Welcome back to Woman Crush Wednesday! I've been loving doing this series because there are so many awesome ladies doing fantastic things in the wellness space!
Today, I want you to meet Julia Kirouac. Julia's a fellow holistic nutrition grad who channeled her love of healthy, natural, whole foods into the fantastic (and most definitely Joyous-Approved!) snack food company Nud Fud. Julia's snacks are raw, organic, vegan, gluten-free, and delicious! She started her company while she was still studying at our shared alma mater, The Institute of Holistic Nutrition, so she's definitely an inspiration to holistic nutrition students, as well as all the other wellness entrepreneurs out there!
Joy: What inspired you to start Nud Fud?
Julia: I was inspired to bring my products to market due to the lack of transparency and integrity in the food industry, even in the natural food industry. There was a lack of truly clean and healthy snacks, especially for those with dietary restrictions.
Joy: What part of your job do you enjoy the most?
Julia: I definitely enjoy the variety of challenges I face daily, but, of course, I have to say I enjoy being able to nourish a large group of people with my products.
Joy: You’re a successful entrepreneur, how do you find time for balance?
Julia: I can’t say I have a whole lot of balance in my life at the moment but, I am working on improving that.
Joy: What have been some of the challenges having your own business?
Julia: As I am sure any business owner can attest to, there have been far too many challenges to list! The biggest ones for us have been growing production and keeping up with demand as our process is so unique and labour-intensive.
Joy: What advice do you have for other women wanting to start a business?
Julia: If you are considering starting a business, go for it and don’t have any regrets. Make sure to do your research and ensure you have a realistic expectations of costs, work load, etc.
Joy: What does it take to be successful like yourself?
Julia: I don’t even consider myself to be successful yet, but to stay in business it definitely takes extremely thick skin, resilience, and determination.
Joy: What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?
Julia: I don’t get very many days off but, when I do I would have to say I enjoy spending time with my family, dog, and/or boyfriend.
Joy: What’s next for Nud Fud?
Julia: Our plans are to continue to grow production, grow into new markets/regions, and to continue to add new products to our line.
Julia and the Nud Fud team are sharing this great gift pack with one lucky joyous reader! Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win five 100g bags and two 33g (snack pack) bags of delicious Nud Fud in their most popular flavours: cacao, goji, spirulina, cheezy and BBQ.
I met Julie at the Toronto Vegan festival last year, where she enthusiastically taught me about her products...I purchased a few bags and fell in love with them. I have kept the cocoa ones in stock ever since! It's wonderful to see a feature on a local product and its creator. Thanks!
ReplyThanks, Nicole! Her and her products are so great, how could we not feature her! Glad to hear you enjoy them as much as we do :) Heather- Joyous Health Team