Brenda Workman is a professional speaker, Food for Life instructor, and founder of the Plant-Based Cooking Academy. After 16 years at a local private university, she launched a speaking business around intentional living. But a personal health transformation completely changed her mission.

Now she speaks to organizations about plant-based wellness, teaches cooking classes online and on-air (her weekly segment “Whip It Up Wednesdays” airs on WDTV in West Virginia), and trains other educators through her Academy. Her goal: to scale impact in a state where plant-based living still feels like a hard sell.

In this episode of Pivot Podcast, Brenda shares how she pivoted her business to meet her community’s deepest needs, the challenges of introducing plant-based living in West Virginia, and how she built a scalable model that lets her create real impact.

You’ll learn about:

• How a personal health transformation can completely pivot your business—and why your story matters more than your credentials
• Why storytelling (not preaching) is the most powerful tool for introducing plant-based living in resistant communities
• The difference between being "busy" and being profitable—and how to build a business you can sustain long-term
• How to scale your impact beyond yourself: Brenda's model of teaching trainers instead of doing all the work personall

Guest Links

www.brendaworkmanspeaks.com

Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/brendaworkmanspeaks/

https://www.facebook.com/brendaworkmanspeaks/

https://www.youtube.com/@brendaworkmancooksplants

Memorable Quote

“I was raised in West Virginia, and I ate meat at every meal. My staple was biscuits and gravy. That's how I grew up. But I learned that changing my food made all the difference in my health.”

Show Notes

💥 [02:25] How Brenda built her professional speaking business around intentional living.

💫 [04:27] How she went through a health transformation and started a plant-based diet.

😌 [07:40] The emotional moment she stopped taking statins after 25 years.

🌿 [10:34] Why she strategically uses “plant-based” instead of “vegan”.

📣 [14:37] Why storytelling is the most powerful tool for change

❌ [19:17] The early entrepreneurial mistakes she made

🔄 [23:12] How she restructured her business to be sustainable long-term

🧏🏻‍♀️ [26:11] How she is helping people by listening to their needs.

👨‍💻 [31:21] Why “busy is not always better.”

🧱 [35:27] The slow cultural shift in West Virginia: resistance is real, but the walls are coming down.

…

Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. If you are feeling inspired but not quite sure where to start, we’ve got you covered! Check out our online courses and free resources at veganmainstream.com.

Loved this conversation? Explore more inspiring stories from vegan entrepreneurs on the Pivot Podcast at https://veganmainstream.com/podcast/pivot-a-vegan-business-interview-podcast/. You never know which story will spark your next breakthrough.

Ready to turn inspiration into action? If you're serious about growing your vegan business and want to talk through how we might work together, book a discovery call at https://veganmainstream.com/support/discovery-call/. These aren't free advice sessions – they're real conversations for people ready to invest in their growth.

Want to learn more first? Join our next live webinar at https://veganmainstream.com/resources/webinars/ and get practical tools you can use right away.

Thaisa Fernandes is a program manager in tech, podcast host, and author who just launched her memoir cookbook, Vegan Anniversary in the Bay Area. As a Brazilian living in San Francisco, her perspective brings a unique twist to plant-based cuisine, culture, and community.

For years, Thaisa dreamed of creating a cookbook that celebrated her decade as a vegan while showcasing the diversity of Brazilian cuisine beyond what’s typically known outside Brazil. But like many creative projects, it kept getting postponed – until her friend Izabelle Alvares suggested they collaborate on a zine together. That idea turned into something bigger: a full memoir cookbook with high-quality printing, professional photography, and personal stories tied to every recipe.

Two months into the project, Izabelle discovered she was pregnant. As Thaisa puts it, “She was creating both a book and a human baby at the same time. If that’s not an accomplishment, I don’t know what is!”

In this episode, Thaisa shares how she balances her tech career with creative projects, the process of self-publishing a cookbook, and why having a “badass friend” to make things happen with you might be all you need.

You’ll learn about:

• How Thaisa balanced a 12+ year tech career as a program manager with launching a memoir cookbook
• How an idea to create a zine evolved into a full hardcover book
• Why collaboration matters: how working with a friend made the project possible
• How to veganize traditional Brazilian recipes (including the holy grail: pão de queijo) after years of experimentation

Guest Links

http://www.thaisafernandes.com

Social media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thaifernandes/

Memorable Quote:

“I think sometimes we are looking for perfection. But I think just starting is a great thing. And then you can build over time, and you can perfect over time, and what is perfection for you might be different from what is perfection for other people. So keep that in mind.”

Show Notes:

💻 [02:31] Thaisa’s day-to-day as a tech program manager

🇧🇷 [05:54] The importance of bringing Brazilian culture and cuisine to veganism

📖 [08:30] The explanation of the cookbook’s full title and meaning

🔄 [10:44] The origin story: From an idea to a zine to a full cookbook

🎨 [14:23] Making a unique, story-driven cookbook with authentic photography

📚 [16:23] Why she chose the self-publishing route and prioritized quality & affordability

🎤 [18:27] How side projects complement and improve her main career

🚀 [23:04] Thaisa’s advice: Start small, bring a friend, and set manageable goals

💡 [25:33] The power of building things step-by-step and letting go of perfection

Lindsay Perez is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, lifelong wellness enthusiast, and founder of NOSHY. For over 20 years, she has, as she puts it, “lived and breathed fitness, nutrition, and the belief that food should make you feel amazing.”

The story with NOSHY began a few years ago when Lindsay broke her elbow, and it completely changed her routine. She went from being constantly active – working out, meal-prepping, coaching – to being forced to slow down. So she focused on what she could control: how she nourished herself. That period inspired her to reimagine what healthy eating could look like – comforting, satisfying, and full of flavor.

What started as a fun experiment in her kitchen soon turned into a mission: to share plant-based, protein-packed bites that bring joy, energy, and balance to everyday life. More than clean ingredients and bold flavors, NOSHY tells the story about joy, self-compassion, and second chances. In less than one year, Lindsay has scaled NOSHY from a kitchen experiment to a product sold in grocery stores across Florida, and through her own e-commerce platform.

You’ll learn about:

• How a serious injury forced Lindsay to slow down and reimagine her relationship with food
• How to market vegan products to non-vegan audiences and educate consumers
• Lindsay’s approach to work-life balance: dedicating 30 minutes a day to self-care
• The reality of building a food business from scratch –product development, marketing, logistics, and wholesale operations

Memorable Quote

"Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can. And just start, start where you are and focus on you. And if you know that you have something good... and others are saying the same thing, just try, what do you have to lose? Just go for it."

Show Notes

🍳 [02:11] Lindsay’s background in health, fitness, and nutrition.

💡 [04:10] She explains the origin of the name "Noshi" and its meaning.

🤕 [06:23] The pivotal story: How an elbow injury and "night eating syndrome" inspired the brand.

✈️ [09:50] The product's versatility for travel, lunchboxes, and on-the-go snacking.

🌱 [14:49] Navigating vegan and non-vegan markets and ingredient education.

⚖️ [18:55] Lindsay's tips for balancing entrepreneurship with self-care.

🔮 [21:22] Future plans for the brand and learning to delegate.

📣 [23:41] Marketing strategies: logo design, social media mix, and staying approachable.

🔗 [25:54] How to find, follow, and buy from NOSHY.

Guest Links

https://eatnoshy.com

Social Media:

instagram.com/eatnoshy

facebook.com/eatnoshy

Brett Christoffel is the Founder and CEO of All Y'alls Foods, a Texas-based company making plant-based jerky and bacon bits from whole non-GMO soybeans. After 40 years of eating meat, Brett made the connection that he loved all animals as much as his dog or cat, and stopped. As a proud Texan, he decided to change one of Texas's biggest contributions to the world: beef. Since launching It's Jerky Y'all in 2018, Brett has built a mission-driven snack company that exists to "be the change through kinder snacking."

In this episode of Pivot Podcast, Brett is sharing how All Y'alls Foods went from a Texas-based vegan jerky brand to conquering the European market. Brett talks about what it actually takes to expand internationally. Spoiler: it's not about vanity metrics or viral moments (though he has a great story about a post that went viral). It's about business fundamentals, strategic partnerships, and staying mission-driven even when growth gets complicated.

You’ll learn about:

• How Brett expanded All Y'alls Foods into Europe
• How a viral social media post translated into actual sales
• Brett's approach to email marketing: nurturing relationships and providing value
• How being vegan-owned influences their business decisions and marketing strategy

Guest Links:

http://www.allyallsfoods.com

Memorable Quote:

“It's on us to find a new path to have it different. But it's always a conversation in our heads that either supports us or beats us down. And what you have to do is learn to become friends with it, understand what it is, and it's not, because if you think about it, that voice in your head, that's not you. You're the one who hears it. It's the egoic mind, and it thinks it has to have a job. Think of all the times it's told you – oh, this is going to happen, or that could happen. And 90 percent of the time, it never happens. It's not being in the moment. We're the only place we've ever lived.”

Show Notes:

👣 [2:28] Brett explains his journey to veganism.

♻️ [5:05] How he’s creating meat replacement products.

🎥 [9:33] What does different social media mean for his business: repurposing content.

📧 [15:23] Brett's approach to email marketing: nurturing relationships and providing value.

🏷️ [18:29] What supporting true vegan brands means to him

🗜 [23:34] Managing the pressure of keeping the business going.

🤜🤛 [26:31] How conversation in our heads supports us or beats us down.

📲 [28:44] Get in touch with Brett through social media

…

Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. If you are feeling inspired but not quite sure where to start, we’ve got you covered! Check out our online courses and free resources at veganmainstream.com.

Loved this conversation? Explore more inspiring stories from vegan entrepreneurs on the Pivot Podcast at https://veganmainstream.com/podcast/pivot-a-vegan-business-interview-podcast/. You never know which story will spark your next breakthrough.

Ready to turn inspiration into action? If you're serious about growing your vegan business and want to talk through how we might work together, book a discovery call at https://veganmainstream.com/support/discovery-call/. These aren't free advice sessions – they're real conversations for people ready to invest in their growth.

Want to learn more first? Join our next live webinar at https://veganmainstream.com/resources/webinars/ and get practical tools you can use right away.

Terri Chrisman is a nutritionist, podcaster, author, and founder of the Fabulous Health Show podcast and fabuloushealth.net. With a passion for empowering individuals to reclaim their health, she combines cutting-edge science with actionable strategies to prevent chronic disease and inspire lasting lifestyle transformation.

As a private nutritionist, Terri wanted to help people improve their health. She was passionate. She was knowledgeable. But she was unprepared for something that caught many health professionals off guard – clients who weren’t willing to put in the work. So she found herself emotionally invested in outcomes she couldn’t control. The work she loves started affecting her mental well-being. She realized something had to change. So she pivoted. Terri wrote a book. She shifted her focus from one-on-one clients to reaching many people at once. And now, she’s stepping onto stages as a professional speaker.

You’ll learn about:

• How Terri navigated client fatigue as a private nutritionist and realized one-on-one work wasn’t sustainable for her
• How she’s pivoting to professional speaking and why she loves the stage
• Why self-belief and practice are both essential for building confidence as a speaker
• Practical advice for vegans on how to eat healthy without feeling overwhelmed

Guest Links

https://fabuloushealth.net

Memorable Quote:

"I'm 58, and so I've lived some life, and it's taking me until now to realize that I have a calling, and that calling I've been put on this earth to help people not die of heart disease, diabetes, Crohn's disease, cancer, all those things by supporting a vegan lifestyle. That's my calling. It's like I have no choice, and I don't want a choice anyway, right? Because that's what I'm here to do."

Show Notes:

🤹🏼‍♂️ [02:51] Terri explains how most of her work as a solopreneur comes down to marketing.

📘 [05:48] How writing a book helped her reach more people and change their health.

🏃‍♀️ [08:32] Why running a business is like running a marathon.

💪 [11:45] What she means when she says she’s “intrinsically motivated.”

📣 [17:47] Why her next big step is to be a speaker.

🗣️ [22:38] The importance of self-belief and the importance of practice.

🎙️ [25:42] How her podcast helps people overcome challenges.

🥗 [29:40] Her advice for vegans on how to eat healthy.

…

Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. If you are feeling inspired but not quite sure where to start, we’ve got you covered! Check out our online courses and free resources at veganmainstream.com.

Loved this conversation? Explore more inspiring stories from vegan entrepreneurs on the Pivot Podcast at https://veganmainstream.com/podcast/pivot-a-vegan-business-interview-podcast/. You never know which story will spark your next breakthrough.

Ready to turn inspiration into action? If you're serious about growing your vegan business and want to talk through how we might work together, book a discovery call at https://veganmainstream.com/support/discovery-call/. These aren't free advice sessions – they're real conversations for people ready to invest in their growth.

Want to learn more first? Join our next live webinar at https://veganmainstream.com/resources/webinars/ and get practical tools you can use right away.

Amy McKenna is a managing broker at Windermere Real Estate in Seattle, specializing in helping first-time buyers, Seattle newcomers, and co-buyers navigate residential real estate. She’s also the creator of CoHome, a community platform dedicated to educating people on owning property with others, whether that’s friends, family, or chosen community.

Amy’s journey into co-homeownership began with an unexpected request: a talk for a polyamorous community group about real estate. As she prepared, she realized the concept applied far beyond that community. Young people wanting to build equity before (or without) marriage. Parents sharing childcare. Seniors aging in place with friends or family. The possibilities were endless, but the process felt daunting to most people.

Today, Amy educates people on co-homeownership through free public talks, one-on-one strategy sessions, and resources for navigating the logistics. Her work has made real estate invigorating again, much like how cooking became more exciting when she embraced veganism.

You’ll learn about:

• How Amy shifted from traditional real estate to educating people on co-homeownership and co-living arrangements
• Why co-ownership isn’t just for romantic partners, but also for friends, family, and seniors aging in place
• Creative ways to have separate but attached living spaces that give privacy while fostering connection
• How Amy’s vegan journey mirrored her work

Quote:

"You don't necessarily have to be best friends to do this together. In fact, I'm not sure that that's the best pairing. And I was like, I think you're right. I think you come in with, you know, obviously simpatico, but it's as much that you have the right priorities and the right philosophy around how you live might actually be a better partner, possibly."

Show Notes

🏠 [2:53] Amy explains her work as a real estate agent in Seattle with first-time home buyers.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 [5:43] Choosing how you want to live: co-living and co-owning.

🤝 [9:16] The importance of proximity and accidental interactions in your local community.

👥 [13:02] Why you don't necessarily have to be best friends for co-housing.

🔗 [15;46] Ways you can have very separate but attached discrete areas.

👨‍👩‍👧 [20:25] Co-owning without co-living: parents investing in their child's first home.

💼 [24:50] Why everyone over 18 should have a power of attorney and a health directive.

📑 [27:16] How Amy serves clients throughout the entire state.

🌱 [31: 02] Sharing communal spaces: A great way to build your vegan community.

🏆 [34:31] What “becoming” vegan means for Amy

…

Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. This is recorded as a live-streaming session, so I hope you’ll join us for future interviews as well! If you are feeling inspired but unsure of how to take actionable steps to improve your business, I invite you to explore our online course and free resources at veganmainstream.com.

Kristen Decker is the founder of DESERT BLOOM™, a cowgirl boot brand redefining Western fashion with plant-based materials and sustainable practices. What started as a family conversation at a reunion seven years ago became a mission: to create boots that honor cowgirl culture without requiring animal products.

Growing up on a small farm, cowgirl boots were always part of Kristen's life—comfort, style, and identity all in one. But she wanted more. She wanted boots that made a difference. So she dove into the unfamiliar world of fashion, experimenting with premium plant-based leathers made from corn and wheat.

Today, DESERT BLOOM™ is more than boots; it's a movement for style and compassion. Kristen is focused on building brand awareness through events, pop-ups, and partnerships, all while staying true to her roots.

Quote:

“I've always believed that surrounding yourself with people who actually know more than you do is the best way to create a team. Because I'm definitely going to pretend that I do not have all the answers. But if I bring my team together, and we all discuss and put our heads together, then we're going to come up with something amazing.”

- Kristen Decker

Show Notes:

💇🏽‍♀️ [00:45] Why vegans want environmentally safe clothing that doesn’t sacrifice quality.

✨ [02:55] How Kristen decided to create boots made from corn and wheat leather.

✌️ [05:42] Can experience of building a business bring you confidence in a completely new territory?

👩‍💼 [07:40] The importance of researching, being out there, learning, and connecting.

😇 [09:51] Kristen’s approach to building a team; learning about the industry from the best.

😍 [14:14] Why childlike positivity and curiosity are essential for resilience.

👢 [19:28] How Kristen collects feedback through the customers’ club to design her next products.

…

Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. This is recorded as a live-streaming session, so I hope you’ll join us for future interviews as well! If you are feeling inspired but unsure of how to take actionable steps to improve your business, I invite you to explore our online course and free resources at veganmainstream.com.