#girlcrush: Peta Shulman of GoodnessMe Box

If you haven't heard of GoodnessMe Box yet, you're in for a real {health} treat! A subscription service that delivers samples of amazing new health goodies direct to you door, along with recipes from top foodies using the said goodies. Say WHUUT?! It's the brainchild of babe and entrepreneur Peta Shulman - who knows a thing or two about food, nutrition and what it takes to be a heathpreneur.

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START GOODNESSME BOX?

I was inspired to start GoodnessMe Box after taking control of some health issues which had kept me unwell for a number of years.

I knew from day one that when I finished university, I wanted to start my own business. At the time I thought it would be a PR agency- I had no idea how my health troubles would end up being the catalyst for a change in my career.

Six years ago, after I had stepped foot in a remarkable health and wellness PR agency with a unique opportunity for work, I found myself bed-ridden for 3 months with barely enough energy to walk to the kitchen. After seeing doctor after doctor I was still no closer to the problem and more importantly, no closer to the cause of my illness. I was fatigued and suffered from a constant headache, muscle aches and heavy limbs. I pedaled on and told myself it was all in my mind, eventually getting well enough to start the new PR role.

Suddenly, my eyes were opened up to the world of integrative health and wellness- speaking to hundreds of health practitioners, attending integrative health conferences, working with the latest health foods and supplements and learning about the movement of prevention. It became clear to me that what we put in our bodies, how active we choose to be and how we manage our stress plays a fundamental role in the state of our wellbeing.

The only problem was, it was three years on and my body was still breaking down each month.

In 2012, I was at my breaking point when I was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. I decided I needed to take charge of my health and be consistently mindful about the foods I was eating. It took nine months to start feeling a tremendous difference in my health and for my test results to improve but since making these changes I will never look back.

At this time I asked myself “what am I passionate about and what am I good at”. I thought these two factors combined could make an unstoppable business.

This lead to the development of GoodnessMe Box, a way to get people excited about eating clean, nourishing the body with pure wholefoods and being a part of what I like to call the wellness revolution.

For the brands that put their heart and soul into developing amazing products to change the way we eat and our long-term health, the business is designed as way to cut through the clutter and market the product so more people can discover them!

WHAT’S YOUR FOOD PHILOSOPHY?

My food philosophy is based on eating wholefood as close to its natural state as possible and search for foods that are GMO-free. This forms our philosophy at GoodnessMe Box. I eat foods free of artificial sweeteners, preservatives, food additives, synthetic trans fats, flavours, colours, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), and High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

It is important to be a savvy food shopper and learn how to read the ingredients and nutritional panel of the foods that you purchase. There are some clever marketing techniques out there so we need to know how to ‘outsmart’ the food industry.

WHAT’S YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT OR ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE?

This is a tough question. Since launching nearly two years ago there have been many milestones and celebratory moments such as my first customer, first team member or moving out of my apartment into an office. The moments that really matter though are when you read or hear the reaction to those that receive a GoodnessMe Box. You can feel the excitement from our GMB family and that is exactly what I set out to achieve. Just like me I want people to get excited about living well. Prevention is always better than cure and it is remarkable how going back to the basics and feeding our body well can be so empowering.

DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS IN THE WELLNESS BUSINESS?

• Understand your customer. You can’t be everything to everyone.
• Persistence is key. You will get shut down, you need to get back up and try again.
• Have confidence in yourself. Your belief in your business idea is contagious to every person you meet.
• Know your why. Your higher purpose will drive you to use your business as a vehicle for change.
• Ask yourself “what am I passionate about and what am I good at”. These two factors combined should make you unstoppable.
• You can’t be good at everything, identify your weaknesses and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

ANY NEW & EXCITING NEWS ON THE HORIZON?

We are set to launch for the second year the GoodnessMe Box Wholefood Night Markets on July 28th and November 10^th at The Grounds of Alexandria in Sydney. Last year the ticketed event sold out with over 600 attendees and we featured the most remarkable cooks including yours truly The Fit Foodie, Lola Berry and Scott Gooding. This year we are kicking off the event with a twist with the GoodnessMe Box Dessert Wholefood Night Markets in July. It is going to be decadently delicious!

I’m also excited to be launching a new website in the coming month which will enable us to provide a better experience, more customised GoodnessMe Boxes and overall broaden our offering to customers with new projects in the wings (to be revealed soon!).

LAST THING YOU GOOGLED?

Oh gosh, have to check my history for this one… the Food Matters blog. I was at a health food expo the other day and the amazing James Colquhoun was speaking. What an inspiring message and remarkable business all wrapped into one!

IF I LOOKED INSIDE YOUR FRIDGE, WHAT WOULD I FIND?

You will always find fresh wild salmon, eggs, nut butter of some sort (currently a delicious tamari almond find from Avoca markets, sweet but salty!), matcha powder, maca powder, capsicums galore (I can eat these like apples), spinach, lemons, blueberries and almond milk.

YOUR FAVOURITE WAY TO GET MOVING?

My favourite way to get moving is weight classes or Pilates with a friend. I really enjoy resistance training, it is great for toning, posture, balance and keeps me energised for the day. I try to avoid high-intensity training and cardio as over the years I have discovered this can impact my immune system.

Hang out with this trailblazer right here:

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