267 How to build an 8-Figure Food Brand that aligns with your VALUES.
Oren Epstein
Founder & CEO of 8 Figure Food Start Up BIORAW.
Today I’m sitting down with Oren Epstein who is the Founder & CEO of 8 Figure Food Start Up @bioraw,
5× @BCorporation Best of the World, a consumer packaged good expert & speaker specializing in organic and vegan brands.
In this episode, we chat about:
The lightbulb moment that lead him to start BIORAW
How he managed to participate in 300 sampling and promotion events in year one and whether or not that was sustainable
His detailed morning routine (you are going to get SO many new tips from this breakdown!)
The qualities that he possesses which make him a great entrepreneur and founder
Why NOT COMPROMISING is so important
The importance of being your healthiest self in order to grow an 8 figure food company
What he’s doing for this 30th birthday (hint, he’s throwing the best part ever)
To connect with Bioraw:
To connect with Oren:
p.s.
YOUR 2023 LEAP: We are guiding coaches, practitioners and consultants to earn MORE while MARKETING LESS, and supporting them to make a BIG leap faster than any online course, free PDF, or webinar on the internet. Learn more at www.kelseyreidl.com/2023
Access the transcript for this episode:
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You're listening to the visionary life podcast. I'm your host, Kelsey Rydell. Each week, I'll bring you conversations with the most visionary humans on this earth, in hopes that you'll be able to absorb their wisdom, avoid their failures and feel less alone on the roller coaster ride that is entrepreneurship.
This season, I'll be chatting with creative thinkers, masterful marketers, brick and mortar shop owners, brand builders and people just like you who have a story to share or a vision that inspires. If I can share one quick secret with you before we get into the episode. It's that we all have a little bit of visionary inside of us, you know, that spark that nudges us to pursue our full potential in this lifetime.
But perhaps somewhere along the line, it got covered up. I'm here to tell you that it's never too late to explore that inner voice and access the brilliance deep down inside of you. It's in you. It's in all of us. Let's dive in. Hey, visionaries.
Welcome back to the podcast. Today I am chatting with Oren Epstein, who is the founder and eight figure entrepreneur behind bio raw, you may have indulged in one of their amazing pre made salads before, they are so nutrient dense, and they really give you a full meal without compromise. So they are held to the highest standards.
And you'll hear in this episode, that Oren is so so so particular about the quality of food that he puts out into the world and everything that he does with his company. So it's really neat, because this conversation has one of those moments that founders often face when they decide to start their company. And that is that moment of
I've identified a problem or a pain point or a friction in my own day. And for Oren this was always being on the go, and not being able to find a plant based vegan meal that was healthy, that was certified organic, that was gluten free. And that wouldn't upset his stomach. And this was the birth of bio raw. So we're gonna get into all of that in today's episode. So if you've ever had that idea, you've ever noticed that there is a gap in the marketplace, this story is truly going to inspire you. So we're going back to square one, figuring out how he launched his products.
We're going to talk about the 300 events that he went to in year one to help get bio raw off the ground. I basically I'm like, how did you have all that energy. And so that led into a conversation around aurons morning routine. He has one of the most dialed in morning routines I have ever heard. I literally wrote it all down and I can't wait to implement. He does oxygen water. He does minerals. He does his lemon water. He meditates. He does tapping.
He incorporates mushrooms like Reishi and Lion's Mane, he does journaling and working out. And he's realized that he needs to have balance and maintain self care as a business owner, so that he can continue to grow the vision for bio raw.
So I think you're gonna be really inspired by this episode. If you want to catch the video version. It'll be on YouTube. And you can just feel or his excitement and his enthusiasm and his energy around his company. And I think one of the things that I found most exciting and interesting about this conversation, Oren is turning 30.
And I asked him at the very end of the episode, what his plans are for his 30th birthday. And he went on like five minutes telling me, how are we telling all of you you're going to be tuning into about all of the cool things he's curating for his friends and family? And oh my god, I am just like, I'm buzzing with excitement for him because it sounds like the best and healthiest but also a little bit indulgent birthday party ever. So if that gives you any indication about how awesome Oren is, I think you're gonna love this episode. If I could ask one favor.
Whether you're listening on Spotify or Apple, if you could take one second, grab your phone and leave a review, you can either hit that five star rating on Spotify or Apple, we really, really, really appreciate when you guys share these episodes forward, even if you just take a screenshot on Instagram and post it and tag me at Kelsey Reidl.
It means the world it really really does. That's how new ears find our episodes. So definitely if you enjoy this show, sure about it. So without further ado, let's dive into this episode with Oren Epstein.
Hey, visionary. I want to quickly interrupt this podcast too. share about something pretty urgent. And that's that we are raising our prices for one on one private business and marketing coaching, effective March 1. So that means if you've been wanting to hire a private business and marketing coach, you feel like you need to increase your visibility, figure out your search engine optimization, get really good at social media and just pull together all the loose ends of your marketing plan, or your non existent marketing plan. Now is the perfect time, I only have space for two more clients to start in March.
And if that is you, I would love for you to head to Kelseyreidl.com, click on private coaching. And just fill in the application and let me know that you're interested, we'll get on a zoom call. And I'll do a little audit of your existing SEO and social media and self Express content strategy. I'll give you some immediate tips on how you can improve, get more leads and sign more clients and turn followers into paid clients.
And then we can see if private business and marketing coaching is a good fit for you. And if it is, I'd love to get you in at our current rates before they go up by $1,250. So again, head to Kelsey rydell.com. Or you can just send me a DM on Instagram. I'm at Kelsey Reidl. And let's chat. So let's get back to the episode and I will talk to you soon. Oren, welcome to the visionary life podcast, I'm really excited to sit down with you today. And I remember it was a few months ago, I think I opened my inbox. And you had said, Hey, listen to one of your podcasts with midday squares. And I would also love to get visible on podcast. And I had this memory flash because I used to work in the health food space. And I would always be at the trade shows.
And I remember seeing the bio, Rob booth and a couple of my girlfriends, they were always like hyping your products up and so passionate and enthusiastic about what you've created. So I'm excited to be able to sit down with you and kind of pick through a little bit of the backstory on how Barack came to be and just where you're at today. Because I know, it's probably been quite the journey. So thank you for being here.
I know, I have so much gratitude to be on the show with you today. So thank you so much for having me. And thank you so much for using your platform to support so many awesome local entrepreneurs, we all need a voice and you do such a great job at curating some really epic people on here and allowing them to have a platform and to have really great discussions. So I'm just super grateful to be able to chat today and and spread some encouragement, spread some wisdom and see how I can add value to other people through this today's conversation with you.
Absolutely. And I mean, selfishly, podcasts are the best part of my day because it means I'm actually talking to people and learning. So this is such a joy for me too. So I want to go to the moment when you first looked around and thought there is no product up to the standard of what I want to eat what I want to have as a meal. And you had a little bit of an aha moment. And I believe you are quoted saying somewhere that if you're looking for something that doesn't exist, then go create it yourself. So can you kind of rewind the clock a little bit and bring us to that moment when you thought what I want is not in existence in the marketplace. And then what happened from there to actually bring bio raw to life.
Totally. So this is crazy, because like I just came to the realization that I've been in food I've been in like health and wellness, and specifically CPG for 10 years. Wow. And like, a decade and I'm I'm 29 I'm turning 30 and in like 10 days, 1012 days, I'm bad at math right now. And since like a very young age, I realized that there is such a there is such a problematic problematic issue with our food systems, our food systems are really broken. I actually just like remembered recently that like grade four, grade five, I went in for like a school presentation.
I did this whole presentation on Monsanto. And I was like, I must have been like 1210 talking about Monsanto and the importance of eating organic food. And I remember my like teacher at the time is Philip Pelley like, she fully like made fun of me, like for the remainder of this this semester when I was talking about organic food. And, you know, I truly believe in the importance of organic food and you know, there's such a, there's such that people have such a disconnect when it comes to the food that we eat, and how we feel and how, you know, literally our stomachs or other brain and our stomachs are like I like to tell people are like the garden and you've got to really nourish that garden in order to really support good gut microbiome in order to have the rest of your day flow with ease and have, you know whether you're having a good day, a bad day like your endorphins, like everything starts in the gut. So it's so important to really nourish yourself with the healthiest, cleanest food possible to really make you feel great. And I had a passion for working in when I was young, I was 19, I was working to support a number of really cool local CPG brands, one of the brands that I was fortunate enough to work with, for example, back at the time was like simply protein.
And I was the marketing person helping them be successful across Canada, doing lots of different trade shows and activations and samplings and building their Costco displays for their pitches and stuff like that, and really getting involved in learning more about the food industry. Fast forward a few years I carried I created a an agency called the vegan broker supporting exclusively vegan brands with everything they needed to be successful from concept to shelf, right to the retail basket. And I'm really grateful for the time I've been able to I've spent on on supporting some really great food entrepreneurs here in Toronto, like Tonica, can Bucha NetServer cheese, and helping launch midday squares here in the Ontario market, for example. You know, I spent so much time in grocery stores, brokering deals for different for different clients or demoing or doing merchandising, or, you know, just tons of time in the grocery store. And I still joke to my friends that I am a professional grocery shopper shopping with you. I'm a good school, I'm a good tour guide, if you ever want to go grocery shopping like Yeah, yeah, spending so much time in the grocery stores time and time again, I was trying to find something good to eat that was aligned with my dietary preferences that was worthwhile eating when I was on the run.
I've been I'm vegan, I try to eat mostly gluten free, I really think it's important to eat a diet of whole food plant based and I really want to be eating food that is going to nourish my my gut and nourish me and not slow me down as I'm trying to conquer the day. Living in the big city of Toronto, like we are privileged to have so many, you know, fresh salad concept restaurants available to us to grab to grab meals on the go.
And as the big supporter of them, I'd go in and spend like $22 on a salad $25 on a salad on the walls, it would say you know, fresh, organic local, like, all the 20 buds buzzwords that I really wanted. And unfortunately, time and time again, you know, I'd ask the person making my meal like, hey, is this organic, and they'd be like, oh, like, it's organic when it's available. And I'm like, but I know there's always organic kale at the grocery store, or, you know, I know that organic is is available. And or, you know, I'd be in a some of the best Toronto grocery stores and looking at their pre made salads. And, you know, I find some that I'd wanted to eat and then they'd be like, they like ruined it because they put in some like dairy or like some eggs or the dressing they're using is like some highly industrialized seed oil, chemical concoction that I don't even want to eat.
Because I know that if it wreak havoc on my, on my system. So I realized that, you know, this is a problem that I was facing, and that I know a lot of people who are busy, especially in Toronto, we have such busy lives, we're always out in the boat, that you know, we all want to be eating really, really healthy. We all want to be including more veggies into our diet.
And unfortunately, time and time again, those demands are being met with highly industrialized inputs that aren't promoting good, good health and aren't supporting a good healthy gut microbiome. So exactly i You said earlier from where you got that quote from but yeah, like I saw exactly wasn't available in the grocery stores that I was looking for and created something that I would be proud to enjoy, proud to eat and proud to make every single day.
And it's been a journey. I've been doing this about five years. And I've really always come back to the fact that I know that I'm being of service through the through bio Ra. I know that if my product didn't exist in the marketplace, there wouldn't be a product I wish I hope and I all I do is I hope that there are I'm always so excited when I see competitors in the space or new organic products that I know if I wasn't making by or odd there wouldn't be a good or get certified organic meal on the shelf that is available for not just people with a dietary restriction such as as vegan, but you know if someone who's looking for a gluten free option, or a nut free option, they can feel safe to enjoy our meals and know that they're not going to have a flare up or have some type of allergic reaction. I you know everyone told me that it would be extremely difficult and it is to make fresh food without compromising. And I've really you Is my business as a force of good to prove that as a small business, I can do big business that compromise. We've been certified organic since day one 100% of everything that goes into our product.
All of our inputs are certified organic from really trusted suppliers that we know and love. Our entire facility actually has the highest level of food safety at a globally recognized level. So we have full traceability on our product. We know exactly where our keen work, you could pull any one of our meals, and we can tell you know exactly where that came, what time that quinoa is cooked, at what time it cooled off, what temperature who put the lid on that meal, and how many days fresh, and what store that lock code ended up at.
We really pride ourselves in having systems of excellence that support full traceability and taking the time to really test our products, whether that's our batch testing every month, where we test all of our products to ensure that they are in fact free from gluten, and free from the top five nuts to the way that we work with our suppliers and vet carefully vet them to ensure that that they're we're getting the best inputs possible for our meals. And I'm really, really privileged to be able to grow a brand that is now available in grocery stores like Loblaws and Whole Foods and you know, major grocery stores were finding an organic, healthy vegan salad was definitely not on trend five years ago, and is now the norm. And truly, truly grateful to be of service through to so many people in the community through really good food that is uncompromising.
So, I love that you are a living example that we don't have to compromise in creating something that doesn't exist. But I'm also curious, when you looked around five years ago, and you saw that nobody has done this before. I'm sure there were naysayers who told you it's gonna be too expensive, or there's going to be all these challenges. Did you ever doubt in the fact that it was possible? Or did you just have this like, we're gonna do this at all costs mentality that was never wavering? Like? How did because sometimes we can look around and say this product doesn't exist. But then something goes off that goes, maybe there's a reason for that. So how did you navigate that?
Totally. You know what, I definitely have an unwavering dedication. Yeah, I thought to what I do, and truly proving that there is a place for this and this needs to exist in the marketplace. We use a ton of ingredients. And we really, it's it's all fresh food. It all has a quick expiry one thing that has always been on my labels, but I've never actually pulled on is like a little disclaimer that we write, you know, ingredients may vary due to seasonality. And I am so proud that after five years, I've never substituted something for another, and that the ingredients that we say are on the label or inside every single meal. And if that meant in the early days driving to like Whole Foods or the big carrot to go find some organic cilantro or basil or whatever we needed. We did it and you know, I I'm really proud to be able to to know that the integrity is so deeply tied into our products and our customers love our brand because of it. Mm hmm.
Yeah, I can definitely tell that that dedication and persistence is one of those traits or two of those traits that have made you very successful as an entrepreneur. And even when I was looking through kind of the early days of byo Ra, in your first year of business you attended, sponsored and spoke at over 300 events activations pop ups, a lot of them were in the Toronto fitness scene, that is a lot like 300 out of, say, 365 days. So I can imagine that first year was a hustle. Take us back to that time. Why were you at 300 events? Was that part of your marketing strategy? Did you just have like a fire lit that was like, I need to spread this message to everyone. Because that is very, very admirable that you were able to get out and educate that many people totally.
Well, you know, being a part of being a part of community is exactly how I built the business. I had learned early on in my professional days when I was working at simply protein. I was actually I was reporting to Susie York have like lots of good fats and better chocolate. And she really I was like young I didn't know what I was up to when I was working there. And I learned so much but one of the big things I learned from her was the importance of trial trial trials, sample sample sample, you know, get people to taste your product, and when they taste your product, it'll convert and I really wanted to create a I really wanted to create a connection with community and spread the good word about my brand, but also support my retailers.
You know when I I'm when I, when I get listed at a grocery store, a retailer is taking a chance on me, my product is as fresh for seven days, it's on as a high price point compared to like a protein bar or a bottle of water or beverage. When that customer when that retail customer is is taking a chance on listening, Birotte their store, and it doesn't sell, then there's a lot of food waste, and they've lost money, and definitely not going to reorder, and I'm in business to to to to help serve people. And the last thing I want is our food to end up in the landfill and not end up nourishing a hungry soul. So the importance of doing events to me was not just to, to spread the good word and connect with community and find those special people that are looking for exactly what we're offering. But also really to be able to support those incredible retailers that took a chance on me and really drive traffic to their stores, as being engaged within communities is something that's so important to me.
And I'm really proud that after five, six ish years, coming into 60, it's your sixth this year, I have never paid for an influencer to work with me I've never played for paid for a post. But we have so many incredible mutually beneficial relationships with an awesome awesome content creators and influencers that authentically know and love the brand, and can share about it on a level that no pay promotion, whatever, whatever on Gander for us.
So it was so important to me. And I would tell any new entrepreneur, starting a food business especially is you know, get in front of your people go out there and do as many trade shows, events and pop ups and really talk to your community and you know, share why this product is the best on the market and in share that spark and that energy with your community. It's also a really great time to learn from your community and to find out what customers are looking for and what feedback you can apply in order to do better. You know, it's really easy to get caught up in the minutia of doing business. But again, I'm so anchored and being of service that listening to our customers and finding out what works and what doesn't work has really led to our success. So really grateful for everyone that has ever dropped by one of my booths or samples or said hello to us and wanted to learn more information about bio rock because even if it wasn't a good fit for them, that might be a good fit for their friend or a loved one. And it's always just so great to get out there. And now that we're that live in person events are back, I'm so eager and like the first person to raise my hand to get out there and to be in front of people.
Yeah, you bring up such a good point. Because I think it's so easy in the day and age we live in and 2023 to just assume that community can just be all digital, and that we can just build this global community right from day one. But I still believe wholeheartedly that you build community from the area where you are rooted, right? It's like, instead of trying to connect with people halfway across the world, why not head to the local fitness studio, or go to the local coffee shop and gain one brand advocate, like be that founder that's just so excited about their products that your energy is contagious. And like you said, even if that person is not your target customer, they're probably going to tell a friend about you. And then when you host a pop up or a meet up or they see your product on store shelves, like it's going to trigger that memory because when we have in person experiences, usually there's like this emotional route to it right? If I were to meet you in person versus just watch you on YouTube, there is a different energy behind it. So I love that you spent so much time and prioritized those 300 Plus events. Is that still part of your strategy? And also, what else do you feel helped get you visible in those first one to two years of business?
Totally. Yeah, like I'm, you know, moving into the new year into this new year, I'm really excited that in person events are back. Because it's a great way for us to get out there into into talk to people. So that's still a huge part of our marketing plan. I've never actually like spent any, like, real money on like digital activations in any capacity. We do have a new site launching.
So hopefully, it'll be out by the time that this podcast airs. And it's gonna be my first time doing like, digital ads, which I'm excited about. But I think like going old school and really hitting the pavement and creating community around your product is so important. I had a customer come up to me actually a few days ago at a fitness class. And she was like, she was like, she was so cute. She was turning 60 And it was like her birthday class or whatever. I happen to be Ed and she was like, she was like I have to tell you, I go into I go into whole foods all the time.
And I every time I buy one of your products. I'm like I'm buying one of oran and I'm like that makes me so happy like thank you Lorelai like that makes me so happy that Every time you purchase my products you like you like see the goodness, that is me. And you see the goodness of what I've been trying to create. And you're really like, like I always tell our customers like, every time you're purchasing something at a grocery store, anywhere, every time you're making any type of purchase, you're voting with your dollar to support the future you want to see. So thank you so much to all my customers are listening, that has voted with their dollar to see a brand like mine succeed and have a place in the grocery store shelves. Because we all want to do better, we all want to see the best. And we all want to see the future of being better than it was in the past. And when you're supporting small entrepreneurs, like the great people that Kelsey features on this podcast, you're really voting with your dollar to help keep them on the shelf. And to let those big grocery store chains know that you want more local, organic, wholesome products available for their customers.
I'd love that so much that every time we buy something we're voting with our dollars, and I talk a lot about because there's a lot of business owners who listen to this podcast. And I also talk a lot about the importance of the food you put in your body. And everything that we eat can either fuel our businesses, or it like detracts energy. So even as entrepreneurs, this conversation is so important, because if you want to have the energy and like that creative flow, and you sit down and you just feel so frickin good that you're like powering out your marketing plan, or you're just knocking through your admin work for the day. It's usually because of what you've put into your body. So if you eat bio raw salads for lunch, versus going to McDonald's and eating, eating a hamburger, you're kind of voting for the day you want to have, you're voting for the type of entrepreneur and like the vehicle that you're going to use to actually create this business. So I think this conversation is so vital, because, yes, like our physical health is so important, but also the health of the business plays right into that. And I don't know that enough, people are having that conversation around, like nutrition for entrepreneurs specifically. But I think it's something that deserves a lot more attention. Because, you know, each decision we make, and what we put into our bodies is really going to dictate, you know, the output that we have and the way we feel about our work day.
I couldn't agree with you more. And I think, you know, we're in such a period in time where, you know, I know I go onto LinkedIn, and it's just all controversy or is posting about their wins and how they grinded for 100 hours and killed themselves and they they're missing birthdays or they're missing the moments in life or I'm I saw one guy he's like obsessed with PT light. And he just keeps posting stories about how obsessed they are. He runs on PT light, and he's building this 100 billion dollar business on PT light, and it's a wellness brand. And that's not sustainable. And it's so so important, like you just said to really nourish your body first and foremost, I like to think of like when you're traveling and the flight attendants like the they said the beginning like the the safety message. They're like, you know, you got to put on your own mask before you help someone else and you know, your business is your baby. And you've got to take care of yourself first and foremost before you can be expected that your business will also take care to take care of your business. Because you know, like, are you sleeping? Are you getting enough sleep? That's so so important. Are you drinking enough water are you taking time to be active are you allowing yourself time to have like to meditate and find stillness in your day. I know like doing 300 days of events in my first year was was definitely a very challenging and challenging time for me. And I relied heavily on a lot of caffeine. And not a lot of sleep. I was also young, I was like 24 I was still like being active and such but like not it wasn't until like a few years later down the line that like I started incorporating yoga into my into my routine and started waking up every day with a really good morning routine that that nourishes me both physically mentally, and like my soul and trying to incorporate practices into my life that are going to promote the longevity of myself and make me feel good.
So I can operate my business and be show up for my staff in a way that is going to support them. Because I've I've taken that time for myself to be with myself and to nourish myself into love myself in a way that is going to support the business and I was even had like a really big meeting on Tuesday morning and I found myself and like five years ago Lauren would think you're crazy for doing this. But I was like literally in my I did a whole guided meditation in my car in the parking lot.
And then I was like chanting some ohms and getting myself fired up to go in the meeting. I haven't drank caffeine in a while now and totally off coffee. And I feel so much better. Hello, I didn't, I was able to grab myself be centered and be energized, walking into this meeting. And it really set me up for success. And yes, I had a lot of tasks on my to do list that day and lots of things I needed to do. And I still was able to accomplish them, I was still able to move through my day with lots of ease and flow, without having to compromise myself for maybe like a, for an extra Starbucks coffee or something terrible that isn't even aligned with something that I want to eat. But just like a crutch that I know is there, that's going to keep me going.
So, I got part of your story that really resonates too is that there was a season of hustle, but you knew you couldn't necessarily sustain that forever. So it was really about finding balance and thinking long term of like, okay, if I'm going to continue to lead this company and grow it to the place where I know it can grow to, I need to prioritize me as a founder. And I need to find that balance. So for somebody listening, who's currently in that hustle season, and they've kind of neglected themselves and they're listening to your story going, you meditate, you've got off caffeine, like how what are some of your tips for somebody who is looking to find more balance as the founder and CEO of a company?
Totally. So I love a good morning routine. And once you find something that sticks, you really set up your whole day for success. So I wake up really early, probably between like five to six every morning. And the first thing I do and I'm trying to get better this year, but not being on my phone right in the middle of the day. It's the start of my day. But the one of the first things I do is drink minimum two liters of water and that much. Oh yeah, two litres of water because then I know I'm hydrated for the day. And I really try to hear we can do a little cheers both grabbing our water. I know
you're encouraging me to drink. I'm like two liters, like have I even had that much by 333 today. I don't know you're doing two liters in the morning.
Oh, yeah, well, I've made it a ritual. So I wake up and I start my day with full vigor i First I take. Right now I'm making oxygen water super easy. It's like these oxygen tablets that I found on Amazon, throw that into my water and fizzes. It creates some delicious oxygen water that's really good for aerobic health, and just so cellular, cellular detoxification and tons and tons of benefits. And then I'm replenishing myself with fulvic acids and got all your essential trace minerals, and like your electrolytes, and just all the things that are so vital for your brain and your gut, all those minerals that you might be lacking. And then I'm always doing like a lemon water as well to a few minutes like 1020 minutes later. And then I will sit down and start meditating, maybe listening to a guided meditation. Or if you go on YouTube, there's so many good guided meditations available. But I this year I got started last year, I really got into guided affirmation tracks. So just like I am affirmations, it's a great way to rewire your brain into into your subconscious mind. You know, every single thought that we every single word that we say or subconscious mind doesn't have a good sense of humor. So when you're talking about stressors, and you're talking about things that aren't going well in your life, you know, you're going to be continue to manifest and bring those things into your life. And I remember one of the first times I listened to like a manifestation recording. I was like, This is so silly. I'm telling myself I love myself and I'm a I'm boundless and energy. And after, you know, 21 days of really doing that I I was I felt that I became I embodied the words that I was listening to. And now when I do it, I actually I right now the track that I'm currently listening to, I'm incorporating a lot of like EFT tapping into it to really really program myself that I make some kind of hot beverage with all my adaptogens in it. Right now I'm loving I'm I'm a match it I've sent me over some Macha and it wasn't something that I usually usually drink but I'm loving it. And I guess that's my source of caffeine right now. But I typically throw in a ton of mushrooms. So lots of tremella mushrooms, Lion's Mane Mottaki Reishi Chaga like really good immune boosting mushrooms for that I love in kinds of quarter steps to really great for endurance as well too. And then I do journaling. You know, there's a few journal prompts that I come to every day or depending on what I want to do. I've been really taking advantage of journaling. And again, that was a practice that I really didn't have never, ever, ever enjoy.
And you know, journaling doesn't have to be a pen and paper If you're not someone who likes to write, you can pull out your phone, and you can journal on your phone in the notes section, or create a Google Drive and you know, just have a sheet and find prompts and find things to that, that, that work for you. I think it's really important to, to journal about things that you're grateful for. And really, you know, in order to attract, to attract more great things in your life, you really need to, you really need to have show gratitude and appreciation for all the wins and all the things that are going on in your life.
Because you want to bring cultivate more of that into your life. And one thing that I'm trying to incorporate, as I move through my this gratitude practice into the new year and try to level it up, is trying to be more grateful now without caveats. So I think in the past, I used to be like, I'm so grateful for this beautiful condo that I live in. But also at the back of my head, I'm like, Yeah, but I'd be even more grateful when I have a huge house, on the beach.
So I'm trying to get there. But yeah, back to my practice, like what I do to keep me going, I try to work out at least three to five times a week. I am not someone that is good at going to the gym by themselves and working out. But I've been able to find fitness classes that I love and create a community there, through the fitness studios that I love to go to and you know, create really great mutually beneficial partnerships with those studios as well too. I show up as a client and I support them.
And whenever they have an opportunity for me to support the clientele, I support them as well too. And also a non negotiable for me is at least three to five times a week, infrared sauna and a cold plunge. Yeah. And those are like cold plunges I hate the cold. My goal in life is to never see the winter again. And I was really really grateful.
I was I was my whole entire team was brought out to have an experience of a sauna and cold plunge about two years ago. And I'm like, I'm not going in the cold. Like that's terrifying. Like, I don't want to do that.
And I was guided through by the owner, the first time I did this cold plunge. And now I go myself all the time solo and do these cold plunges and and help my friends and guide other people through the cold. And I just see so many great benefits from cold lunging and from like doing infrared scanning and you know, you can't be perfect, and it's hard to stick to your habits with the holidays and traveling and stuff like that. But being able to come back to those types of practices and find find things that I that I that I love from the from the either the meditations or the cold plunges of the saunas, or their workout classes, or whatever the case may be, is a really good way for me to incorporate more strength into my business. Not just as like, you know, like if I'm able to breathe through the cold though, like why can't I braved through this this next presentation that I might that I'm terrified of doing. Or you know, if I have the the the endurance to run four miles or something during this class then like, you know, maybe I can do even more.
And I find it it's a great all of these types of practices are just a really good way to center yourself and to become more grounded and to take a step back. And it's a good distraction. But it's also a time where I find a lot of clarity in my business and start thinking about things differently because I'm not glued to my screen or glued to my phone are stuck in the minutiae of my business. I'm, you know, out there, or going inward, to to work on myself and work on the business. Like everything's connected. And I think it's really easy in our society to not realize the interconnectedness of everything that we do. And it's just so important that you take notice and credit live more intentionally. I really, really try to live intentionally. And that's a huge basis of my business. You know, when I started bio raw, I took a holistic approach to veganism, I knew that I would not create a product that I didn't know. You know, I took I took a whole entire look at the entire ecosystem, my business, I said, Hey, if I'm going to use packaging, what kind of packaging am I going to use? I wanted to use packaging that I knew is the most earth friendly, and the most advanced on the market that is compostable, and that I know that every time I make one of my meals is not ending up in a landfill, it's returning to the soil. And then I was like, okay, like my facility. How am I running this facility? We're 100% Green powered. We're climate neutral, certified, and one of the first facilities in North America to be zero waste certified as well. So really looking, which all of these things have forced our team to really evaluate, measure and step rise to the occasion to do better. And to think about how every single one of our action And implicate affects society, the planet, animals, anything like that. And I'm loved talking and being on podcast and speaking because I get to spread the good word about living more intentionally. And there's such a disconnect there such everyone just really values like margins and over, you know, what we're actually trying to do. And that's for me, it's tried to be a good human that's serving others and doing good work. And I think that there is a, there's a synergy between good business, creating a business that's going to be long lasting, and taking into account how you operate your business and all of the other things in between. And it's, there's, you know, we're, you can't, you can't just silo yourself and be independent of, of what you're trying to achieve. Like, you really need to take into account all of the aspects of your business, who you're purchasing from, who you're serving, and, you know, create something that is providing value to your customers and to the world.
And I'm so, so impressed to see so many businesses start to really step up to the occasion and rise to the occasion. I know, when I started my business, I started as a certified B Corp organization. And we've actually won Best of the world now four or five times as an honoree for like Best of the worlds in terms of our commitment to everything we do. And now I'm like, I used to, like, stand and educate people endlessly on what B Corp was, like, no one really knew what that certification is.
And now I'm just like, so happy to see more and more brands, stepping up to the occasion, and finding ways to not just like follow the trends, but be part of the trends and really embody it through their business practices. So I'm always so excited when I see a brand that is, you know, taking maybe some type of extra ingredient from their production, and upcycling and into something new that could be that could be a brand new product that doesn't end up it doesn't have to end up in the landfill. And that's a lot of work. Capturing food waste and putting it into something else and making it into a whole other brands are a whole other line. That's a lot of work. So kudos to brands that are taking the time to upcycle their products, or find people that will take their product and their byproducts and upcycle it into something else. Or like yeah, like finding compostable packaging, like used to be a struggle. But now there's so many different brands and suppliers available in the market that are committed to doing that. So I think the more and more entrepreneurs are conscious and really going after the things that are important to them, and important to the future of society, we'll start seeing more and more businesses flourish, that we want to see be successful and really start shaping the future of the food system in the world that we want to see.
Wow, so much. They're like, I'm even gonna have to go back like the whole morning routine, but I was like scribbling notes furiously, I'm like, Okay, gotta capture all of this. I don't know if you have that in a PDF, but you can have like an amazing free download of aurons morning routine. And this is like a million dollar morning for an entrepreneur. So I'm excited to incorporate a few of those habits, because a few of them are new to me. So thank you for sharing that and for giving away all your energy secrets. And I love it, you know, you share so transparently about the fact that like you can do business for good. And I believe you even consult companies now who need support in probably not compromising their values, but just don't know how to stay strong in what they've built. So we've talked a lot about kind of the origins of Viraat. And you as a founder, I want to actually fast forward a little bit now. Where is the company today? Like, can you paint us a picture of what your workday looks like, what your role is, how many team members you have, where the distribution has extended to bring us to this day in time. And if you were to explain by raw and the success that you've had, we want to hear kind of the winds and where you're at
totally. So I'm going into like year six of our business, I'm still the soft sole owner, founder and CEO, and I'm supported by an incredible team. I'm really grateful to employ 30 epic humans at our North York facility here in Toronto. We've got about 15 to 17 people working on the floor and then an incredible operations team in order to accomplish this business early on, I realized that I'm I know what I'm good at and know what I'm not good at. And I really wanted to align myself with experts that can help me take the business to where it needs to be and align myself with eager individuals that show that you know, share my values and I've really bought in on what we're trying to accomplish. And, and that are so dedicated to what we do, and I'm really really proud to do Have a such an incredible team, like our production team is phenomenal. Not only do they follow like the most stringent, strict food safety practices at a globally recognized level, but their time their care, their attention is unparalleled. You even prior to like doing like all the stuff and health and wellness, I used to like throw events.
And someone said to me like early on, like you're only as good as your last event, which is true. And you know, you're only as good as that last meal that last salad. And our staff takes so much pride in making sure that every single bull that leaves our facility is consistent. And to is the macros are exactly what it says than what is authentic to what it is. And that every single every single one of our meals looks amazing, is going to be fresh on the shelf for at least seven days. And you know, every time a customer opens up and enjoys our product, they're getting the same consistent product time and time again, which is very difficult when it comes to fresh. But our our team does a phenomenal job at doing that. And through the support of the community and through the supportive, amazing retailers. You can walk into any Loblaws 14 knows Whole Foods location in around the Greater Toronto Area, as well as some really great independent grocery stores like summer home market, pusa Terry's goodness me if you're out in the outer regions. So we're available and my goodness me and like burying in Cambridge, and London and all over the place, which is which I'm really really proud of. And you can also find us all the nature's Emporium stores as well to Healthy Planet. We're also available at the, at the Healthy Planet to. And I'm just so grateful for all of the store buyers that see the need and the importance of having our products on the shelf. You know, it's it, even if I remember one of the first times I ever walked into one of the butcher shop chains that we sell at, they looked at me and my sales manager and they call down to the store owner and they're like the vegans are here. And I was I was shocked and I was like, It's okay, I guess we're the vegans. But you know, like 90% of my customers are not vegan. In fact, I've sat with them we've you can also order our meals online, we offer free home and office delivery five days a week, within a three hour time window anywhere in the GTA, whether you're in Hamilton, Aurora, sorry, Hamilton Ancaster all the way up to like Aurora Sharon, Ontario, way to wait to like Whitby Oshawa area. And during the pandemic, we sat down with our top 50 Shopify customers that have ordered from us 50 times or more. And yeah, we interviewed them and only one person was vegan, who one of our top customers you know, customers see our product is something that is like getting all of your nutrients, all your veggies and for the day, it's like that check mark that I ate really well.
And, you know, we're able to, we're able to serve the largest demographic of people, whether you are vegan, whether you are keto, whether you are following that free or gluten free diet or have a have a sensitivity to those things. So we really, really serve a ton of phenomenal people. And I'm really excited to continue to grow this year and to be in more stores and be launching some new exciting products. We're slowly slowly rolling out a line of power puddings that I'm really excited to hit the market with. That include a homemade granola that we make that is made with adaptogenic mushrooms. We've got Lion's Mane in there, which is phenomenal. It's really, really yummy. And I'm almost forgetting but our incredible partnership with greenhouse juice. If you go into any greenhouse use location, any other retail stores, you can find a line of CO branded products that we proudly make for greenhouse use locations we make we make three different varieties of delicious meals for them. And then two of these breakfast jars. And we're so proud to be on the shelf at Greenhouse juice. They are you know the biggest player when it comes to cold pressed juice, organic cold pressed juice here in Canada, and they hold their brand very close and they've won so many awards when it comes to their their accolades and their quality of product. And I'm so frickin proud that we are able to show that they are proud to showcase the bio Rob brand to their customers through this partnership that we've created. You know, it really is a testament to them seeing the value in what we've produced. And you know, knowing that their customer is also looking for the highest quality food as well too. So, I love partnerships and great people supporting each other.
You have so many exciting things coming out this year. It sounds like you have no shortage of ideas. I'm curious, how do you balance like the minutia of day to day tasks and just showing up for meetings and continuing to kind of check things off your to do list per se, but also like finding time for that visionary? Like, where could we possibly go and keeping that greater vision? Like, do you have time in your schedule for vision for the future? Or do you have to, like, get out of your apartment? Or does it just kind of come naturally? In your flow as a CEO? How do you create space for always dreaming bigger on behalf of bio raw?
Totally. So I love this question. So I, you know, I think it's so important to get out of your regular routine, and to travel and to go and try and try new things. And new places. Like I said, this is the beginning. Like I'm a professional grocery store shopper. I remember one of the first times I went down to LA for Natural Products Expo East, I was presenting at the pitch slam competition. But as part of the Vienna for the show, I signed up to do like a grocery store tour, where you like go on a bus and they take you to all the grocery stores. And they like, they give you a tour of like, their HR department and talk about local products. And just like how they run their businesses. I haven't done one of those since and I was like maybe four or five years ago. But whenever I'm traveling, like my first thing to do is I love visiting grocery stores and seeing what products are out there on the market. And, you know, tapping into see what people are or are producing and what I like and what makes sense and what's been made intentionally. I also think it's really important to take a step back. And, you know, not everything used to be cutting edge and new technology and stuff like that. And really looking at ancient wisdom and ancient things that have been available on in the planet for, you know, 1000s of years that have really served people and really helped people. One of my favorite, you know, like products right now is like, and this is funny because it's literally sitting on my counter and sitting in front of me. But like, I love this array like bloat capsule,
and keep hearing that on podcast ads, they're all over the podcast space,
ya know, I love this product is deeply rooted in era Vedic medicine, you know, a combination of great things like dandelion root, lemon balm, and peppermint, and propylene. And like slippery elm and some other really thin tons of ginger, this gonna really help my guide, if I've eaten something maybe that didn't agree with me, and make me feel good. I'm like, this is ancient wisdom. This isn't Pepto Bismol This isn't, you know, some kind of anti acid. Like, if I'm feeling sick, if I'm feeling gross, there's a reason my body's inflamed, my bought, my stomach is upset, what am I going to do, I'm going to try to heal it, I'm going to try to provide it anti inflammatory goodness, that is gonna make me feel better. So I think it's I'm really excited for all of the products that are slowly coming back into mainstream, that are really simple and really intentional and coming, grabbing from nature. And you know, making it easier for us to have better lives without some Kylie, chemical made concoction that is designed and patented to make us feel better. You know, like the Earth has given us an incredible array of so many incredible plants and vegetables and herbs and great great things. And, you know, that's take from our ancient or from our ancestors, and let's learn from the things that were working for 1000s of years to really help us and let's make it more mainstream. I like just It boggles me about the man or people that are so easy to go like a pill for every ill, instead of looking at the root cause of what's ever happening to them. So I'm always so impressed when I see great products that are like, rooted in, in solving an issue instead of just covering it up. And that like promote my body doing better, feeling better, and having them living more in harmony and more synergistically with, with how I am so,
so incredible. You're like inspiring me to just go take a better look at like everything I'm using right now. Like I think I'm pretty healthy. But I love it like you radiate so much excitement and energy around not only what you do, but just like the rituals and routines that you have. So thank you for sharing all that. And to wrap things up on the visionary life podcast, we love to of course talk about the real talk behind the scenes, but we also love to celebrate wins and milestones. So I'm curious, is there a win or a milestone within bio raw or even personally, that you've celebrated within the last few months that you want to share with us today?
Totally. I was just chatting with my my CFO yesterday because we're just putting together a deck and I realized that I've done Like over $13 million in sales, oh my god, like not this year, but like collectively. To be able to take a step back, I'm turning 30. And to like, look at the work that I've been able to do. And I don't like I don't come from family money I don't come from like, like anyone giving me a handout. I never want any big grants. I've you know, I've really bootstrap this and just really grinded on all fronts. And it's really easy to compare myself to others and compare myself to a lot of these brands that I see on LinkedIn, celebrating all these huge successes and wins and stuff like that. And then you know, like, it really got a feeling. I'm trying to really identify those things that I'm grateful for and congratulate myself for, even though I'm not exactly where I want to be right now with his business, knowing and giving myself kudos for all of the hard work that has led me here, because you know, it being fresh food is no easy, easy accomplishment with a seven day shelf life. Most people have like a year shelf life on their product. And being able to have so many great blue chip customers and to have a great team like, you know, I'm really feeling proud about that. That goal I set out four or five or six years ago to to really be the change I want to see on the shelf and creating that existing and now being part of people's daily routines and their weight loss goals or their health goals or whatever they might use as a vehicle they buy or as a vehicle to enhance and better their life. So, so many things.
If people want to find bio raw, you mentioned a lot of the stores so they can go pick up a solid and pick up one of your products there. But where can they find you online, either connecting with the brand or maybe connecting with you personally if they're inspired by your story?
Totally. So you can visit WWE dot bio raw.ca B I O ra w.ca. and order some meals will ship them directly to your door. There's absolutely no delivery fees and no taxes. A really great way to get five 710 or even 20 meals delivered to your home or your office. You'll even get like a text message notification and be able to watch your driver drop them off right at your door. So you can put them right in the fridge and keep them cold. You can follow our journey on social media on at bio Rob di o ra W on Instagram. You can follow me personally. I'm on Instagram at underscore oran o r e n. And you can check out my website, Oren epstein.ca. I love helping other entrepreneurs in so many different capacities. So if you are an entrepreneur that is just starting out is a little bit more seasoned is trying to find some ways to make your brand more sustainable, interested in curious about getting your organic certification becoming a zero waste company. Anything you just want to chat about some fun wellness routines or just want some tips or someone to chat with. You know, feel free to to book some time to chat with me. Love to see how I can support you and I love just supporting good people doing great things. So thank you so much, Kelsey.
Oh, this has been so fun. And I know we barely scratched the surface. So maybe we can do a part two at some point. And I know it's your 30th birthday coming up What are you doing to celebrate?
Totally I love I love nourishing like my friends and I I've been vegan for like 10 years as well. And like I love convincing people and they're giving people a really good time when it comes to having really enjoyable experiences around vegan food. So I'm having a really nice 30th birthday, invited a lot all my friends out and some of my family members and I am I've actually I am so grateful to have such a great canal network of other food entrepreneurs. So I'm going to be showcasing a lot of my favorite brands. Whether it's the cheese spread that I'm doing that's like going to be some cultured cheese and that's for cheese, cheese and Zan, Gary cheeses. To like the sweets table that's going to be like all organic traditions. Chocolate covered things to the drinks that we're serving. So we've got some atonic I can Bucha some some my friend Dave some two beers coffee just launched the line of espresso martinis, and they're non alcoholic so they'll be that non alcoholic option. And making cocktails with all cold pressed juices from homegrown juice bar here in Toronto, and the right remix of Rita margarita mix. And I actually loaded up with my one two buffalo this past weekend and bought cases of organic tequila for all of my guests to enjoy and organic vodka. So we're going to enjoy we're going to sip and we're even going to have some other cool brands on site handing out some other party favors like adaptogenic mushrooms and stuff like that. So you can Enjoy and have a good time at the party without drinking. So I'm excited to introduce my friends to some amazing vegan cheese, amazing vegan sushi, all the great vegan food that's out there and showcase some great epic local vegan brands.
It's so awesome like you practice what you preach. And that is such an inspiring way to celebrate your 30 years. So we wish you all the best. Thank you so much for sharing your story and all your wisdom on the visionary life podcast. I would encourage everybody to click the links in the show notes and go connect with Oren go pick up bio raw and continue to follow along this epic journey. So thank you so much and we wish you all the best. Please, Kelsey. Visionary, I know you you're a health nut and you want to save money on the brands you love. Well, healthy planet is your one stop shop for all things healthy. They have everything from gluten free snacks to non toxic beauty products to supplements that are gonna help you focus during the work day and they deliver straight to your doorstep. Being healthy has never been easier, more affordable or more convenient than this. So shop with healthy planet today and get 10% off your first order of $50 or more by using the code visionary 2022 at checkout that's visionary 2022 at checkout, so start saving today by heading to Healthy Planet canada.com and use the code visionary 2022 at checkout. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of visionary life. I love bringing you these conversations on a weekly basis. So it would mean so much to me. If you could help me out by rating and reviewing the show on either iTunes or Spotify. It just takes a second. And if you don't want to rate the show, you can also just take a screenshot of the episode and share it on your social media platform of choice tagging me at Kelsey rival. I'll catch you in the next episode.
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