DIY Grow Your Own Organic Mushroom Kits
Bianca — February 9, 2012 — Social Good
References: backtotheroots
Not long ago we featured Back to the Roots, a social business whose products you may have seen at Whole Foods or another wellness-focused retailer. The company was founded by Alejandro Velez and Nikhil Arora, young social entrepreneurs who had the idea to create a DIY mushroom-growing kit from old coffee grounds.
We've previously featured a social business profile on Back to the Roots, so today we're taking the opportunity to share more about the entrepreneurs behind it. In the questions below, Nikhil shares how he manages to stay inspired in his mission to use business for good, and how we keeps his creative juices flowing.
Interview with Nikhil Arora, Co-Founder of Back to the Roots
What keeps you inspired on your social entrepreneurship journey?
Our inspiration comes from first our team -- and seeing the dedication and passion each person has to growing this movement of connecting everyone to their food again!
It's humbling and inspiring to see the blood, sweat, and tears everyone is putting into growing this movement... it makes us want to work that much harder! So many on our team were going down the same corporate route, realized it wasn't their calling and wouldn't allowing them to make a real difference, so they gave it up to sell mushrooms instead!
Also, and equally inspiring, is seeing the reaction from our community when they grow their own food, especially those who otherwise never would have! It's especially exciting to see kids have so much fun growing food, and watching their mindsets change as they question where their other food comes from.
How do you reset yourself to be creative? Do you have an rituals?
Our creativity comes from our community. We make it a point to be out on the floor as often as possible, exhibiting at events, tabling at farmers markets, asking all customers who call in what we can do better, etc. We force ourselves into situations where we get a ton of feedback for our community, and it's from that feedback that we can learn what issues and challenges people actually face in growing their own food, and then form new ideas to continue to build upon!
We've previously featured a social business profile on Back to the Roots, so today we're taking the opportunity to share more about the entrepreneurs behind it. In the questions below, Nikhil shares how he manages to stay inspired in his mission to use business for good, and how we keeps his creative juices flowing.
Interview with Nikhil Arora, Co-Founder of Back to the Roots
What keeps you inspired on your social entrepreneurship journey?
Our inspiration comes from first our team -- and seeing the dedication and passion each person has to growing this movement of connecting everyone to their food again!
It's humbling and inspiring to see the blood, sweat, and tears everyone is putting into growing this movement... it makes us want to work that much harder! So many on our team were going down the same corporate route, realized it wasn't their calling and wouldn't allowing them to make a real difference, so they gave it up to sell mushrooms instead!
Also, and equally inspiring, is seeing the reaction from our community when they grow their own food, especially those who otherwise never would have! It's especially exciting to see kids have so much fun growing food, and watching their mindsets change as they question where their other food comes from.
How do you reset yourself to be creative? Do you have an rituals?
Our creativity comes from our community. We make it a point to be out on the floor as often as possible, exhibiting at events, tabling at farmers markets, asking all customers who call in what we can do better, etc. We force ourselves into situations where we get a ton of feedback for our community, and it's from that feedback that we can learn what issues and challenges people actually face in growing their own food, and then form new ideas to continue to build upon!
Trend Themes
1. Connecting Everyone to Their Food - Creating innovative solutions to help people grow their own food and reconnect with the source of their sustenance.
2. Social Entrepreneurship - Utilizing business as a force for positive change and impact in society.
3. Community-driven Innovation - Engaging with the community and gathering feedback to inform the development of new ideas and products.
Industry Implications
1. Sustainable Agriculture - Developing technologies and products that promote sustainable farming practices and enable individuals to grow their own food.
2. Social Impact - Creating businesses that generate positive social and environmental outcomes, focusing on empowering individuals and communities.
3. Consumer Goods - Producing and marketing innovative products that cater to the growing demand for sustainable and ethical consumption.
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