The Juice Standard’s COO and co-founder dishes on her juicy passion, the tunes that make the company sing and how you never EVER ask a mom-preneur to pick her fave store.
All About The Co-Founder
I grew up in…Oregon and Arizona but I finished and continued my education in Vegas, which is one more reason why Vegas is home.
I used to live in…Yuma (yes: that podunk Arizona town by the border where the only thing to do is get in trouble in Mexico), and I moved here to stay in…1996. What sparked the change was…family, and the booming economy Vegas had to offer.
In my experience, the biggest misconception about living in Las Vegas is…that we all work/live/play on the Strip. Couldn’t be further from the truth. The only time I’m there is when someone is visiting and we are “playing tourist.”
(…but, the thing I secretly love most about living here is…) the sudden blossom of local business and the local love and support of people who are trying to make a difference, one square foot at a time.
My expertise spans motherhood, culinary operational standards, and entrepreneurship; but when I was little, I *really* wanted to be…a gymnast. I remember watching a movie about Nadia Comăneci and seeing Mary Lou Retton and later Dominique Dawes (1996). I remember wanting to choreograph my own floor routine and practicing in my living room.
My daily mantra or “quote to live by” is…“Remember: It all works out in the end.”
What motivates me out of bed in the morn is…the fact that I get to do what I love, which is to help people.
If I had to pick a theme song for The Juice Standard it would be…Hakuna Matata from Lion King (LOL). Or maybe What A Feeling from Flashdance.
A hidden talent of mine that gets people giggling when they find out I can do is…karaoke. But maybe they are giggling because it’s not really a talent. (LOL)
DON’T get me started talking about…bees or the golden ratio because we could be here for days.
Every day I strive to…be better than I was yesterday.
The health habit I’m most teased about is…washing my hands and reminding others to do the same…especially after they are on their phones. In a word: Eww.
Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate. Dark, preferably, because it’s good for the heart.
The Boss’ Jobs
When people ask about my job at The Juice Standard and what we do every day, I tell them…I help people feel better.
The charity I hold deepest to my heart is…March of Dimes, because I was there with two preemie babies in the NICU and remember the daily struggles and fears as a new mom.
The perk I enjoy most about being my own boss is…the flexible schedule.
The best advice I enjoy giving to female professionals is…don’t listen to anyone negative. Believe in yourself and go for it!
The best advice I’ve ever received was…learn not to take anything personally. No one is doing [x-thing] to me.
The number one thing I’d tell my younger self is…well, there are two things: Travel more, and yes…you will do something awesome!
Something that scares me is…my kids growing up and my somehow missing it.
Something I do that people say is scary is…go back and re-read about my so-called “hidden talent.” (LOL)
If I could go anywhere tomorrow, I’d so be on a plane to…a beach. Any tropical beach would do, where I could sink my toes in the sand, listen to the waves crash and hear the laughter of my children in the background as they make sand castles.
My top-three goals for TJS are…to create a product with standards (see what I did there?) that truly makes it better than all the rest; to raise awareness about the importance of organic farming, cooking and eating; and to raise awareness and motivate people to help save the bees!
The very best part of me is…my sense of humor! I love to laugh and make others laugh, too!
The one food that’s so good for me that I wish I loved more is…honestly, I really love all fruits and veggies.
True or false: Answering the “Of-your-two-locations-which-one-is-your-favorite-location” question is like naming your favorite child. You just don’t do it. True…and, impossible. Both hold very dear spots in my heart and each is very different.
(So, we’ve gotta ask: OF your two locations, which is your fave. [wink]) LOL! I plead the 5th.
And of your kids, who’s your fave? (Double wink.) I’ll actually answer that one: I’m one of those people who can actually and honestly say I do not have a favorite. When the twins were born I saw Damian go blue and they had to resuscitate him. For a couple of years I had this strange connection to him, but I think it was more a fear of losing him than anything else. It faded though, thank goodness, and now I just love them all very differently.
(The Humble Bee: Wow. Didn’t think you’d touch that with a 10-footer. Brave. Honest. We love it.)
The most rewarding thing about founding The Juice Standard has been…hearing the customers speak so highly of us. I’m so proud to be part of something that makes peoples’ lives better.
Something that goes unreported in the media about cold-pressed juice that I just WISH I could straighten out is…the back-and forth attitude about whether organic is legitimate. If it’s not organic, it’s just not worth it.
In my opinion, the biggest misconception about juicing is…that all cold- pressed juice is the same. It’s not. Juice that’s preserved using the HPP process has up to a 6-week shelf life. YUCK! How fresh is that?
In my opinion, the most challenging thing about starting a juice company in Las Vegas has been…sourcing organic produce. But we did it. And we continue to do it. So when a company claims it “presses organic when possible,” it is full of shit!
In our humblebee-bumble opinion, what truly sets The Juice Standard from the rest is…our standards. We have them, and they’re high. Which is why we wouldn’t press watermelon until mid-May despite the call for our fan-favorite watermelon-cucumber-lemon juice, Bee Chill. Organic watermelons weren’t ready yet, so we waited. It was worth it.
True or False: Some days I could just SWEAR I feel a little chunk of pulp in my hair…but then I realize I don’t have to make juice at home anymore because I own two juice bars. TRUE! But then I look on my ceiling and there it is a pinkish-purple reminder that beets stain and I really should paint.
Gal On Juice
The first time I realized I loved cold-pressed juice was…when I started making it myself.
Today, I drink it because…I don’t have time to chew that much produce.
This is how often I do cleanses and when we like to do them: Seasonally, to help curb any bad cravings and get back on my health track.
The one veggie I can’t stand in a juice is…I’m not sure, but I probably woudn’t care for juiced okra.
My kids were 3 years old when they started drinking green juice, and they were 4 years old when they realized they liked it. (That’s also when they realized there were things in their juice that they didn’t like but they still drank it.)
My best advice for getting kids to try new foods is…don’t force them to eat it all. They just have to eat one bite, and each time you make a new dish (or the same one), just have them try it. Eventually they will like it, they just have to acquire the taste.
When I’m not drinking TJS juice, my favorite cocktail is…Champagne or a beautiful vintage imported red wine.
What made me know I wanted juice as a part of my healthy lifestyle was…when my kids became picky eaters and I had to sneak in produce.
When people ask, I tell them my fave TJS flave is…oh, it’s impossible to say! It’s like asking me which kid is my favorite and we’ve pretty much covered that. (LOL)
The funniest thing that ever happened to me while drinking juice OR when I was on a cleanse was…when it went down the wrong pipe and out my nose.
When people see me drink green juice and give me a face, I want to tell them…to go do a juice tasting! TJS offers complimentary ones to anyone who asks!
My advice to a newbee juicer is…work your way up to the greens.
I respect my partner Jamie because…without her vision and sense of style, TJS wouldn’t be what it is today.