The more beautiful business our heart knows is possible

I’ve wrestled with this for quite some time – a feeling that I’ve been made for a different world, a world that has time for beauty, time for connection, time for conversation, time for understanding, time for each other and time to build- rather than to tear down, isolate, medicate and control.

My being doesn’t seem to fit the world that I’ve been educated to partake in. I chased banking bottom-lines for a couple of years (the target changing arbitrarily yet incessantly year-on-year), nor did I particularly thrive during my time in consulting where I was left to ‘optimise’ businesses that were doing such damage to the planet and placate leaders with zero EQ that treated people like dispensable resources, the consulting business model (billable hours) too was so at odds with my desire to nurture and build a family and a community that I often felt like I was selling my soul.

They say rather than fighting the old, one should build something new which makes the old obsolete, so I decided to do just that (understanding full well what a privilege this in fact was, many in this country can’t see or think further than their next pay-cheques).

I decided to build a business where my privilege could be used to create a world of inclusivity, connection, understanding and setting out to heal people and the planet. Getting back to the basics, building solutions and lifestyles of permanence and trusting nature and our bodies more than the system has conditioned us to do. I have a belief that those in our society who seem the most well adjusted are in fact the ones who are most disconnected from themselves, this planet and each other and walk around numb to the pain and wounds around them.

Therefore, the business that was ultimately built – Rush Nutrition- places Purpose as paramount with a strong understanding of our Values. This understanding has allowed us to say no to many of the things I felt I would have been pressured to say yes to in my previous life. We’ve said no to plastic which cost us an Investor. We’ve said no to placing dubious ingredients in our products which has cost us export opportunities. We’ve said no to toxic people which has cost us money.*

There have of course been times I haven’t said no – that amazing work trip to Amsterdam which cost me a full breast-feeding journey with my daughter, the times we’ve sponsored events from a place of ego which has placed unnecessary stress on the business elsewhere, the times retailers have pushed out our payment terms and I’ve been too scared to say no in case we lost their business, but by in large we’ve been able to intentionally build a business guided strongly by the mantra of ‘’turning the tide on disease.’’

A business whose purpose is to heal and give a platform to – the communities it sources its ingredients from, the skilled and passionate individuals who work tirelessly to realise the shared vision of the company, the brands we assist in bringing to life and the tribe who supports us. It hasn’t been easy, particularly this past year and I can see how quickly one can slip back into the modes and methods of the world of stress and comparison – particularly when you become pressured to monitor your bottom line.

The jury is still out on whether we can survive a system that values competition over collaboration, size over simplicity, and deep pockets over shallow ones but we hope that we create a template for a more inclusive, connected and conscious way of doing business in a small and meaningful way.

The obstacles are real with gloom and despair close. Toxic people and situations test your resolve. And cynicism messes with your mind. But when you truly believe in what you seek to create, and bow fully into the service of something better and more beautiful – the gloom, despair, toxicity and cynicism are easier obstacles to overcome.

So, if you have ambitions and dreams to build a business – particularly in the food space – differently please reach out, we’d love to hear your story, encourage you and see how best we can support you in bringing those dreams to life.

‘’It isn’t easy- but if it were- everyone would be doing it.” We hope to make it a bit easier so that everyone can be doing it!

*As an aside many of these no’s were also influenced by a gut feeling that they were not right for us and again my belief is that we need to give our guts and ourselves a lot more credit in decisions and not dismiss them as illogical or emotional.