The Business Of Micro Greens Authentic Business Adventures podcast

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The Business of Micro Greens

1d ago 1:05:58

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Jessi Ricci - New Life Greens On Being Present: "It's definitely life changing when you put your phone down for a meal." In the mad rush that is our world, we often take for granted some important things. Some of those things are nutrition, flavor, time spent with friends enjoying a great meal. Celebrating the gift of life that we have instead of just rushing through it. Jessi Ricci started New Life Greens, partly as a way to help people enjoy life. In the food they eat and the people they share the experience with. At only 19 years old, she is already a successful entrepreneur. In this inspiring conversation, Jessi Ricci opens up about how her dream of becoming an environmental science teacher at UW Madison took an unexpected detour when a part-time job at an aquaponic farm introduced her to the world of microgreens. From those first nervous meetings with chefs, armed with living trays of fresh greens, to building relationships with supportive mentors and her own family, Jessi Ricci reveals how authenticity, faith, and hustle fueled her success. Listen as Jessi details what she has learned and how she has made New Life Greens a success. Enjoy! Visit Jessi at: https://www.newlifegreensco.com/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 "Microgreens: Nutrient-Dense Seedlings" 06:43 "Helping Mike Sell Microgreens" 14:19 "Choosing Business Over College" 16:58 "Defying Expectations as a Woman" 23:29 "Smooth LLC Transition Thanks Mike" 28:12 "Back Door Delivery Reflections" 35:57 "Grateful for Restaurant Connections" 40:55 "Living an Unexpected Dream" 45:45 "Intentional Dining and Presence" 49:51 "Local Restaurants Embrace Teen's Microgreens" 54:07 Blind Tasting Microgreens Experience 01:02:04 "New Life Through Faith & Food" Sponsors: Live Video chat with our customers here with LiveSwitch: https://join.liveswitch.com/gfj3m6hnmguz Some videos have been recorded with Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=james-kademan Podcast Transcription: Jessi Ricci [00:00:00]: And I, like, came in with plants for them, like an alive plant and a cut plant. And I really do not feel like I'm pushy. I just really believe in my product, and I think it speaks for itself. Like, I don't need to talk to them. I can leave them these microgreens, and they speak for themselves. So I'll come in. Jessi Ricci [00:00:19]: And bring my price sheets and everything and a live tray of greens. Like an alive plant of greens, some cut product and. And talk to them. Just show it to them, have them eat it. And they're like, whoa, this is so flavorful. James Kademan [00:00:36]: You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link found at drawincustomers.com we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie and today we are welcoming slash, preparing to learn from Jessi Ricci of New Life Greens. So, Jessi, how is it going today? Jessi Ricci [00:01:00]: I am doing great. How are you? James Kademan [00:01:02]: I am doing well. I'm in green. Jessi Ricci [00:01:04]: I know. I love that you're in green. I always wear green. James Kademan [00:01:07]: So you really. Jessi Ricci [00:01:08]: Yep. James Kademan [00:01:09]: That's cool. Is nature of the business. Right. Jessi Ricci [00:01:10]: But I love that you're in green, too. James Kademan [00:01:11]: Oh, thank you. Tell us the story. What is New Life Greens? Jessi Ricci [00:01:14]: Yeah. So New Life Greens is a microgreens farm based in Verona, Wisconsin, and we distribute just to the greater Madison area. And we focus on distribution to chefs, which is what kind of sets us apart. We grow specialty microgreens with chefs in mind. James Kademan [00:01:32]: All right, now I'm going to play dumb. Jessi Ricci [00:01:34]: Yeah. James Kademan [00:01:35]: Or maybe I am. Whatever. What is a microgreen? Jessi Ricci [00:01:38]: That's not dumb. I did not know what a microgreen before I started my business. So you. James Kademan [00:01:44]: Did you say when you started your business? Jessi Ricci [00:01:45]: No, before. I did not know before I started my business. James Kademan [00:01:49]: All right. Jessi Ricci [00:01:51]: Yeah. I still don't know. James Kademan [00:01:53]: These things just ship up and I sell them and. What? Jessi Ricci [00:01:56]: Yeah, yeah. The textbook definition of a microgreen is that it is a young seedling of an edible flower, vegetable or herb. So if you. Do you have a garden? James Kademan [00:02:08]: I'm going to say yes. But I mean, it's. Jessi Ricci [00:02:11]: Do you start your own plant starts or no, it's fine if you don't. James Kademan [00:02:15]: Tomatoes, you do Okay. I grow things that are very easy to grow. We're talking rhubarb, tomatoes, cucumbers, stuff that you could probably light the entire world on fire and they would still grow. Jessi Ricci [00:02:25]: Yes. James Kademan [00:02:26]: That's what my skill set is. Jessi Ricci [00:02:28]: It's funny that that's the vegetable that you said, because tomatoes are part of the nightshade family, so they actually are deadly in microgreen form. James Kademan [00:02:35]: Really? Jessi Ricci [00:02:36]: Yes, because they are. They like. Well, it's a whole thing. But basically, if you think of your garden and your plant starts, if you're starting like a pea pod or a cantaloupe or what's another one? Radishes, that little start, that's a couple inches, it's what is what is technically classified as a microgreen, just so it' easier to, like, envision. Usually they're like the size of a blade of grass. And since they are microgreen and they're harvested before they actually produce fruits and before they run out of nutrients in their seed and start using from the soil, they are extremely nutrient dense. So that's kind of the appeal from the consumer. But chefs really don't care about the nutrition. Jessi Ricci [00:03:15]: They just care that they are really beautiful. They're very colorful and flavorful. So they're a great way to garnish. So a lot of high end restaurants will garnish their dishes with them. But I do partner with some restaurants, like Settled Down Tavern, who puts it in a burger, or Youngblood who puts it on a hot dog. But typically they're used as more of like a fancy garnish. James Kademan [00:03:34]: All right. Jessi Ricci [00:03:35]: Yeah. James Kademan [00:03:35]: So how do you get into the microgreen business? Jessi Ricci [00:03:38]: Yeah, you know, I was trying to think of. I knew you probably would ask this, so I was trying to think of my answer for this, and it's really confusing. I mean, if you look back, because I started my business in high school. I'm 19 right now. So if you look back back in your high school, I'm sure, you know, it's totally a blur. And even though it was just a few years, for me, high school was totally a blur. I started my business kind of by accident in a way, actually. So all of high school, I always dreamed to go to UW Madison, be an environmental science teacher, or go to UW Madison. Jessi Ricci [00:04:15]: I said, go to UW Madison, be an environmental science teacher, be in the band. And so my whole high school was just. My whole high school career was filled with trying to accomplish that dream. So I was 4.0 student. I joined all the clubs. I was in band. I joined a sport just to make my application look better. And kind of like the final seal of that was me applying to be a youth apprentice my senior year to make my college application look better, which I did not go to college. Jessi Ricci [00:04:41]: I Don't know if you. I did. I would be in college right now. I would be in class right now. So I'm not there. Jessi Ricci [00:04:50]: Yeah. So everything I did was with that goal in mind. And the job in which I started my business out of was literally. I got the job because I wanted my application to look better. So I got a job at an aquaponic farm in Paoli, Wisconsin, which is definitely the up and booming little area near Madison, at Clean Fresh Food. And they provided an array of products to restaurants. When I started working for them, they only had one restaurant client, but it filled up, like, a third of their capacity. And so I started working there, and I was thinking, you know, this is kind of. Jessi Ricci [00:05:24]: They grow all year round, which is really environmentally friendly. So I was thinking, this will look so good on my application for UW Madison. I'm gonna be a part of this farm who has really great values. And I thought it would really set me apart. Little did I know. I mean, it set me apart so much that I'm not going there. Jessi Ricci [00:05:43]: Yeah. So this farm was the hub for my business. The owner of the farm, Mike Knight, helped me incubate my business. It all started out just with me. My dad always raised me to have, like, a strong work ethic, and so there wasn't that much work for me to do at the farm. There was one other. I had one other co worker and me, and it was just us two, and he worked in the mornings, and I worked, like, at the end of the school day, and so I never saw him. So I would show up to the greenhouse, unlock the door, and I was all alone, and I would just kind of find things to do, like organize or do whatever. Jessi Ricci [00:06:20]: But my dad, like, just knowing him, I could never sit down. I, like, when I was working, I was working, and I didn't have anyone watching over me, so. So I could have done whatever, but this, like, strong work ethic of mine ended up with me reaching out to the owner. And, I mean, I. I love this guy. He is like my business mentor. He's an amazing guy.

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