The Original Vegan Business Talk By Shane Jeremy James

We are honored to have Betska K-Burr, the founder of Coaching and Leadership, join us today as our distinguished guest. As a compassionate vegan since 2004, Betska has dedicated her life to empowering others and positively impacting both humans and animals. Her transformative journey began when she faced bankruptcy emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and physically after the birth of her daughter. Through her perseverance, Betska discovered the power of the subconscious mind, which became the foundation of her groundbreaking coaching methodologies.

With over 25 years of experience, Betska has developed more than 80 unique Mind Kinetics methodologies that have helped clients in over 50 countries. By tapping into the subconscious mind and addressing the root causes of their challenges, Betska has guided countless individuals toward personal growth and success. Her expertise in the relationship between diet and mental well-being offers invaluable insights for anyone seeking a healthier, more balanced life.

Betska K-Burr's Discussion Highlights:

We are delighted to welcome Sloane Ortel, the innovative founder of Invest Vegan, to our stage today. Invest Vegan is a registered investment advisor that caters to clients with as little as one dollar to invest, allowing everyone to access the power of compounding and sustainable investing. With a unique approach focused on ethics-first investing, Sloane aims to attract clients who may be disillusioned with capitalism and want their investments to align with their vegan or ethical values, ultimately fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.

With a diverse background in investment management that started when she was only 19, Sloane has observed firsthand the disconnect between investment managers and their clients' concerns. Her experiences at a brokerage firm, Oppenheimer and Company, and CFA Institute have shaped her vision for Invest Vegan, an intriguing blend of conscious and vegan investing. Today, Sloane is ready to share her insights and expertise as we delve into her journey and explore the world of values-driven investing.

Sloane Ortel's Discussion Highlights:

We are delighted to welcome Brooke Brimm, the founder of Vegan Soul Foodie, to our stage today. Recognizing a need for healthier food options within the black community, Brooke and her husband have been plant-dominant for 30 years. Vegan Soul Foodie has since grown exponentially, offering books, classes, and digital products centered around vegan soul food and hosting in-person and online events.

Navigating the challenges of a judgmental culture within the vegan community, Brooke has fostered an encouraging and transition-friendly atmosphere within her group, focusing on inclusivity and embracing anyone wanting to join the movement. Her ultimate goal is to make a difference in the health of the black community by promoting vegan soul food as a delicious and satisfying alternative to traditional soul food. Join us as Brooke shares her journey and insights into the exciting world of vegan soul food.

Brooke Brim's Discussion Highlights:

We are excited to welcome Nicolas Frauenfelder, a plant-based food entrepreneur and founder of Swees Plant-Based Foods, to our stage today. Nicolas's journey from a banking career to creating a range of plant-based cheeses in Thailand is truly inspiring. Combining his passion for nutrition, cooking, and experimentation, he has created a successful plant-based food company that helps people transition to a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

With his nutritionist background and Swiss heritage, Nicolas brings a unique perspective to the world of plant-based cheese. His dedication to creating delicious, satisfying alternatives to traditional dairy products demonstrates the potential of plant-based foods to not only improve our health and protect our planet. Get ready to be enlightened and inspired as Nicolas shares his journey.

Nick's Discussion Highlights:

We are delighted to welcome Claire Michalski, co-founder of Vegan Founded, a company that certifies businesses as 100% vegan, to our stage today. Claire's dedication to transparency in vegan product labeling and her passion for promoting veganism has led her to create a unique certification system that ensures consumers know their money is supporting businesses that do not exploit animals. Her experience with non-profit designs being stolen and printed on non-vegan garments using non-vegan ink sparked the idea for Vegan Founded.

In the interview, Claire describes how Vegan Founded differs from typical vegan logos approved by certain societies. Their certification indicates that the entire business is vegan and is owned by vegans, giving consumers complete trust in their purchase. Despite the setbacks during the lockdown, Vegan Founded has continued to support the vegan business community, advising on business growth during the pandemic.

Here are the highlights of Claire Michalski's discussion:

We're excited to introduce our guest, Sabrina Farb, founder of bornvegan.org, an organization dedicated to promoting veganism and animal rights education. Sabrina's passion for veganism started at a young age and led her to leave her teaching job to focus on full-time vegan education through social media, podcasts, and in-person lectures. She travels around the country in a vegan-covered camper van, spreading the message of veganism to schools, universities, and public places.

Sabrina's unique upbringing as a vegan and her involvement in animal rights activism since childhood have shaped her mission to educate people about veganism. Her focus on education and sharing information on veganism is vital to her business.

Sabrina Farb's Discussion Highlights:

We're pleased to welcome Thomas Hong, the founder of vegkey.com, to our platform. Thomas has an inspiring story, starting as a vegetarian with a passion for starting a vegetarian/vegan buffet restaurant before pursuing engineering and creating an online business selling bathware. Realizing he had the financial stability and time to pursue his passion for vegetarianism, in 2019, he started Vegkey selling vegan/vegetarian jerky made from mushrooms. Despite facing several challenges, including a crowded and competitive market and the pandemic, Thomas persevered and created a successful business through his dedication and hard work.

Thomas's insights into the challenges and opportunities in the vegetarian and vegan food market will be valuable to anyone interested in starting or growing their business.

Discussion Highlights:

We are excited to welcome Alice Fauconnet, the founder of New Roots, a highly successful vegan cheese-making company, to our platform. Alice's story is inspiring, starting with an experiment in her kitchen to satisfy her craving for cheese after going vegan. She and her partner, Fred's passion for cheese-making led them to create a high-quality, artisanal product now sold in many stores across Switzerland and beyond. Alice's commitment to ethical veganism and her passion for creating delicious plant-based alternatives have made her a well-respected figure in the vegan food industry.

Alice's success in the vegan cheese market is due to her and Fred's dedication to the traditional artisanal process of fermenting and ripening cheese. She believes this process sets her company apart from others in the industry.

Discussion Highlights:

We are delighted to welcome Bill Myers, one of the founders of Millet, to our platform. Millet, established in 2018, specializes in plant-based buttermilk and salad dressings. Bill Myers and his father, both with backgrounds in food science, technology, and chemistry, were drawn to the plant-based space due to the increasing number of athletes adopting vegan and plant-based lifestyles. Bill's experience innovating and marketing plant-based alternatives and the challenges and rewards of starting a plant-based food company will provide valuable insights for those interested in the industry.

One of Millet's most significant challenges was introducing vegan buttermilk to a market that was largely unfamiliar with the concept. Despite the difficulties of running a business during the pandemic and dealing with inflation, Millet has seen progress and growth. Bill's passion for innovation and educating people on the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle is inspiring, and his insights will undoubtedly prove invaluable to those interested in the plant-based food industry.

Discussion Highlights:

We welcome Zachary Champiux, founder of Passionate Oat and Managing Director for We The Free, a vegan advocacy organization. Zachary's journey into veganism and entrepreneurship is one of passion and purpose. After being moved to action by the suffering of animals in the food industry, Zachary started a powdered oat milk business that aims to end the use of animals in food technology, starting with dairy cows.

As an entrepreneur in the food industry, Zachary faces various challenges, including regulatory issues, fundraising, and creating a cost-competitive, tasty, and functional product. Additionally, he must balance the animal rights aspect of his company when speaking to potential industry partners, investors, and government agencies.

Discussion Highlights: