Capitalism for Green (The Refill Shop Podcast)

This week: 

• How refilleries can look different in different communities; some offer only refillable products and others have a more general focus with some refill options (like Lemon & Lavender)
• How location & customer traffic impacts discoverability & volume
• Workshops! Brandy’s an expert workshop leader and has advice on different types of workshops, how to market them, ticketing, agendas, types, you name it! (and we very much thank her for sharing all of her experience & knowledge with us!)
• Education & inviting new customers into the refill space, including how to explain refill to those that are new to it
• Reeling people into the eco-friendly world
• Purchasing - logistics, timing, volume, shipping, carbon footprints, container reuse & giveaways, and generally how to make decisions on what’s the best option when purchasing bulk refills
• Local partnerships!
• What to do with packaging & shipping materials

Where to find Lemon & Lavender: 

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• YouTube

Links: 

• Juniperseed Mercantile
• The Lean Refilery
• The Clean Refillery
• Men on the Move
• Corrigan Moving Co.
• Phoenix Glass & Recycle

Question from Jasmine Hyde, Owner of L.E.S.S. in Lawrence, KS: how are you navigating the finances, data on the industry, and translating what you do to other stakeholders? What are other business owners doing to mitigate your refill store not really fitting into a box that compares to another type of industry?

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: 

• Customer demographics
• Approaches to involving college students & overcoming hurdles to make people feel welcome in a new shopping environment 
• Sustainability movements in communities, especially in sports (shout out KC Current for bringing reusable cups & composting to major league sports)*
• The overlap between the service industry and refill shop industry as well as balancing small business ownership with being an employee in a different industry for a personal balance (and extra cash)
• Decision making, especially around new products and big business decisions 
• Incorporating education, especially higher priced items, and personal testimonials for “riskier” or more expensive swaps
• Sustainable brands like Dip who both stay true to the consistency of their products while also providing connection, insight, and support to sustainable retailers like refill stores
• Being transparent about what we know, don’t know, and what we think of certain brands & products
• We’re all just trying to do our best 🙂

Where to find L.E.S.S.

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok

Links

• Dip
• EPA
• Huppy
• Juniperseed Mercantile
• The Lean Refillery
• KC Current
• Zero Waste Shop Owners of the U.S. and Canada Facebook Group

Question from Caitlin Elyse, Owner of Refill Emporium: How are you making the refill experience easier for customers?

Question to the next refill store owner(s): People who are opening or considering moving, how are you navigating the finances, data on the industry, and translating what you do to other stakeholders? What are other business owners doing to mitigate your refill store not really fitting into a box that compares to another type of industry?

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify | The Store, by CFG

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: 

• How Caitlin became Owner of Refill Emporium
• Partnerships 
• Social Media
• Making decisions on packaging, especially when it comes to making sure that the store is accountable for the end of life of all packaging that they sell
• Balancing maintaining and existing business after purchasing with incorporating new ideas & partnerships 

Where to find Refill Emporium

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok

Links

• Bulk Food Marketplace
• Dees Green Cleaning
• Environmental Working Group (EWG)
• My Green Michigan
• TechTown Detroit
• The Clean Refill (Columbia, MO)

Question from Deanna Taylor-Heacock, Owner of Good Bottle Refill Shop in Maplewood, NJ: we have our core customers and the biggest challenge is getting new customers... We have loyal ones that have been refilling the same bottle for 7 years… How are you getting new customers? What is the process like? What are the real strategies? How can we get more people to make the switch? 

Question to the next refill store owner(s): How are you making the refill experience easier for customers?

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week:

• Shipping
• Packaging - why is it even necessary, but also why does it feel like it’s necessary? And alternatives for how to work around it.
• Construction, food, and medical waste
• Jessica is going back to basics
• The accessibility of having multiple options to meet people where they are
• Sustainable period products
• The longevity of products & how it both reduces waste, but also reduces the frequency of the customer visits so how does a store sustain itself through that business model
• The benefits of sloooooooow intentional changes even when it’s difficult to see sometimes
• Updates on BYOC’s future refill machine, delivery services, and Andrea’s plans for The Store, by CFG

Links:

• The Clean Refill
• Refill Emporium
• Mama Suds
• Dr. Bronner’s
• Ecourage

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: 

• The idea of “Buying your trash” and how low-waste living can start as a cost-savings journey to cut down on the shopping trips
• Getting started
• Parallels with corporate retail
• Operating in a co-op space (including compared to solo space)
• Time management
• Delivery logistics
• Partnering with a branding company

Where to find Good Bottle Refill Shop: 

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok

Links: 

• Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson
• The General Store

Question from Ashby Cummings, Owner of MI-Fillosophy in Plymouth, MI (and from Episode 15): if you could go back to the beginning and change one thing about how you opened your store, what would you change?

Question to the next refill store owner(s): we have our core customers and the biggest challenge is getting new customers... We have loyal ones that have been refilling the same bottle for 7 years… How are you getting new customers? What is the process like? What are the real strategies? How can we get more people to make the switch? 

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: 

• 2026 trends
• Competition vs. complimenting with similar businesses nearby
• Equipment access (ex: peanut butter grinder & grain mills)
• Food refills - containers, packaging, suppliers, & requirements
• Licensing & food sales regulations
• Risks & scary things! 
• Swaps & events
• The uniqueness of the Michigan refill community
• What it feels like to a small business owner these days

Where to find MI-Fillosophy:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

Links:

• 86 Pastic 
• Azure
• Bees in the D
• Country Life Natural Foods
• Little Seed Farm
• Refill Emporium 
• Refillery Collective
• Starwest Botanicals
• Walking Lightly
• Websterant

Question from Tiffany Sigler, Owner of Juniperseed Mercantile in Littleton, CO (from Episode 14):  if you think about the way that you spend your time during the day (think of a quadrant matrix with time & return on investment for each axis), are there things in your life that you should ditch?

Question to the next refill store owner(s): if you could go back to the beginning and change one thing about how you opened your store, what would you change?

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about about different ways in which Tiffany is immersed in the refill field: 

1. Retail: 

• Find Juniperseed Mercantile’s brick & mortar location at 5641A S. Nevada St., Littleton, CO
• Select local markets (and sometimes out of her van)
• Online where she sells her in-house made products

2. Manufacturing/wholesale 

• Juniperseed Mercantile products including 

3. Coaching/consulting through The Lean Refillery

• See where you’re leaking profit in under 5 minutes with the The Lean Refillery Profit Simulator to see how small changes can lead to meaningful profit gains. 

We also talk about how she got to where she is now, lessons learned along the way, and how she’s helping other refill store owners and sustainability leaders work smarter, not harder. 

She’s also supporting her community through local event planning and event management in downtown Littleton, and is the president of the local merchant's association. 

Question from Michelle & Troy of The Eastwood Refillery: “What do you do to bring customers in and keep them coming back?” 

Question to the next refill store owner(s): if you think about the way that you spend your time during the day (think of a quadrant matrix with time & return on investment for each axis), are there things in your life that you should ditch? (51:40)

Find Juniperseed Mercantile: 

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: 

• Market vs. in store setup
• Early days
• Sink setup within the shop
• Removing labels from Jars 
• Free container donations
• Local food pantry support
• Prioritizing local
• Running a business while working another full time job
• Word of mouth marketing & social media

Where to find The Eastwood Refillery

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Name Drops

• Faire
• Rustic Strength
• GoGo Refill in Portland, ME
• Dip 
• Little Seed Farm
• Yaya Maria’s 
• Beth’s Bounty - SUNY ESF student food pantry
• Mama Suds
• Full Circle Refillery
• Dr. Bronners
• Suds Refillery in Shawnee, KS
• Reuse Refuge in Auburn, NY
• Marilla’s Mindful Supplies in Rochester, NY
• Refillery Collective

Question from Tiffany, Owner of Full Circle Refillery: “If you had to do it all over again from day one, is there one thing or what is one thing that you would do differently? 

Question to the next refill shop owner: “What do you do to bring customers in and keep them coming back?”

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: 

• The early days of Full Circle Refillery in Chattanooga, TN
• Branding, Buzzwords, Marketing, Green Terminology and what it all means in practice
• Brick & mortar as it compares to consignment booths, pop ups, home garage appointment shopping
• Customer engagement through Instagram polls, especially for feedback
• Finding the next best option to bridge the gap, even when knowledge and/or priorities changes while making sure products work well
• Prioritizing finding a disposal method for products sold in the zero waste store
• Transitions between working for someone else to working for yourself
• Building up inventory
• Changing your mindset about competition 
• How great the Chattanooga community is 

Acronyms 

• SLS = Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• PVA = Polyvinyl Alcohol

Name Drops

• Faire
• The Good Fill
• Small Business Development Center
• Plaine Products
• Wonderfill Refillery (Cookville, TN)

Where to find Full Circle Refillery

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: 

• Community givebacks of all shapes and sizes
• Lauren Singer’s Package Free Shop in New York
• The early days of BYOC and how it all started
• Initial inventory
• Pricing with refill vs. solid products
• Transitioning from a pop up model to brick & mortar
• Shipping costs
• Marketing and social media
• The role of the business owner
• Becoming a hub of knowledge for your community
• Extended Producer Reliability Program (via Packaging Dive)

Email [email protected] with your questions, topic requests, and feedback! 

Find more with Jessica & Andrea on Episode 24 of the Capitalism for Good podcast project (Apple | Spotify)

Apple | BYOC Co. | BYOC Co. Facebook | BYOC Co. Instagram | Capitalism for Green | Capitalism for Green Facebook | Capitalism for Green Instagram | Spotify

Early Release & Video Episodes can be found at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGreen

Apple | BYOC Co. | Capitalism for Green | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.