What if there were a one-stop marketplace where every purchase could align with your values?

Today, we’re joined by Jonathan Faran, co-founder of Vegan America, a rapidly growing plant-based marketplace that’s been described as a vegan version of Amazon and Costco. Although the platform launched just last November, it already features hundreds of sellers and tens of thousands of products spanning food, fashion, cosmetics, household goods, gifts, and services.

Jonathan shares the personal experience that inspired the idea for Vegan America: the surprisingly difficult search for a pair of vegan dress shoes. That challenge led him to a broader realization that living vegan extends far beyond food, with animal-derived ingredients often hidden in everyday products consumers rarely think about.

We also explore Jonathan’s own journey: from becoming vegetarian at age four after watching Chicken Run to being vegan for the past decade, and how those experiences shaped his entrepreneurial mission. He explains Vegan America’s rigorous product-vetting process, free vendor onboarding, and the company’s latest expansion efforts, including Plant Preferred, a Prime-like membership program, and a growing directory of mission-aligned service providers such as vegan therapists.

Throughout the conversation, we discuss how everyday purchasing decisions can serve as a form of activism and unpack the business “flywheel” behind Vegan America’s vision: supporting vegan businesses increases accessibility and consumer demand, creating a cycle that helps more people choose plant-based options while reducing animal suffering.

In this episode, Jonathan offers an inside look at the future of values-driven commerce and how conscious consumers can help build it.

Thank you for following along and listening to the Vegan Squad Pod! Please leave a review, share this episode with a friend, and subscribe!

Check out Vegan America here!

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From protein deficiencies to “you can’t be vegan” warnings, plant-based diets are surrounded by persistent myths. Dr. Matthew Nagra - a naturopathic doctor, nutrition science communicator, and vegan of more than 15 years - has spent years examining what the evidence actually shows.

In today's episode, Matthew shares how he first adopted a plant-based diet for health and athletic performance before becoming ethically motivated after watching Earthlings. He discusses facing pushback in naturopathic medical school, how that challenged him to study the research more deeply, and why he ultimately adopted a more objective approach that acknowledges healthy animal-food dietary patterns are possible, though not necessary.

We also explore medical ketogenic diets for intractable epilepsy, protein requirements and sources, the limitations of raw diets, common nutrient concerns such as protein, iron, and calcium, the uncertainty surrounding vitamin D recommendations, the claims behind “I was told I can’t be vegan,” and practical advice for effective activism, including consistency, diverse approaches, and avoiding perfectionism on social media.

Thank you for following along and listening to the Vegan Squad Pod! Please leave a review, share this episode with a friend, and subscribe!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

Subscribe to our YouTube!

🌱 Find LIVE recordings of our episodes!

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/apply

Check out our free resources!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/resources

Looking to improve your vegan activism? Join us as we discuss effective vegan activism with vegan activist & Vegan Squad Coaching client Sergio Pinedo! Sergio shares how documentaries like Earthlings pushed him from five years vegetarian to vegan, and how attending LA Animal Save vigils changed his perspective by confronting the reality of animal transport and slaughter, documenting animals’ lives, and providing brief relief like water and gentle touch. Sergio describes why vigils matter for both vegans and pre-vegans, the scale of slaughter, and how activism can include Cubes of Truth, marches, social media, sanctuaries, and self-care to avoid burnout. Sergio also shares his journey of gaining weight after going vegan, which lead him to working with John and losing 30+ lbs in 6 months to build confidence and become a better activist, emphasizing the important of fitness and wearing vegan shirts as a form visible vegan representation/advocacy.

Thank you for following along and listening to the Vegan Squad Pod! Please leave a review, share this episode with a friend, and subscribe!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thevegansurge/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

Subscribe to our YouTube!

🌱 Find LIVE recordings of our episodes!

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/apply

Check out our free resources!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/resources