The Wise Consumer

This is the final episode of Season 2 and I couldn't be more thrilled to close out this season than with today’s guest, Rebecca Ballard, the founder of the ethical and sustainable fashion brand Maven Women. A clothing label created by women for women that honors people and planet along every step of the way. 

In today’s episode we chat about:

- The important role her faith plays in everything she does - Her passion for human rights - What inspired her to shift gears from working as a lawyer in the federal government to launching an ethical fashion brand for women - The challenges women face around always striving to achieve “effortless perfection” and the toll it plays on us - The importance of embracing all shapes and sizes - Her entrepreneurial challenges over the years and lessons she’s learned - The difference between her American eco-innovation collection and her global artisan collection- The importance of resiliency and prioritizing your mental health and wellbeing - And so much more!

Happy listening! 

Meet Kristi Knowles, the CEO of Mother Raw, a brand that truly believes in the importance of making healthy and nutritious food accessible and appealing to all. Mother Raw creates delicious plant-based products, ranging from salad dressings to condiments, using only nutrient-rich, sustainably sourced, organic ingredients in their purest form. All of Mother Raw's products are free from preservatives, fillers and artificial ingredients. And let me tell you, you can absolutely taste the difference!

In today's episode Kristi and I chat about: - The journey that led her to work in the food industry- The unfortunate and tragic passing of RawFoodz, now Mother Raw’s, founder Michelle Kopman in 2018 and what inspired Kristi to carry on her mission. - The importance of eating pure and natural foods that are minimally processed. - How Mother Raw develops and creates it’s dressings, dips, and condiments, and who gets to taste test them - The difference between cold-blended and heated products. - How you can eat healthy even when you're on a budget - How she manages work life balance - How to overcome fear of failure - And so much more! 

Happy listening! 

Connect with Mother Raw: Instagram Facebook

Meet Dan Demsky, the co-founder of Unbound Merino, an ethical and sustainable men’s clothing line that utilizes “nature’s miracle fiber" -- merino wool. 

In today’s episode Dan and I chat about:

• How someone who had absolutely no passion or interest in fashion launched a clothing label.
• The importance of understanding and living out your core values.
• Why less is sometimes better.
• The hidden cost of fast fashion.
• The pros and cons (but mostly pros) of working with your best friends.
• What mulesing-free merino wool means and why it’s controversial.
• Where and how Unbound’s products are sourced and manufactured.
• Our love of fresh tomatoes
• And so much more!

Happy listening!

Meet Devan Gregori, the founder of the ethical and sustainable fashion label, Devan Gregori--a brand that creates beautiful timeless pieces that are functional, effortless and meaningful.

In today’s episode Devan and I chat about:

• What inspired her to move to France after college and return to school to study fashion
• the importance of developing an ethical brand and creating a personal relationship with her manufacturer
• Why women should support and raise each other up.
• her creative design process.
• Where her textiles are sourced and how they’re made.
• The challenges she’s faced launching a business in the midst of a global pandemic.
• Why she believes there’s no such thing as a clean slate + the importance of learning from our “mistakes” , and so much more! 

Happy listening!

Connect with Devan Gregori: Instagram Twitter Facebook

Meet Lin Chen, the founder of Pink Moon, an online market space that not only promotes wellness and self-care but that partners with and curates amazing natural skincare brands — skincare brands that value sustainability, philanthropy, and holistic wellness.

In today’s episode Lin and I chat about:

• Her journey into the natural skincare space.
• The challenges around the stereotypes of asian women, especially in the skincare industry.
• Her mission to inspire more Asian women to enter the entrepreneurial space (even if it means possibly going against their parents wishes).
• How she selects the brands she partners with.
• Why supporting women-owned businesses is so important to her.
• The importance of self-care.
• What a Gua Sha tool is and how to use.
• How to implement a natural skincare routine even when you're on a budget.
• And so much more!

Happy listening!

Connect with Pink Moon: Pink Moon Instagram Facebook 

Did you know that Bluefin Tuna can live up to 40 years, weigh about 1500 lbs, and measure anywhere from 6 to 10 feet? What is the importance of studying tuna larvae and how do you even study larvae?

In today’s episode with scientist, PhD candidate, and founder of the blog Science & Sustainability, Alanna Mnich,  we cover all these questions and more! Plus, Alanna shares what inspired her to transition to living a more eco-friendly lifestyle, her favorite sustainable living tips, and why she’s OK being an imperfect “zero-waster.”

This was truly such a fun and interesting conversation and one I think you’ll really enjoy and gain a lot from. Happy listening!

Resources: Monterrey Bay Aquarium "Seafood Watch"

Connect with Alanna:Instagram Blog: Science & Sustainability LinkedIn

Meet Scéona Poroli-Chauveau, the founder of Scéona, a sustainable and ethical jewelry brand that designs, produces and sells jewelry using only two materials: 18kt solid recycled gold and lab-grown diamonds. 

In today’s episode Scéona and I discuss:

• The journey that led her to launching a sustainable/ethical jewelry brand.
• Why she decided to use 18kt solid recycled gold and lab-grown diamonds for all her pieces.
• How gold and diamonds are mined + the harmful environmental and social impact of mining.
• Whether or not there’s a difference between lab grown vs mined diamonds. 
• What to look for and how to buy ethical and sustainable jewelry.
• Greenwashing in the jewelry industry.
• Where and how her pieces are made. 
• The impact of COVID-19 on her business.
• And so much more!

This was truly such an insightful and eye-opening conversation!

Did you know, the average woman uses about 12 different skincare products a day!? I mean think about it, between face wash, lotion, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, makeup, etc. On average, according to the Environmental Working Group, about 150 different ingredients are being applied to our skin every day. And, unfortunately, most of us have no idea what those ingredients are. This matters because oftentimes these ingredients can actually be quite harmful to our health, think endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, skin irritants, etc. 

If you’ve been listening to the podcast for awhile or following the blog you know that I am super passionate about reducing our exposure to harmful ingredients such as those often found in makeup. Which is why I am super stoked to share today’s guest with you -- Tiila Abbitt, the founder of one of my favorite makeup brands, ATHR Beauty! ATHR’s products are amazing -- the color palettes are super cool and obviously, all of the products work really well … and the cherry on top? This makeup brand is zero-waste, i.e. 100% recyclable, free of child labor, vegan, cruelty free, and free of harmful chemicals found in most other makeup brands. 

I absolutely loved chatting with Tiila and learning more the inspiration behind ATHR Beauty. In this episode Tiila and I explore  the journey that led her here, how she became Sephora’s Senior Director of Product Development working on their sustainability initiative, what inspired her to launch her own makeup brand, how she creates her products, the motivation behind creating packaging that is 100% recyclable, greenwashing in the beauty industry, the challenges around defining the term “clean beauty”, why not all synthetic ingredients are harmful, and so much more.

Ready to get a sneak peek at what it takes to actually create a successful "clean" and environmentally-friendly make-up brand?  Press play now!

Could you imagine launching a footwear business with absolutely having no background experience in fashion design, manufacturing, or textiles? Not only that but imagine that the vision you have for your "dream shoe brand" consists of working solely with African businesses and artisans. In this perfect world where you’re imagining this perfect shoe you will, of course, only source the highest quality handmade wax fabrics, work with local charities that support women artisans, create close collaborations and partnerships with fair-trade manufacturers, use only eco-friendly materials, and oh, who knows, maybe at some point, you’ll want to create a circular fashion program!?!

For most of us, this “vision” may seem impossible. Where would one even begin? But for Hugues Didier and Vulfran de Richoufftz, the co-founders of PANAFRICA, and Hélène Lucas, their Communications Director, and today’s podcast guest, this “impossible vision” is exactly what they set out to create. Was it easy? Absolutely not. Did they make it happen? Yes, and I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Hélène to hear all about the journey that led this amazing trio to turn their vision into a reality. 

In today’s episode Hélène and I cover:

- Her Franco-African upbringing and how it influenced her career. - How she came to join PANAFRICA’s founding team. - What inspired Vulfran and Hugues to launch an ethical footwear company working with African businesses and artisans. - The various textiles used + how and where they’re sourced. - The history of traditional wax fabric. - Their collaboration with Afrika Tiss (a Franco-Burkinabe organization which sets up initiatives aimed at promoting craftsmanship as a lever for economic and social development) - Their close partnerships with artisans and manufactures throughout Africa. - The importance of creating a transparent and ethical fashion brand. - The entrepreneurial challenges they’ve faced. - Their collaboration with the fashion brand agnes b. - And so much more!

Meet Kim Walls, the co-founder of Furtuna Skin, a wild foraged, sustainably created, all-natural skincare brand made in the heart Sicily. Kim is a clean beauty pioneer, master formulator, award-winning natural products innovator, mentor and mother who cares about social change and advocates for safe beauty, family health, and human rights. Needless to say, I was honored to have her on the podcast. 

In today’s episode Kim and I chat about:

• The journey that led her to co-founding Furtuna Skin with Agatha Relota Luczo.
• Her previous entrepreneurial ventures.
• The importance of touch and creating natural skincare products for premature babies. (Kim also founded BEB Organics a few years back, a brand I absolutely love and which we talked about in today's episode.)
• The various wild foraged and regenerative ingredients used in Furtuna’s skincare products + their benefits.
• Furtuna’s innovative usage of the Soundbath™ Extraction Method to maximize the potency of ingredients and how it works.
• How Furtuna is supporting the local economy and its farmers.
• Regenerative agriculture 
• Her favorite skincare tips + the importance of taking care of your skin.
• And so much more!

Such a wonderful conversation. Happy listening! 

Connect with Furtuna Skin - Instagram - Facebook