Every Wednesday on the Hippie Haven podcast, learn how to live harmoniously with yourself, others & the planet. We talk about all things hippie, including eating vegan, reducing your trash, starting an ethical business, eco-activism, gardening, beekeeping, tiny house living, and so much more.
Happy New Years everybody! This is the first episode in 2019, and today we'll be talking all about starting + operating an ethical + eco-friendly company, which is really on par with one of my big goals for this year to continue expanding my business, Bestowed Essentials, as well as helping other start their own sustainable business. I actually have an interview series on my blog called How To Start A Zero Waste Store, which as it sounds, is interviews I've done with zero waste store owners around the globe, so if the idea of opening your own zero waste shop, or any type of eco-friendly business, is something you've been dreaming about, take this as your sign that you should definitely go for it, listen to the rest of this episode, check out that interview series on my blog ahippieinavan.com, and together let's make 2019 the year of zero waste businesses! Today's guest is Sharon Rowe, founder + CEO of Eco-Bags Products, an award-winning, certified B corporation that began in 1989 selling responsibly made + sourced bags as reusable alternative to plastic grocery + produce bags. Sharon is also the author of The Magic of Tiny Business, where she uses the success story of Eco-Bags Products to share her step-by-step process of building a profitable and sustainable company that doesn't compromise your values. Sharon + her company have been featured in Time Magazine, Glamour Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, on NPR, on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and in the award-winning documentary “BagIt”. Sharon has received numerous awards, including the National 2012 Enterprising Woman, CBS Radio Women’s Achievement, and Westchester Business Council Entrepreneur of the Year, and she is an active member of the Social Venture Network, and the Women Presidents' Organization. In this episode, we talk about her company Eco-Bags and how it's evolved over the years, including their sustainable manufacturing, eco certifications, and what's next for the company. Sharon also shares tips from her book The Magic of Tiny Business on what tiny businesses are, how to start one, how to not quit when it gets tough, and some of her favorite tiny businesses to support.
The Hippie Haven Podcast is hosted by Callee - a zero waste activist & business owner. Formerly a translator for the US Navy, Callee was honorably discharged as a conscientious objector in 2017 following an episode of severe depression & alcoholism fueled by not living in alignment with her core values. That same year, at age 23, she started Bestowed Essentials, a handmade line of eco-friendly beauty & home products that are now stocked in over 100 stores around the US & Canada. Callee began hosting this free podcast in August 2018, as well as speaking at events and teaching educational workshops across the country, as part of her life mission to arm you with the knowledge & tools you need to spark positive change in your community. In December 2019, she opened The Hippie Haven in Rapid City, South Dakota - a zero waste retail store & community space with a little free library - the first of its kind in the state. She’ll be opening a second Hippie Haven in Salem, Oregon in Feb 2021.
Follow along on Instagram - @ahippieinavan & @hippiehavenshop & @bestowedessentials
Shop zero waste home goods at www.hippiehavenshop.com
Read podcast transcripts at www.hippiehavenpodcast.com