Meet Our Latest Clean Food Crush
A love-at-first-bite kind of romance that we can definitely see evolving into a (healthy) long-term relationship.
The COVID-19 crisis has forced many of us to adapt to a WFH lifestyle. While I’m sincerely grateful for a job that allows me the flexibility to work from home, this can be both a blessing and a curse come mealtime. Work week meal prep is a task all of its own, and even months into my routine, I still haven’t quite figured out the proper WFH lunch / dinner routine. No matter how much I meal prep or plan the menu ahead of time, sometimes, my cravings are off-menu. Cue my latest obsession: Daily Harvest, a collection of over 80 recipes including smoothies, soups, oats, lattes and more, built from fruits and vegetables and delivered straight to your door – that also happens to be incredibly delicious.
As someone who lives a primarily plant-based lifestyle, Daily Harvest has been a total lifesaver. On days where a midday or evening meal would typically involve a spoonful of peanut butter or spending money on unnecessary (and unhealthy) takeout, Daily Harvest has saved the day with its nourishing, chef-crafted food. Aside from convenience, Daily Harvest boasts numerous other reasons that have courted me into making it my latest clean food crush – a love-at-first-bite kind of romance that I can definitely see evolving into a (healthy) long-term relationship.
“A love-at-first-bite kind of romance that I can definitely see evolving into a (healthy) long-term relationship.”
The longer we embrace the WFH life, the more we learn to celebrate the small wins –whether you put on real pants, made your bed, went outside today or made time for a good breakfast – recognizing these small wins is what we’re am all about these days. Daily Harvest can be that small win – one good choice you can make for yourself, that makes you feel good. Read on for all the ways that Daily Harvest became the small win I could not only count on, but actually look forward to.
Photo: Courtesy of Daily Harvest
Win #1: Healthy, Clean – and Sustainable
Okay – that’s technically three wins. Daily Harvest chefs and nutritionists craft recipes that are both delicious and free of refined sugars, gluten, fillers, preservatives or artificial anything. Every recipe is built on organic fruits and vegetables and crafted into delicious food that is actually good for you. The company invests their resources into reducing food waste, prioritizing organic farming practices, and going the extra mile for 100% compostable + recyclable packaging made from plant-based, renewable fiber that break down naturally instead of sitting in a landfill for thousands of years.
Daily Harvest freezes its ingredients at peak ripeness to lock in nutrition and taste. For example, cauliflower retains 50% more antioxidants when frozen the day of harvest versus refrigerated options three days after harvest, and berries frozen the day of harvest retain 200% more vitamin c than fresh berries just three days after harvest.
Win #2: Convenient, One Step Prep
Whether you're juggling way more than you planned, tired of cooking or just need to take the night off — Daily Harvest is delivered straight to your door and ready in minutes for when you need it most, so you can have your time back for the things you need it for the most.
Everything takes only one step to prep. Just blend, soak or heat according to the instructions, and enjoy. Little prep, no mess! They’re so quick that my coworkers (incorrectly) assumed I hit the pause button in the middle of my work day to prepare myself an impressive lunch.
Their latest launch, Mylk is a non-dairy milk made with almonds, pink sea salt and sometimes vanilla bean. It comes in super convenient frozen single serving wedges (each order makes 8, 8-ounce servings). Choose how much you want to make and it can be used with other Daily Harvest food like Smoothies, Lattes, Oat and Chia Bowls. Or, if you’re like me and have ever gone to make your morning coffee only to realize you didn't have any milk or creamer, Mylk is the ultimate one size fits all solution: convenient. It’s always on hand when you need it and ready in seconds, so no more last-minute sprints to the grocery store!
Win #3: Incredibly Delicious
One of my favorite parts about Daily Harvest is the assortment of offerings for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every snack in between (over 80 recipes, to be exact). I spent a week weaving different dishes into my existing routine. Some of my standout favorites are the Vanilla Bean + Apple Chia Bowl (tip: think breakfast, and beyond – this also makes for a great dessert), the Butternut Squash + Kale Shakshuka Harvest Bowl for those packed mornings where lunch feels far away, Tomatillo + Pepper Flatbread for a quick and healthy dinner, and Espresso Bean + Tahini Bites for a fun mid-meal snack (or an after dinner digestif).
Not only did Daily Harvest make me happier, healthier, and more productive during my workweek, it proved to me that nourishing and convenient food can taste pretty incredible too.
Get $25 off your first box of Daily Harvest with code CREATECULTIVATE
The C&C Team Swears By These Wellness Products for Staying Healthy and Focused at the Office
Calling all cubicle-bound.
This post is in paid partnership with OLLY.
Photo: Smith House Photo
Most of us work too hard—it’s just a fact. According to a recent study, the average full-time employee works 47 hours a week (yes, that’s 7 hours more than the standard 40). On top of that, four out of five of us eat our lunch at our desks without stepping away from our screens. And, to top it all off, we only put 54% of our paid vacation days to good use. Look, we get it—it can feel near impossible to prioritize self-care when you’re trying to get to inbox zero, reply to every Slack message, and hit those tight deadlines.
So, in the interest of multi-tasking and seeking ways we can take a moment for ourselves without leaving our desks (hey, baby steps, right?), we partnered with our friends at OLLY and asked our Create & Cultivate team to share the wellness products they swear by for staying healthy and focused at the office—and our colleagues did not disappoint. Spanning stress-reducing gummies to glow-inducing collagen peptides, these are the products that our co-workers here at C&C HQ keep stocked in their desk drawers at all times.
Keep scrolling to find out how you too can squeeze in a moment of self-care during your 9-5.
Maeve Casey, Account Manager
My Office Self-Care Staple Is: OLLY Daily Energy
It’s My 9-to-5 Go-to Because: I’m not a coffee drinker and sometimes I need a little pick-me-up to give me that extra boost of energy. I take this every morning for sustained energy throughout the day. Olly Daily Energy gummies do just that while tasting amazing.
OLLY Daily Energy
$13.99
Alyssa Sage, Marketing Manager
My Office Self-Care Staple Is: OLLY Goodbye Stress
It’s My 9-to-5 Go-to Because: Who isn’t stressed out these days? These gummies are my go-to during an especially busy work week, or when I’m traveling for an event. They’re extremely calming and help me crush through my heavy workload days.
OLLY Goodbye Stress
$13.99
Carly Johnson, Sr. Director, Brand Marketing
My Office Self-Care Staple Is: OLLY Collagen Gummy Rings
It’s My 9-to-5 Go-to Because: I am always open to testing different skincare regimens that could potentially help prevent aging and these Collagen Gummy Rings are my newest obsession. They do their part to eliminate fine lines and wrinkles but if I am being completely honest, they are absolutely delicious, too.
OLLY Collagen Gummy Rings
$19.99
Sacha Strebe, Editorial Director
My Office Self-Care Staple Is: OLLY Active Immunity Berry Brave
It’s My 9-to-5 Go-to Because: We are always on the go—when one show ends another one begins. This delicious gummy vitamin is my savior because it keeps my immunity in check so that when life gets tough, I get even tougher.
OLLY Active Immunity Berry Brave
$13.99
Nairi Najarian, Sr. Director, Digital Marketing
My Office Self-Care Staple Is: OLLY Sleep
It’s My 9-to-5 Go-to Because: Our team clocks a lot of miles when traveling coast-to-coast to all the amazing cities that graciously host our conferences and summits. We have the ATX Pop-Up in March and our Beauty Summit in New York this May, so packing my OLLY Sleep gummies inside my carry-on is my must before a flight. They definitely mellow and calm my mind down, so I can rest up and catch some much-needed zzzs before the next stop!
OLLY Sleep
$13.99
Cierra White, Talent & Sales Coordinator
My Office Self-Care Staple Is: OLLY Glowing Skin
It’s My 9-to-5 Go-to Because: Every day is the perfect day to put your best face forward. OLLY’s Glowing Skin helps me do just that with its perfect mixture of hyaluronic acid, collagen, and sea buckthorn. I not only feel good but my skin looks good! That’s why Glowing Skin is my go-to!
OLLY Glowing Skin
$13.99
Megan Beauchamp, Managing Editor
My Office Self-Care Staple Is: OLLY Goodbye Stress
It’s My 9-to-5 Go-to Because: When I’m on deadline, these stress-relieving gummies help bring down my cortisol levels without compromising my ability to focus, which is exactly the mindset I need to be in to get the job done. Plus, they taste just like berries (always a plus!).
OLLY Goodbye Stress
$13.99
Neha Kumar, Chief Operating Officer
My Office Self-Care Staple Is: OLLY Undeniable Beauty
It’s My 9-to-5 Go-to Because: A few months after having my baby, I experienced extreme hair loss. I started taking these supplements and I now swear by them. My hair is much fuller and radiant.
OLLY Undeniable Beauty
$13.99
Create & Cultivate 100: Health & Wellness: Lalah Delia
“Our inner power and higher compass know the way.”
In a world where burnout is officially recognized by the World Health Organization, we need more people like Lalah Delia to help us bring back to balance. The author, spiritual writer, and wellness educator has been a force in the self-care space encouraging and empowering us all to mindfully care for ourselves with her Vibrate Higher Daily platform.
Delia believes that our vibration governs how we show up in the world and how we perceive it, too—it’s how we step into our power and show up for ourselves. This message really resonated with our attendees at the Create & Cultivate Self Care Summit and one quote stood out in particular: “When we remember who we are, the game changes.” That’s the kind of motivation we want to take with us into this new decade.
Read on to learn more about Delia’s mission, how her work is helping people to maneuver through the stress and reach bliss on the other side with grace and joy.
CREATE & CULTIVATE: You help people vibrate higher daily, so they can live a higher vibrational life on all levels—Can you tell us more about your mission? Why did you decide to create your own wellness company? What are you doing there?
LALAH DELIA: So much of the programming and daily structures in the world are taking our power away. My mission is to inspire people to vibrate higher daily, remember who they are, and to live their power. I created Vibrate Higher Daily to offer a reminder of another way of being in the world. One, that wasn't usually being promoted. We have to have a path and way of honoring our vibration because on a cellular level, that's who we are. We are wondrous vibrating cells. We are vibrational beings in need of a better way to live a higher-vibrational life. And that's what I offer with my brand, and in my new book, Vibrate Higher Daily, Live Your Power.
You're a classic multihyphenate—author, spiritual writer, spiritual creative, wellness educator, and certified spiritual practitioner—How do you navigate between all of these mediums and careers? What have you learned in following your creative passions over "staying in your lane"? What advice can you share for other women who want to make a pivot in their careers?
Navigating with these titles to me is more about integrating them. The message is the same. It's all connected, the same, and not different. It's the same message working through various vessels within my life. This posture has created a sense of wholeness for me. Integrate yourself. Take up more space with the abundance of your experiences and gifts.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?
I love myself through it. This self-caring mindfulness supports me in pivoting in a better direction. And from there, I take all the time I need to learn, grow through it, and readjust my sails.
“When you move through fear and resistance, new strength and resilience that you never knew you had, takes control.”
Starting your own business is different from making a career pivot—What have been some of the biggest challenges? What has surprised you the most about launching a company? Why?
The biggest challenge thus far was hands down, making myself go for it, starting. Each new unfolding is the same. The 'birthing pains' of creating and launching a new project or offering into the world are real because fear and resistance are there blocking the door until that is, you take your power back, inhale courage, exhale doubt, and move through the fear anyway.
The thing that has surprised me the most about launching a company is that when you move through fear and resistance, new strength and resilience that you never knew you had, takes control. And as you surrender to it, it guides you to accomplish your mission and goals. Our inner-power and higher compass know the way. Being in alignment and in flow with this inner and higher awareness is essential.
You've had a lot of press around your work from Glamour magazine to MindBodyGreen and you've even been including panels including Create & Cultivate Self Care Summit—How did you secure this press and buzz around your brand? How has this been beneficial to the growth and awareness around your brand? Why?
It's honestly all been organic. Every opportunity landed in my lap, like a sweet blessing. The buzz and press that I've generated, I hugely believe, is from 'vibrating in my power'. Which I teach how to do throughout my new book. I've remained true to my purpose and mission, and haven't folded under pressure or failures. And this creates strong vibrational magnetism around one's self.
People can sense and feel when your work and message are real, pure, and from the heart; it's a welcoming frequency that invites people and opportunities in. This can be relayed in the press through your passion, confidence, insightfulness, joy, and love for your work.
The filtered world of social media often hides a lot of the hard work and hustle behind-the-scenes—what is the reality of being an entrepreneur in the wellness space today? How hard is it? What are some of the challenges? Why?
For me, there's a lot of mindful caring for myself and my nervous system. Due to the amount of output of my work, my energy can become depleted if I'm not careful. This is not a bad thing, it's just how any operating thing works. So I journey in grace there and honor this. We all need moments of reprieve, rejuvenation, and restoration. And for me, this looks nothing like stereotypical branded wellness.
This was a challenge for me at first because it all looked so good, even cool. But sooner or later, my mind, soul, and body were requiring and thriving from much more in-depth, yet simple, wellness work than creamy lattes, facials, yummy smoothies, and quick drop-in yoga classes. My reality was that I had to find my own best soul medicine. And I had to create a daily routine and workflow that allowed myself room to adjust and tweak where and when necessary. I had to find what brings me home to myself.
Can you recall a specific mistake you made in your career/business and share what you learned from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?
Yes! I once entered into an investment and contract without knowing about putting in a termination clause to terminate the agreement by a specific time if I was unhappy with the outcome. This was a huge, long, and expensive lesson. Nowadays, I redline contracts and add any necessary clauses. I took my power back. Whew!
Wellness is integral to improving your mental health and self-love—Can you explain how we can all integrate more wellness into our lives to achieve a higher mental and physical state of health/wellbeing? What advice do you have for women struggling with finding their own confidence and self-love?
If we're not mindful, we can become too rigid in our thoughts and perceptions, and stuck in outdated patterns, spirals, or loops, that don't serve us. So to that, be mindful of not being too hard on your lovely self and journey in grace. Vibrate higher from wherever you find yourself, daily. Love yourself through whatever you go through. And remember that vibrating higher daily is how you take your power back. Do more of what makes you vibrate higher.
What is the best advice you have been given? Or a favorite piece of #realtalk? Why?
One of my teachers told me, ‘Look at the world each day as one big hospital and choose whether you're going to be the doctor or the patient.’
Success is such a broad term and it means something different to everyone—How do you define success? What traits do you need to succeed today?
Meaningful success to me is waking up each day as a vessel and doing what I love with honor, integrity, and higher purpose, and in return, being able to help others and support and provide for myself well. In order to succeed, it takes having a purpose, vision, a sure goal, resilience, courage, determination, self-discipline, honor, integrity, and not folding when it's too challenging, fearful, and unknown. It also takes having a powerful and effective support system to lean and depend on when necessary.
“Our inner power and higher compass know the way.”
What is the #1 piece of advice you'd like women to know when starting out or building a business? Why
These words from my book: ‘She remembered who she was, and the game changed.’ Whatever you experience on the path, remembering who you are and why you started, is how you take your power back, and it's how you live in your highest worth.
What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. This book is essential reading because until we truly get and honor how our mind operates and how we can take control of it, we live a life that is controlled by external and internal forces, cycles, and thought patterns that don't serve us.
Now it's my new book, Vibrate Higher Daily, Live Your Power. The information in this book saved, enhanced, and transformed my life, mindset, health, and career for the better. I cracked a code, simplified it, and wrote about it all in this book, so it can support readers as much as it has supported me and carried me through to this day.
Photographer: Jenna Peffley
Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 HEALTH & WELLNESS LIST HERE.
Should You Switch to Cold Brew?
99 problems but your coffee ain’t one.
You’ve been drinking piping hot coffee since your lips first tasted the joys of java. But it might be time for a switch. Why? One, change is good. It’s about to be summer and chances are, a cold-brew will do your body good. And yes, it’s oh-so-refreshing on a humid summer day.
Beyond that, we’re sharing some of our favorite reasons to make the switch to Chameleon Cold-Brew. First up, it lasts the day long…
THAT’S RIGHT, COFFEE LOVERS, YOU CAN SIP ON IT ALL DAY
Cold-brew coffee is already, well, cold. You don’t have to worry about reheating it and dealing with that bitter aftertaste. Instead, go cold.
IT’S LESS ACIDIC THAN HOT BREWED COFFEE
If you’re having a bit of tummy trouble with hot coffee, it would be worthwhile to make the switch. Sources report that cold-brew may have up to 67% less acid than traditional brewing methods.
If you switch to cold brew, you got 99 problems but your coffee ain’t one.
KNOW WHERE YOUR COFFEE COMES FROM
What you put in your body is important to you-- so why should your coffee be any different? Chameleon Cold- Brew is committed to organic, premium and sustainably sourced cold-brew coffee. At Chameleon all green coffee purchases are cupped by a licensed Q grader and scored as a specialty grade, above 80pts using Specialty Coffee Association cupping protocol. To find out more about their coffee quality, spot sourcing, and organic certification click here and know what you’re drinking.
YOUR PALATE WILL LOVE IT
WIth cold-brew you tend to get the best tasting coffee in the world. OK, OK. That might be subjective to individual taste buds, but the lack of heat helps extract the original flavor of the beans. You know, that bitter taste that we add cream and sugar to avoid.
Bonus: you might end up using less sugar and cream, which is a benefit to your body overall.
REDUCE YOUR RISK OF SLEEP PROBLEMS
You shouldn’t drink any caffeine before bed, but on average cold brew contains around 20% less caffeine per 100 grams that other brew methods. According to the Huffington Post, “Caffeine is soluble in water, and the hotter the water used to brew coffee, the more caffeine is extracted ― meaning you get more caffeine out of the beans and into your coffee.”
YOUR NEXT CUP IS ONLY A BOTTLE AWAY
We know your type. Your morning cuppa is on your mind when you hit the hay at night. And with the 32oz Coffee Concentrates, you can enjoy coffee your way, first thing in the morning. No time wasted waiting for it to brew. And the results are in, people l-o-v-e the Chameleon Cold-Brew Concentrate. It’s certified organic, fully customizable: Enjoy it hot or iced, black or creamy, sweet or bold. Using a 1:1 ratio, add your favorite mix-in. It’s just coffee, water, and natural flavor.
So, let us know. Are you ready to make the switch?
MORE FROM THE BLOG
Forget Your #SadDeskSalad: This Week Do This Instead
Hey you lean, green big-brained machine.
Eating greens makes green. Seriously. Your brain and body are fueled by the vitamins, and antioxidant-rich, superfoods you put in your body. And the more productive/creative/boss you are, the better your career.
Part of getting your life in order is making sure that you eat lunch. Every. Single. Day. People always talk about the benefits of eating breakfast, but that lunchtime slump is no joke. A healthy lunch will keep your energy up (yup!!) and concentration on point.
But you don’t have to pack a sad desk salad.
Get your lunch in order with a Mason Jar Salad. Don’t know how? Well we checked in with our healthy friends at organicgirl to get some tips on how to pack a super smart mason jar salad for lunch to help you eat well, be well and dominate your work week.
Order is the word of the day.
You keep your inbox in order. Same goes for your mason jar salad.
First things first, fill the bottom of your jar with a fresh, delicious salad dressing. This ensures that your salad doesn’t get soggy as you charge through morning meetings and conference calls. organicgirl has so many delicious options. Our favorites include: Kale Parmesan (which gives you the double dose of putting greens on your greens), Lemon Agave (which is the only the only fresh vinaigrette on the market made with an entire lemon and touch of blue agave nectar), or get a little funky with White Cheddar, because everyone loves a hearty treat sometimes (especially when that treat is only 60 calories per 2 tablespoons).
Next, add in a grain or a protein, like farro, which is high in fiber, protein, and is a good source of antioxidants. On this layer, you could also toss in ingredients that taste yummy after marinating. Think: apples, radishes, celery! The crunchy bits.
Next come your fixings: Nuts, dried fruits, and cheese nibbles. Anything you want to stay dry before you shake up your jar (and shake off your crazy morning).
The following ingredients will help boost that brain.
Blueberries. Toss blueberries into a Mason Jar Salad (you can add these last to keep them from getting smashed) for a high dose of antioxidants and phytochemicals.
Beets. They’ll give your salad a little sweet as well as improve blood flow to the brain with their naturally-occurring nitrates.
Walnuts. Almonds are often credited as the go-to desk snack, but overlooked walnuts (that also kind of look like mini brains) are full of omega-3s. Your brain needs this high-quality fat to function properly. So go nuts.
Finally, top it all with the leafy greens. organicgirl has so many options when it comes to rad leafy greens and when it comes to salads you know it’s all about that (leafy green) base.
Leafy greens contain many benefits that you might already know, but were you aware that kale, spinach, and the newest organicgirl salad, butter, plus! are rich in iron? Studies have shown that an iron-deficiency affects your learning, memory, and attention.
Give it an A+
Butter Plus is rich in iron for your memory and attention!
Or that leafy greens are good for gut health? Studies have shown that good gut health boosts your energy levels and improves your mood and mental health!
Kelly LeVeque, Health Coach, Holistic Nutritionist and founder of Be Well by Kelly, says “I have a personal goal to eat greens at every meal and recommend my clients do the same. Leafy greens are loaded with significant levels of vitamin A, C, K and B6, folate, magnesium and zinc, they are a superstar for gut health because they contain sulfoquinovose, a sugar that feeds healthy gut bacteria and fiber to promote detoxification and they are my secret weapon for glowing skin. I don't go a day without my Fab Four Smoothie, my formula includes a handful of greens in every morning smoothie – organicgirl’s SUPERGREENS are my favorite.”
Want an extra boost of protein? The sweet pea greens from organicgirl are also a great source of plant based protein - packing 5 grams of protein per package. Protein is great for keeping concentration, focus and energy levels up. Helping you say goodbye to that post lunch slump!
Personally, we’d opt for: I heart baby kale (to make sure you kale your afternoon pitch) or Super Spinach, which blends baby spinach, with bok choy and baby kale, to create a trifecta of the top nutritional greens to help you knock your day out of the park.
Here’s a recipe with organicgirl SUPERGREENS to help get you started – your career will thank you.
Image Source: organicgirl and @kirstensansom.
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'Fast & Casual' sweetgreen Is Creating a Sustainable Culture
The healthy fast food co. is kale-ing it.
VP of Brand, Farryn Weiner.
Building healthier communities isn't the type of lofty goal you’d expect out of a “fast food” company. But that's exactly what sweetgreen, the healthy fast casual company started in 2007, is all about. They are committed to changing the way people think about food and having a positive impact on the food system.
The company has five core values, something that VP of Marketing & Brand, Farryn Weiner calls her “North Star.” From keeping it real to making an impact, it’s how they cultivate culture and a work environment that requires all team members to take leadership roles.
Collaborating on a salad with Kendrick Lamar-- they’ve done it. Organizing run meetups via Twitter. Yep. They’re on it. They have education programs and music festivals, like the upcoming sweetlife festival taking place this May. With headliners like Blondie, Grimes, and Flume, the company is building on the universality of food and music. Or as Farryn says, “music and food have an uncanny way of sparking connections, and that’s really what we’re all about.” There is no idea too big or too small to be brought to their table.
We checked in with Farryn to find out how and why she got involved with sweetgreen (it involves taking a literal “leap”), what the “sweetlife” means to her, and the three questions she always asks herself before joining a company.
Can you tell us a little about yourself, how you came to work for sweetgreen, and how its office culture is different than what you’ve experienced in the past?
I met the sweetgreen founders skydiving in Utah and immediately got to know them and the brand. I was drawn to the idea of passion x purpose, obsessed with the mission, and knew I could tell a great story and help make the world a better place by coming to work here. For me, there are three key questions I ask myself before joining any organization:
Are there leaders I can learn from?
Is there a compelling story to tell?
- Is the company solving a problem and therefore, positioned for growth?
sweetgreen provided a resounding yes to all these questions. We’re really in a position to change the way people think about food. We can make healthy eating accessible and help people understand the food system — that’s a huge opportunity, and a huge responsibility.
In terms of culture, everyone at sweetgreen is a leader, and great things are expected of every single person. We’re a growing company but for us, growth is about our higher-order principles and ensuring we can build the kind of company we can be proud of. We think more about our people pipeline than our real estate pipeline. If we don’t have access to the right supply network or people, we will alter our pace of growth to solve those problems so we can execute the right way and be true to our mission. In other words, we think about how to multiply talent and cultivate leaders, and that drives our growth. Growth isn’t about a number, it’s more qualitative and development-focused.
sweetgreen is founded on five core values. Can you talk a bit about making decisions that last longer than you, and why this is a important business model?
Jon, Nic, and Nate developed our five core values in the early days of sweetgreen, and we live by them to this day. Every decision we make, from hiring and real estate to community and food prep, goes through the filter of the core values, and they’re a gut-check to make sure we’re doing the right thing and building an impact brand. We have a perspective and we stand for something — that’s what today’s consumers are looking for, and it’s how we’ve always operated.
Thinking sustainably is one of these core values, and it’s about making decisions that will benefit the company and the community for the long haul. We’re inspiring healthier communities, and thinking sustainably is a big part of that. We take a holistic view of health that includes everything from healthy eating to fitness to education and building community. We connect the dots, we focus on the root cause, and we solve real problems that have a real impact.
What lessons have you learned from working with sweetgreen?
Always have a north star, and rally your teams around it. Having our core values is so intrinsic to our success as a brand. They drive our focus and execution, which builds momentum and fosters growth and development. It’s so simple, yet so powerful.
"Always have a north star, and rally your teams around it."
Tweet this.
How important is collaboration when it comes to creativity within the office?
Collaboration is at the core of what we do — we operate very cross-functionally and non-linearly. This year, we restructured the organization around our key imperatives; every single person at every level has a leadership obligation to drive the business. We’re always testing and learning to understand how to make the sweetgreen experience more seamless and inspiring for team members and customers alike. We have a strong respect of the brand and its mission, and there’s partnership across functions and levels — we’re all here to build a great company and change the way people think about food.
How does sweetgreen choose its collaborations? What goes on in those meetings?
We look for partners that combine style and substance — we’ve collaborated on salads with Dan Barber and Kendrick Lamar because they’ve given us an opportunity to talk about nutrition in a fun way that transcends impact and is authentic to who we are and what we stand for.
People hear fast food and healthy is not top of mind— or on their mind at all. How are you working to change that thinking?
The rise of fast food compromised nutrition for convenience, so “healthy” and “fast” were mutually exclusive for a while. But we’re part of a movement to make healthy eating more mainstream — it’s what today’s consumers crave and demand from food businesses. People are busy, but they want to eat well and be healthy; we’re making that possible.
Along those lines, “sustainable” and “fast” are not always synonymous. How does sweetgreen mitigate being a “fast” food company playing the slow, long, sustainable game?
It’s all about the supply network you build, and we’ve worked hard to build a strong one. We do things differently, and we don’t take the easy route — it’s not easy to source sustainably, but we’re committed to doing so and supporting local food economies.
What does “living the sweet life” mean to you?
For me, there is no “work life balance” — I believe in finding a life you love, inclusive of friends, career, travel, etc. I’ve always wanted to work in an entrepreneurial environment, see the world and apply the lessons I learned around the globe to my career to help me tell better stories for the brand I work on. My sweetlife is a world where all these things coexist, and I bring a lot of energy to all of it.
You’ve written about doing “better than your best,” how do you bring this attitude into sweetgreen’s culture and messaging?
At sweetgreen, how we strive for excellence in everything we do, from sourcing to healthy recipes to leadership. We bring energy to our work to build momentum and work toward our mission. To that end, I’m constantly challenging people around me to do more and better than they think they can. And as the team is moving a million miles an hour on a handful of very different projects, I push the team to be very proud of everything we do, from an email to the sweetlife festival announcement. We have a lean team, so there’s a lot of accountability - we all own our domains, if we don’t take the best care of our channels, who will? We like to say that we “only do dope” — if it’s less than dope, it won’t go out the door.
"We like to say that we 'only do dope' — if it’s less than dope, it won’t go out the door."
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How much fun is it to work at sweetgreen? (Because it seems really fun.)
To be able to wake up and do what you love is one thing, to be able to wake up and do what you love and make a difference is that much sweeter. We’re part of a movement to change the way people think about food and make the world a better place, and that’s a really exciting and fun position to be in.
Arianna Schioldager is Create & Cultivate's editorial director. You can find her on IG @ariannawrotethis and more about her at www.ariannawrotethis.com