you feel good about like what you're putting in your body. And then my kitchen is probably going to look a heck of a lot better. Ditch history, ketchup packets.
1
Speaker 1
59:33
Yes, no, I think there's a lot to learn in that episode and just like a lot to take away. So super glad we have that experience to talk to her. Yeah, so that was our first episode of the DTC growth show excited to, you know, see who else we bring on. There's a bunch of other people in the pipeline that we're excited to bring on in the near future. So that's all today that we have for you guys. Stay tuned for the next episode where we'll have another amazing guest on the podcast