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I am SUPER excited to introduce this weeks guest - the fierce and fabulous Virgie Tovar! Virgie is an author of some really amazing books (which you'll find linked in the transcript below), activist, and expert on weight-based discrimination and body image. Virgie also has her own pod called ‘Rebel Eaters Club' and has her own column at Forbes, where she writes about plus size fashion and also how to end weight discrimination at work.This conversation went in a totally different direction than I had expected it to, but in a really interesting way! I'm super excited for you all to hear this one, but we do talk a little about childhood abuse and eating disorders so if you don't think you're up for it right now, maybe shelf this episode for another day. Find out more about Virgie here.Follow her work on Instagram here.Follow Laura on Instagram here. Can I Have Another Snack? is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Here's the transcript in full.INTRO:Laura: Hey, and welcome to the Can I Have Another Snack podcast where I'm asking my guests who or what they're nourishing right now and who or what is nourishing them. I'm Laura Thomas, an anti-diet registered nutritionist, and author of the Can I Have Another Snack newsletter. Today I'm talking to Virgie Tovar, and for the 1% of my audience who don't know who Virgie is, she's an author, activist, and expert on weight-based discrimination and body image.She holds a master's degree in sexuality studies with a focus on the intersection of body size, race, and gender, and she's a contributor for Forbes where she covers the plus-size market and how to end weight discrimination at work. Virgie edited the anthology, Hot and Heavy: Fierce Fat Girls on Life, Love and Fashion, and she's the author of You Have The Right to Remain Fat and The Self-Love Revolution, Radical Body Positivity for Girls of Color, which I will 100% be featuring when I cover body-affirming books for teens on my newsletter.In this episode, we talk about the work Virgie is doing to heal her inner child. I really love how Virgie contextualizes this work as mothering work as part of her wider project of maternity, as she calls it. And that's where she's exploring whether she wants to be a biological parent and the layers of grief, social conditioning, and reconciling her own childhood that she has to go through in order to process.This is not at all what I thought we were gonna be talking about today. Virgie kind of took this in an unexpected but really interesting direction. I really hope you enjoy it, so much juicy stuff in here, and I think you're gonna love this episode. But just a heads up that there is some mention of childhood abuse and eating disorders. We don't go into lots of detail, but if you're not in a good place today, then maybe sit this one out and come back when you're feeling a bit more up for it. And while you're here, just a reminder that if you're not a fully paid-up member of the Can I Have Another Snack community then you're missing out on so many great benefits like our Thursday discussion threads, Snacky Bits, where we're having smart conversations away from the noise and the fat phobic trolls of social media.You'll also get access to my Dear Laura column where this month I'm answering a question from a stepparent about parenting a fat child. Plus you'll get access to my Anti Parenting Downloads Bonus podcast episodes and lots more. It's five pounds a month or 50 pounds for the year, and your support allows me to pay a podcast editor, a copy editor for my long-form essays, and it pays for the hours and hours of research and other labor that is required to produce thoughtful writing. I figured this out earlier and five pounds a month works out as paying me 55p per article. So if you think that these articles are worth at least 55p, then please consider becoming a fully paid-up member of the Can I Have Another Snack community. And if you already are, thank you so much.And if you fancy gifting a subscription to a friend, I would super appreciate that. Thank you. And if you need a comp subscription for any reason, then just email hello@laurathomasphd.co.uk with ‘snacks' in the email header, and we will hook you up - no questions asked.And one last favour to ask. If you're listening to this in Apple Podcasts, please go and leave a rating and review. We haven't had any reviews yet, which is a total bummer because it really helps more people find the podcast and hopefully feel held and supported by these conversations.And I know you all are listening, so please just drop a quick comment or leave five stars. I would really appreciate it. All right, team. Here's Virgie Tovar.MAIN EPISODELaura: Alright Virgie, can you tell us who or what you are nourishing right now?Virgie: When I think the, I mean, I think I'm nourishing a lot of things, but the first thing that comes to mind is, really nourishing my child self who is, has a, just has a lot of trauma and has a lot of, um, you know, like I, I started therapy about a year ago and it's been this really interesting kind of process of like almost trying to, you know, untangle something or figure out a puzzle or just like learn a whole new way of, of thinking, but it, it's just become really clear that my little Virgie self is super terrified. There's like all of these things that she doesn't like and she's really scared of and so just kind of not only understanding that she deserves and needs a lot of attention and care, but at right now, as, as a 40 year old person who is considering biological maternity, but probably not, not going to be a mother. Um, biologically, certainly. And I think kind of going through the grief process of letting go of that narrative, which is a cultural narrative. And it's also kind of an internal narrative and just recognizing that, you know, I think I learned this from a friend recently, or someone actually someone I follow on the internet who I'm hoping to work with on this topic. But, you know, really understanding that the project of that inner child who didn't really have a childhood, it is a legitimate form of maternity, is a legitimate motherhood project. And so I think it's like, what's what I'm nourishing is that kid, that inner kid. And also the sense that that in fact it is true, that raising her and caring for her is its own maternity project. And it's a legitimate maternity project, even if it's not recognized by the culture.Laura: Oh my God. I feel like I'm gonna cry. I was not expecting you to say any of that, but that is just, it's so beautiful and there's something in there I probably need to take to my own therapy, but it really resonates with me and I just love this idea so much of, of mothering. You know, I, I love any conversation that talks about mothering outside of the parameters that society has dictated for us, which are usually, as we were just talking about, off mic, you know, heteronormative relationships, between a, a cis man and a, a cis woman and, you know, da da da. We all know that story. And so, yeah, just to think about different ways of mothering and tending to, and caring for parts of ourselves as, as being encompassed within that. Like, that's just, I mean, I think that's just a stunning thing to think about regardless of, you know, whether or not you have biological children or, you know, are, are a parent in some other kind of like, however you became. . all of that was just to say, I love his idea. Like, tell me more. What is this work looking like for you? How are you nurturing, you know, little inner child Virgie?Virgie: Yeah, I mean, I, a lot of it is just slowing down, like giving her the time to have a feeling, and to recognize the feeling and to sort of ask like, what do you need right now? So I, I think I, the, the, the temporal piece is the piece that really stands out. I mean obviously we, we sort of, I think that we live in a world, at least I feel like I live in a world in the United States and California, where, time is, you know, time is considered sort of this extremely limited resource. And I think that there's a real, obviously a premium on productivity and things like that, but it's become really clear to me that emotional processes are happening on a totally different timeline. Like even just, I mean, noticing. So for example, the other day, I, this is kind of a, a, an inter, like, it's a bit of an involved story, but I think it's useful in sharing what the nurturing looks like.Laura: Yeah. Let's do it.Virgie: Because it's not exactly like what you'd expect maybe. Okay. So the other day I was out shopping and I ran into a neighbor and I said, Now how are you doing? And she said, You know, I'm honestly not doing really well. She was having a really hard time. Her apartment had gotten flooded and then the landlord was sort of, her landlord was trying to evict her and she takes care of her 81 year old grandmother with a chronic illness and there was a lot going. And so, and so what's happening as this is, um, so for me, like there's two sort of people in the room as I'm listening to my neighbor, there's grownup Virgie who's like having compassion, thinking about, what I can do to help thinking about what resources I can deploy and how I can help her feel comfortable and safe for even just a few minutes as we're together.And then there's little Virgie who is extremely parentified, who grew up with parents who were sort of, you know, essentially like emotionally immature. So I constantly had to take care of them. I constantly had to parent them. I constantly had to sort of worry about their emotional state, and that because it was an inappropriate role reversal, it was very traumatizing.So grownup Virgie is having a totally great, very, you know, I would say like adult appropriate response to hearing this from her neighbor. Little Virgie is like, terrified. Little Virgie is really, really, really scared that an adult is having a really difficult time and that she doesn't have all the resources she needs to save her from her situation, you know?And so I'm just sort of deeply aware of that, that sort of sense of terror is rising within me and so taking care of little Virgie in that moment looked like actually a number of different things. One was sort of being like, you know, recognizing, I know you're afraid. And there's sort of a term called flooding for people who have developmental trauma. It just, like flooding is really when all the emotion, they're just flooding in, you know? And it's really difficult to tell what your boundaries are, to tell what your needs are. And I sort of, you know, can have a difficult time separating myself from the person who's having little Virgie does.Um, so I'm like, Okay, little Virgie, you're totally afraid. And that's okay. And so I'm kind of, you know, as I'm listening to my neighbor and being present for my neighbor, there's also a part of me that's sort of like, Okay, don't worry. We're gonna take care of your boundaries. Let's think about it, cause little Virgie is like, Okay, so I'm terrified, but let's have her move into our apartment can bring her mom and her two dogs and, um, everything's gonna be fine. And you can just cook for her and clean for her and like, comfort her and make sure that she's not afraid. And, you know, and so like little Virgie's just trying to save her. And so, and I'm like, Okay, I know you wanna do that. Um, but actually, right, like let's only offer the resources that we know aren't going to threaten our ability to be okay because, And so I'm just talking to her and being like, What's another, instead of, instead of that little Virgie, like what are some other options?Like maybe we can drive her home, maybe we can check up on her over the phone in the next couple of days. Maybe we can ask our friends what they might do and they have some ideas and some of them work in fields where that might be useful. Um and what if, you know, like you actually have the resources to offer to pay for a hotel or to offer her some gift cards or whatever if she wanted to book an Airbnb, if it gets too rough, like, and little Virgie was like, Ah, yeah, that sounds way better than what I was thinking. Um, and so, and I think the next couple of days, cuz emotionally flooding is so overwhelming, I was like, little Virgie is gonna be exhausted, little Virgie is gonna take longer to do tasks.Like, it's just, she's just really tired because even though it was just like a seemingly small moment, you know, she is, she felt like it was a really big moment. Um, and so it's like, it's like all of those things are kind of, that's how that looks like, you know?Laura: Wow. I'm, yeah, I'm trying to even figure out where to go from here. There was so much in there that I kinda wanna go back to. I thought we were talking, I thought we were gonna talk about ballet, dude, like. But this is good. This is like, this is really good and. So I hear what I'm hearing you say is that little Virgie, because she was so used to having to care for people in a way that was so out of her depth, that was so, you know, beyond anything that should be asked of a child that that ended up becoming a traumatizing experience. And so whenever you encounter someone who's in crisis, or even if it's not crisis crisis, even if it's like things are a bit shit, then like little VIrgie sort of armors up and is like, All right, ready to go into battle, like, what do I need to do? And it takes like, you have to talk her down and remind her that she's safe. It's okay. We have other ways of dealing, like dealing with this that won't compromise yourself, that won't compromise your wellbeing, and your safety.Virgie: Yeah, a hundred percent. I mean, yeah, that, that's, that's exactly what, what's happening. And I think there's a lot of, you know, I mean, I just, again, going back to the, to the project of maternity, it really is like all of those little moments. I mean, you know, as a mom, like, you know, and that, obviously there's all of these little moments and I think children really do experience the world through, through emotion, you know?And so it's like, you know, just kind of being like, okay, like whenever there's, and again, the stakes sometimes are high, sometimes they're relatively low. And she's perceiving, right? And I think this is all connected to a conversation about food and body and all of this understanding, right, that like, at the end of the day, the stakes to her are acceptance, which is basically, you know, to a child, the difference between life and death.Right? And so I think that the stakes can feel extremely high, especially when you start getting messages about all kinds of things as a kid. Like, I mean, I was recently, this is, this is a little bit of a, of a, of a more, I think more specific to the, to the topic of the podcast. But like, you know, I've, I've had many moments where I'm realizing that the fat phobia that I also learned as a child at the age of like four or five years old, that, uh, you know, I'm, I was always a bigger kid and I'm a bigger adult.And so, you know, like being, being a fat kid and experiencing fat phobia, I still have to nurture that, that part of little Virgie too. Like, you know, I think about like the way that I learned fat phobia was that, you know, if you stop being fat, then you will be saved from other people's abuse.And the way that you become not fat is through restricting food. So to me, restricting food really did become connected to a sense that if I do this correctly or I do this hard enough, then I won't be abused by other people. And really at the end of the day, like this is kind of the dilemma that anybody who's experiencing or afraid of experiencing fat phobia, that's really the, the crux of what the equation and what the decision is really about, you know? And so learning those kinds of messages as a kid that I could, you know, hurt myself in order to be safe for, from people who were abusing me. I mean, it's the, like the, those are lessons that are still, like, even as somebody who's well practiced and anti diet and is more than 10 years into that work, there are still ways in which it kind of rears its head around self-harm essentially.Laura: Oh, again, like, just so many things I wanna, I wanna pick up on there. But I think what was coming up for me there, Virgie, is this idea that I know has been a, a critique of the anti diet space is just how we sometimes overlook, how deeply ingrained, or maybe not even deeply ingrained, but how much dieting is often used to seek out safety, to, because that has been a coping mechanism, from childhood to protect yourself from being vulnerable, from being hurt, from pain, physical, emotional pain. And yeah. So I, I really just wanted to thank you for kind of like pulling that thread out. And also I'm curious to hear, because I, I'm guessing that listeners are gonna be curious to know for you when, you know, when little Virgie is feeling the threat of anti-fat bias of fat phobia, how are you taking care of yourself? Like what again, would you, do you have like an example of what that looks like for you?Virgie: Yeah, I mean, I think, It kind of goes back to the temporality piece, kind of just like slowing way down. I mean, the example that comes to mind is actually, um, the start of the pandemic. And it brought up former anorexic behavior that, and anorexic thoughts in particular, that I thought were gone. I thought that those thoughts were sort of buried in the ground, in the past, whatever. But I mean, right. Like, you know, we don't, like humans don't kind of work like that, right? But obviously we, I think we get better at, practicing things that matter to us. I think that we get better at practicing things that we practice.Um, and I also think that we have realizations and are literally our mind and our spirit changes as we have these, as we do these behaviors, and we have these moments of, Oh wow, I did that thing differently and it really blew my mind. And so, but at the end of the day, right, I'm, I'm having this, I'm in, right, we're in the unknown. So, Right. Like, I'm literally the, the start of the pandemic for, for me and I think for a lot of us was, I'm terrified. I don't know what's going to happen and it doesn't seem that anybody else around me who's an authority person, seems to know what's happening. So I went right back to that child place of seeing food as fear objects. I learned as a child that food and abuse were connected, you know, Visa v fat phobia. And in this moment where there's a lot of the same conditions, right? Like I was being brutally emotionally abused as a kid for being fat. And it was obviously destabilizing, terrifying. And this sense that no point of authority was gonna step in and end it. So it's the same conditions, but it's a pandemic. And so I'm, my child brain was like, we just have to stop eating food. It's gonna contaminate us and it's bad and it's wrong and it's scary.And so I was just like, I allowed myself the time to be like, Okay, wow. I'm really surprised that, I mean, again, like this is all about slowing, slowing, slowing down. So like, I'm really surprised about how I'm reacting to this, but it's okay that I'm reacting like this. And then I was like, Okay, Virgie, what we're gonna do is like, I'm like, I hear you and I know that you're having this feeling and I know that you're scared.And I also know, as grown up Virgie, that if you don't eat food, you're gonna get even more anxious. And I know as adult Virgie and little Virgie, you can trust me when I say that food isn't bad and food isn't scary and food isn't going to contaminate us. It's actually really good and it tastes good and it's good for us.And so I just kind of was like, Okay, cool. So we had that pep talk. Amazing. So let's go into the fridge and Virgie, like pick the things that you love the most. Like only pick the things that are like the most delicious right now. It's like, whatever you're really excited about, that's what we're gonna put on the plate. So I let little, again, time to like do that discerning process, time to go through everything in the fridge and all that. Um, and she's like, Well, I want, you know, I think at that, on that, the day that I'm thinking of it was, I think it was mostly cheese and maybe a couple of other things. And then, and then I sat down. I was like, Great job. And here we go. Like, I'm so excited about this meal. It looks really delicious. So we sit down and little Virgie's having a really hard time eating at a normal pace. Eating at the pace that I'm used to eating at, little Virgie is like really? And so I'm just like, It's okay. We can take as long as we need. Like, if we need to take a few hours, that's okay. If we need to take a break, that's okay. The important thing is that we have food in our body and we're taking care of ourselves. So it took a very long time to eat this plate of food. I would normally eat that food in probably like five minutes, something like that. And it took like two hours or something to eat everything on the plate, just because she was really freaked out, you know? And so I was like, All right, like it again, it's just kind of like that sense of like, I know that you're having all, like, you're having all these feelings and this, but we're just gonna like, take our time and we're gonna do this scary thing together because it's the right thing to do. It's the meaningful thing to do. So I think, like, you know, that, I mean obviously that's a very specific example, but I think it's just kind of that it's like that non-judgmental parenting, you know, instinct or, I mean, and it's not even an instinct, right? I mean, We have to learn respectful parenting or like parenting that's about respecting desire and boundaries and stuff like that. Again, I don't have biological kids or any kids. Um, but I'm aware of the school of thought called Respectful Parenting. And I respectfully parent my inner child who has all this stuff going on. Um, and the respectful parenting thing to do would be like, what do you want? What are your limits? But you know, as the grown-up here, who's like looking out for your safety, you can trust me 'cause I've done the work. and I'm gonna tell you that like we need food to have thoughts and to feel okay to have like, you know, have better thoughts and to feel OKLaura: Yeah.Virgie: And so, you know, anyway, so it's like that, that's kinda like an example of what that looked like in that.Laura: Yeah. And I, I really connected with this idea that you of, of like respectful parenting your inner child, and I think there is something to pull out of that in terms of, How we parent our kids around food and bodies. And I want, I wanna kind of come back and talk about that in a second but before we get to that, I, I wondered if it would be okay to go back to something you said right at the beginning and it's around, you know, what you've called, like, the project of, of motherhood and kind of exploring what that's gonna look like and be like for you. And the word that came up right at the beginning was grief and that you're processing that. And I wondered if you'd be comfortable sharing a little bit more around, you know, where you're at with that.Virgie: Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, so I spent most of my life largely sort of like pretty comfortable with like, I'm not having kids. And I think there was, there was always a little part of me that was like, hmm, that was aware that this decision was informed to some degree, and I wasn't sure to what degree, by my own childhood and by how poorly I was mothered. And so, you know, I was like, Okay. I was like, okay, at the end of the day, maybe it doesn't really matter to what degree my experience, my childhood experience impacted this decision. Because at the end of the day, like I either have the desire or not, right? Um, and so, and I'm, I'm a believer in that overall philosophy. But I think that as when I turned 40, you know, as I, I think it probably started to happen, you know, really in my mid-thirties where I was starting to sort of, I, I, I noticed there was sort of a part of me that was looking for around me, like conversations about people who had gotten pregnant later in life. Like I started, I sort of started was I was looking for examples of, you know, let's say that I don't, that I don't wanna do this now, but at some point in the next decade, like, are there, do I have people around me who are getting pregnant when they're in their late thirties or their forties? So I started to notice that opening up in me and then when I turned 40 it was like this really interesting, the grief really came in, in a lot of different sort of ways. Like I think the first grief was, the potential that, uh, you know, that this might not, that bio maternity might not happen. And there's a part of me that's kind of sad because it's just sort of a cultural narrative and it's, it's sort of a gender narrative. And I also think the grief came around like still being a bit of a question mark.And I think, like, again, what was fascinating was my whole life I was like, I'm pretty much, I'm between 80 and 95% sure that this is a no for me. And I think that that varying degree of like 5% of doubt, 15, 20% of doubt, I was really comfortable with that because I thought really 80% is quite, is a quite compelling number, and that's your best day. But as I was turning 40, all of a sudden that margin sort of blew up in my mind. I was like, Wow, you know, that 5%, Like that sort of, it went from, I'm 80 to 95% sure that I'm a no to, like, wow. I'm still fine to 20% question mark. Yes. And think that the, the focus shifted from the yes side of the pie to the no side of the pie at 40, because it just sort of felt like the stakes had changed. Um, and I think, frankly, here's another funny part that I just realized. I'm also, so, yeah, again, it's the, the grief is complex. I'm kind of getting into sort of the texture, the motivation for the grief. So I would say another new part of the, a part of the grief that I just learned how to articulate was the grief of not having the option anymore.Laura: This is something like, I have a couple years until I'm 40, but it is definitely something that I think about, you know, that runs through my mind that like the, the, prospect of having anymore kids to just like shutting down and what, what name do we call that or give to that and yeah, how do we work through, um, yeah, the, the grief associated with that. So all of that was to say, like, I resonate with where you're coming from. Virgie: Yeah. I mean, and I think that going deeper into that specific brand of grief, it was like, I was like, Oh, I'm not, I'm grieving that I don't have, I'm grieving this sort of like the ability to postpone the decision that I had in my twenties and I had in my, in most of my thirties. Um, so it's like a very specific loss of not caring. It's like the grief of, the grief of losing, meh. I have, you know, I have a lot more time to think about it. And I think it was specifically also the grief of losing the sense that it was, it was, that I had the choice, you know, like that grief of like the loss of kind of a very specific kind of freedom that's associated with like bio maternity in particular. And so, there's that, and then I got deeper into like, I was like, What else is in here? Like, what other grief are you feeling? And it was really interesting that another part of the grief was actually specifically around being a fat woman in a fat phobic culture where, um, where like I, you know, for most of my life, I felt like a gender imposter, meaning I felt wasn't a quote unquote real woman.And I think that maternity, like, you know, pregnancy and having biological children is a way in our culture that you can affirm your gender if you are a woman. And so I think there was grief around like, You know, basically, basically like letting go of that really important social marker of femininity, which is a pain point for me as a fat woman. So like there's that component where it's like, okay, like what does it look to kind of stand in this decision and know that it's like yet another moment where you're feeling that sense of gender imposter hood or something like that. And then I think that there's other sort of like other, the other parts of the grief are, you know, a lot of them are really, truly, um, I'm, I'm aware that they're socialized. Like, I'm okay, you're grieving because you've been told this is how the story ends. You find a person. Right. And I think specifically as someone who has a lot of trauma, there is a really interesting, um, narrative journey that I think a lot of straight women around me go through where it's like, okay, you had a horrible childhood. You had this like addictive, you know, you had an eating disorder and you had unresolved addiction issues, unresolved mother wounds in your twenties. You go to therapy in your thirties and then of course you find like an amazing, wonderful, well partner. And then you realise after all this that you actually do want to be a mother. It's a very specific and very alluring narrative. And I think the other, another part of the grief for me, and I'm just, this is just me being really, honestly very vulnerable. But another part of it is like, I, I'm aware that I have a narrative in particular as like a fat woman of color. I've been able to kind of create my own career and a meaningful life and a happy life. And like, you know, I, I've, I've been able to do a lot of things frankly, that the culture really values and also breaking all of the rules, you know, And I think that that's a big part of my identity.And then this whole idea that this, like, this sort of, almost like the crown jewel, right? Of kind of, you know, like you're, you're getting what the culture wants, but not on the culture's terms in many ways. Again, I think if you're a straight, cisgender woman and I, and I am, um, that kind of baby piece is like the ultimate and being like, and then I had a baby and I also broke all the rules. And guess what, being a parent isn't hard. And guess what? I don't have to suffer and it isn't isolating. And all the stuff the culture said, that's not true. And this is obviously very, like, I can hear like, this is like my child, my little bratty child voice, right? And so I can hear it. And so like, it's like the, it's like the wounded part of me that's like you rejected me. Well guess what? I got all the stuff you guys are killing yourselves for and I got it my terms. It's like a very, you know, I mean it's like a very specific narrative around, uh, being marginalized and reacting to being pushed out of society. Right? So anyway, like the whole, the child piece is like kind of, you know, I think there is that, that allure to kind of like, You gotta finish the story. The story finishes with you being some kind of radical woods dwelling fairy mom who's like completely defying stereotype and expectation of motherhood and your kid is thriving and they're so happy and you all are so happy. Look at the pictures of you and this well dude that you met in your journey. You guys are like completing the picture of what the culture says success is, but you did it on your terms. And I think like, we're sort of resisting, resisting the allure of that is, um, really difficult. So like the grief of being like, you know, that whole rebel, hurt, hurt, marginalized person, fantasy, just, just like being like, Yeah, but that part doesn't work for me. Like, there's a lot of, there are culturally normative things that I do that I like, you know, like a meaningful relationship, like having a home that I like. These are also culturally normative things that I also happen to want, but this is one of those things where I'm like, this is not something that I want. And so letting go and, and grieving kind of the fact that that, again, that wounded fantasy isn't going to be complete in that very specific way that I'm not going to, you know, have that moment, um, culturally and I mean, frankly, right? Like, I don't even know, again, as a plus size person, as like a plus size woman of color. I'm not sure how many of those, like cultural touchstone moments around like, you know, being pregnant, being visibly pregnant, you know, having a child where I don't even know how much of that would be, in fact mediated by things like cultural and medical fatphobia. Um, because we don't really get to see much of that narrative in the public.So it's like, you know, all that to say like, I don't even know if, like the cultural piece were really motivating me to the point that I was acting on it. I don't know how much of those fantasy, quote unquote moments would even be happening because of the level of fat phobia and racism in our culture, you know?Laura: Yeah. Oh my God, again. Wow. Just knocking my socks off. I do wanna say for the record, Virgie, if for the fact that it weren't a trauma response, I would very much be here for your particular brand of radical parenting . Cause that is something I think the world would be a better place for because there are, as you know, like we were talking about, toxic mom, mommy culture tropes, before we started recording, there's, there are so few options available to people who want to become parents that aren't just, you know, a rehash of the same old story, the same old, you know, thing that has, has been prescribed to us, which is a very narrow portrayal of what parenting and motherhood is or can be. So yeah, like not that that's a good enough reason for you to go and have a kid, but yeah, that would, so that, that's just kind of a side note. But yeah, I'm hearing that the grief is, it's not one specific kind of grief. It's so layered and so textured as to, you know, all of the things that you're sifting through and unpacking.And what I'm, I'm really hearing as well is just you trying to parse out, okay, what is really for me and what I want and in line with my needs and my values and my wants, versus what is a narrative that I have internalized that actually doesn't belong to me and doesn't fit with the life that I am creating for myself.Virgie: Yes, a hundred percent. I mean, and I, I love that kind of, and I think for me also like. There's like, um, like I, I was telling a friend, I was talking to you with a friend about this the other day and um, you know, I was like, Okay, so, you know, if you have a question about whether or not motherhood is something that, I mean, I'm like, I'm someone who's like, does is bio maternity in line with my values, desires, and also my actual physical capabilities, right? Like my actual body can do. And I kind of, and I was like, you know, it was, it was interesting. I was like, Okay, so let's start the negotiation as we're deciphering whether or not, like, as we're sort of parsing through this question, let's start with the matter, the issue of sleep, right? I'm like, okay, I'm someone who's really, I do think that my ability to be the person I am in the way that I am, and like, I think there's certain, even like, I'm also very aware of, for me, sleeping, I mean for all of us. Like I'm very, I'm hyper aware for me that sleeping is very connected to some of the work my body is doing in healing various traumas, and other things that are going on. So I'm like, okay. I actually, I'm, I'm like a 10 to 11 hour sleeper, like I really do feel like my mental health and my quality of life begins to go down very rapidly after just two daysLaura: You are talking to the parent of a two year old right now.Virgie: Yes. I'm like just on that negotiation point alone, like, I'm like, am I willing to do the work to change that? No. Am I willing to make concessions? No. And I'm like, ok, we don't even need to go to any of the other negotiation points. Like we've already ended the negotiation internally. So it was just kinda, I'm just like, I'm thinking about, you know, specifically for me, I'm like, what do I need to be the person that matters to me? Like one of my values is being my best self and being able to enjoy the world fully in that space. And I'm like, that's probably my highest value. It's a higher value than parenting. And so it's just, it's just one of those things where it's like, it doesn't like, you know, I think there's a lot of, romanticism that gets kind of thrown into, and a lot of this is coming from cultural pressure, the romanticism that's sort of culturally produced about like basically the integral role of like the reproductive heterosexual family, to the reproduction of our society as we know it. Right. This is, this is not to say that like I think there are absolutely people for whom parenting is like a genuine, real desire. And or it's a very highly placed value, and I don't wanna de-legitimize that.I think for a lot of people who are on the fence, that what's thrown into the mix is this cultural pressure that is really like, it's really the romanticization of reproductive heterosexuality. And it's like, I think it's important to kind of like when, when you are on the fence to kind of break it down to its barest place. Where does the motivation to romanticize this very specific kind of existence, like, you know, parenting and bio parenting in particular. It really at its cultural core comes from a very fraught legacy and a very fraught idea of like creating a very specific kind of nation and a very specific kind of world. And so, and I, and I mean really con, I mean for me, contextualizing like, like I, you know, the United States, like I live in a culture in which there's a wage gap, in which there's no subsidized medical care in which, um, there's patriarchal norms that pervade how mothers are treated both by their children and by society and by their partner. I still live in a world in which women are the disproportionate, like food providers and caretakers of children. Like I'm literally, I would be entering this fully knowing that like I would be, this is under the context of capitalist hetero patriarchy, which is like a very, it's a compromise I think, and like obviously, All of us are already in this soup. Like I make decisions already, always in this soup. I think what matters is, like, what I'm thinking about is this for me, and I'm not sure, it's important for me to kind of recognize like, where am I getting gaslit about this issue? Where is the stickiness? Where is my pain point? And really going deep in that, like, why, what am I afraid of? And then just kind of going because, because, because, because I'm afraid of this, because this, I'm afraid of this because this, I'm afraid of this because this, and what really it comes down to, I think for, for me in particular, and my therapist is like, Would you do it if you were on a deserted island? Because if you, if you wouldn't do it on a deserted island, then that means it's cultural influence. It's probably like really in the mix here,Laura: That's such, is such a good like that. It's so simple. But that's such a great way of thinking about it and helping parse this out. And also I want your therapist number.Virgie: Yes. I mean, I love, I love the deserted island test of like all desires. But, yeah, I mean, I think like, and I think that there's a, there's a big question about desire and consent in all of it, right? And I think like, I, I mean, I don't, like, for instance, I don't know that if we lived in a less patriarchal culture or if we lived, if I lived in a country with subsidized medical care, if I wouldn't have a different decision or if I lived in a country that had like, or a world where there was less fat phobia, like all of these things are sort of floating around. And I think it's very specific to say in this very specific context, in this moment in time, considering what I know about the world and myself, this is where I land. And I think that that's a very grounded way to kind of approach a decision that you're not a hundred percent into. You know what I mean?Laura: Yeah, no, I, like, I, I'm, I kind of wish that we'd had this conversation like three years ago, . Not that it, not that it has changed my mind about having a child, but, what feels so kind of vital to me are conversations that kind of reinforce this idea that you can be a whole complete person, you know, with or without a child. Right. In both directions. Because I think there is also, you know, that narrative that when you have a kid. And, and some of it is true because of, of cultural programming that you have to give so much of yourself to the child that you don't get to have your own identity anymore or your identity gets reduced down to mother, which, you know, that's a whole thing in and of, in and of itself. There was something else. I was gonna say Virgie, but I've, I've.Virgie: No, we've covered so much ground. I think the last thing I wanna share that's like, I think just, just like a life tip, um, it's like, it's like, you know, I made the decision a long time ago because I think another big question mark in the conversation of motherhood for people who are, you know, having that questioning moment, um, really is like, will I regret the decision? And I basically, one of my, one of my life rules which I adopted many years ago, is never make decisions based on the anticipation of an emotion in the future that you may or may not have. So never make decisions based on anticipatory regret. That's like one of my, and honestly, right? Like, it has liberated me in so many areas of my life because that's such a cultural trope of like, you're gonna regret if you, if you do that thing, you're gonna regret it. Right? Like, and I, I really feel like there's this kind of almost, I mean, it really is almost like a religious shame induced, like kind of, um, Kind of like, I'm like, you should not be moti, you should not be making major life decisions based on a future self that you don't know, based on an emotion that you may or may not have. And so like that, that's a, that's a big one for me. Like that that one is like, um, I just wanted to put that out there as like, I just don't, don't make decisions based on the anticipation of regret. TheLaura: What you are basically telling is everyone is get the tattoo, dye your hair, do theVirgie: I meanLaura: Do the thing that you are wanting to do. Virgie, this has been incredible. There's, there's one other thing, there's one other like, sneak question, but hopefully it's a fun one to answer. Which is, what are you snacking on right now? And that can be a literal snack. It can be just something that you're really into at the moment. A book, a TV show, a podcast, like a thing, like anything. What are you kind of into right now that, like a recommendation that you wanna share? Virgie: Well, I mean, I'm basically like, I'm in, I'm so into fall and it's October right now, so I'm like snacking on anything fall like, so, like if it has a spice blend that includes like cinnamon or pumpkin or apples. I went apple picking the other day. And what's funny that apple picking is that you end up getting a lot of apples and you have to, and it's like, wow. I'm just like making, it's like, it's like another, another batch of apples, apple cinnamon muffins, you know, like, and so it's been so fun to basically have like this basket full of apples to make like endless amounts of spicy apple muffins. Um, so I feel like that's the thing. I've been snacking on so many muffins and so many like fall inspired muffins.And then I'm excited about something. I'm gonna like give one more thing, which like thing that I'm excited about snacking on is, This week I'm going to a spooky bakes little party. We're gonna watch Halloween Baking Championship and bring our spooky bakes, and I'm making like aLaura: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You're going to watch what?Virgie: It's called Halloween Baking Championship. It's so good. It's so fun.Laura: Oh my God. Is it like, is it, Is it on Netflix? Netflix. Do, can I watch it here?Virgie: Well here, it's on Prime.Laura: Oh, Prime. Okay.Virgie: Amazon Prime. Yeah.Laura: I generally don't condone anything to do with Jeff, Jeff Bezos, but I do have Prime.Virgie: Yes. Oh, I know. I mean, maybe you can get it from some other outlet, but it's really fun if you like Halloween and they have like all these creepy cakes and it's so good. So I'm making like a witch hand with like, with like cake pop eyeballs. And I'm going to be snacking on thatLaura: Oh my God. I wanna see pictures of that. First of all, I'm gonna link to that in the show notes if you've made it in time for this episode to come out. That sounds amazing. Okay, so my snack is gonna sound really, gonna sound pretty sad in person. It was also a little snack, but it was, so I don't think you're gonna get these in the US but, I found these, like they're basically honeycomb dipped in chocolate and, um, they're by Doisy and Dam and they're, for anyone who's like, has any allergies or is vegan, then they're a good option cuz they don't have any milk in them. I think they maybe have soy, but apart from that, they don't have any other allergens. And like I, they're just new and I tried them the other day and they were delicious, so that was gonna be my thing. But they, um, cake pop eyeballs sound way better. So let's go with that.Virgie: Ooh. But I love, I love a chocolate dipped honeycomb, this kind of, Yeah, yummy. I mean, I feel like my introduction of this was like in New Zealand where there's just a lot of honey products. Yeah.Laura: Um, yes. Yeah. And what I like about it as well is like, and this is like, just like a thing that I, that I have where, um, I like, like snack bag kind of like, sizes of chocolate. So there's like another one that's like all these like mini peanut butter cups that has just come out, that's a Pip & Nut one.Like this was a very good week for new chocolate in the UK. Um, so that you can like, you know, you can just like grab a couple of pieces, rather than opening a bar and then like dealing with the folding up of the bar and all of that stuff, like, I like the grab bag option and you can just dip in and out of it. That's my vibe.Virgie: Ooh. Yes. I love a snack bag. Yes. Grab bag,Laura: Yes. Okay. Virgie for the, like 1% of listeners who don't know, because really you are an icon in the body liberation space. So, but yes, tell us where we can find you and get more of you.Virgie: Yes, um, I am, I have a website, virgietovar.com. I'm also really active on Instagram @virgietovar. I have a podcast called Rebel Eaters Club, which you can find anywhere you get podcasts. We have three seasons, so you can just sort of do some, like, fun listening for a couple days or spread it out however you want. And we basically talk about, well, it's like a food-positive, fat-positive show about ending patriarchy one corn dog at a time, and I also have a column at forbes.com where I write about plus size fashion and also how to end weight discrimination at work. And I have, there's a few self-guided online classes that I've co-written with some amazing people. If you're interested in any of that, it's all virgietovar.com. You can find all my books and stuff like that. My most recent book came out earlier this year and it's called The Body Positive Journal. It has stickers, it has cute, like larger body people doing cute, fun things. And it's some of my, it's like about developing some of my favourite tools in changing our relationship to food and body.Laura: Yes, and I'm so excited to include that in an upcoming, like I've been doing roundups of books, like Body affirming books for different age groups and I'm, that one is gonna be top of the list for teens, so I can't wait for that. Um, Virgie, I'm gonna link to everything that you talked about in the show notes, like all the places to find you and your social media and all of that stuff. But thank you so much. Like totally unexpected conversation, but loved every second of it. And yeah, just really love you. So thank you for being here.Virgie: Oh, thank you for having me.OUTRO:Laura Thomas: Thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of Can I Have Another Snack? If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review in your podcast player and head over to laurathomas.substack.com for the full transcript of this conversation, plus links we discussed in the episode and how you can find out more about this week's guest. While you're over there, consider signing up for either a free or paid subscription Can I Have Another Snack? newsletter, where I'm exploring topics around bodies, identity and appetite, especially as it relates to parenting. Also, it's totally cool if you're not a parent, you're welcome too. We're building a really awesome community of cool, creative and smart people who are committed to ending the tyranny of body shame and intergenerational transmission of disordered eating. Can I Have Another Snack? is hosted by me, Laura Thomas, edited by Joeli Kelly, our funky artwork is by Caitlin Preyser. And the music is by Jason Barkhouse. And lastly Fiona Bray keeps me on track and makes sure this episode gets out every week. This episode wouldn't be possible without your support. So thank you for being here and valuing my work and I'll catch you next week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit laurathomas.substack.com/subscribe

For this episode, Anastasia and Saskia spoke with Pip Murray, the founder of Pip & Nut. They discussed how the brand started, how it has grown to be available in various stores and how the B Corp Certification guides Pip & Nut on its sustainable journey. Enjoy! Kevin Fuccillo edited this episode! Please contact him for any sound/music writing, production or editing work! kevinfuccillomusic.com @kevinfuccillo_music More of Pip & Nut pipandnut.com Instagram: @pipandnut More of Sustainability Speaks

In this episode of the FMCG podcast we speak with Charlie Johnson - Senior National Account Manager for Pip & Nut. A really enjoyable video to film, Charlie takes us through her CV and how she found making the career switch from buyer to supplier side. She gives us insights into the morning spreads category and tells us the story of how her and the Pip & Nut team managed national listings with Tesco and how to be successful with the top 4 retailers.

This week on Ninetwentynine we're joined by Pip Murray, the founder of Pip & Nut, the innovative peanut butter brand. Pip is enthusiastic about always discovering new skills to continue pushing business forward, so she's here to tell us ‘Why it's important to never stop learning'. Ninetwentynine is a Fiverr.com podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pip Murray loves nut butters. She used to re-energise herself after running marathons with peanut butter on toast - great protein and healthy fats. Pip started mixing her own and then started selling them at outdoor markets. They sold well and a business was born. The recipes and mixes were important but the branding, marketing and distribution were vital to the on-going success of the business. Selfridges was the first big win quickly followed by Sainsbury's and many independent stores. Pip talks Rory through the marketing ingredients of this nutty story! On Brand is brought to you by ALFInsight - for more information about this comprehensive marketing data and information source visit www.alfinsight.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Whilst searching the shelves of supermarkets for palm oil free peanut butter, entrepreneur Pip Murray sparked an idea to create delicious nut butter for her post run treats and breakfasts. Borrowing £5000 from her dad to buy a blender, plus interest, Pip & Nut was born. Chief Squirrel Pip Murray speaks to Claudia Winkleman about creating a fun work culture that values balance and squirrel-based job titles, as well as how Pip & Nut is using it's business as force for good by looking out for the environment and the local community. Business Unusual is made in association with Vodafone Business' V-Hub platform. V-Hub is here to help with free expert knowledge and guidance, and a constantly evolving range of tools and training. Click here to access online their library and knowledge centre, offering content, tools and insights to help small-medium businesses thrive online. Not only that, but you can access free support from expert business V-Hub advisers. This one-to-one digital support from a business V-Hub adviser can cover a range of topics from how to build an online presence to managing online security risks. Call 0808 005 7400 or visit here. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman. From Vodafone Business, produced by Listen Entertainment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

‘Be open about what you don't know and you do know, and where you add value'Pippa Murray is the proud business owner of Pip & Nut, an independent food brand that has become a household name over its 6 years of trading. Passionate about food and innovation, Pippa shares her experience of growing her business, learning how to lead a team, and the business journey of Pip & Nut to date. Pippa explores:The role shift from doing to directing, knowing your value add, and building a supportive team around you. The value of learning from experience, bouncing back from mistakes, and 'controlling the controllables'. Knowing your brand inside and out, doing the due diligence, and putting the consumer first. Becoming a B Corp, the structure for best practice this brings, and what it means for the business, the team, and consumers.To find out more about Pip & Nut and more from the podcast, Google:Pip & NutUgly DrinksB CorpCOOK Find out more about REALWORK on Instagram @doreal.work or visit www.doreal.work The REALWORK Podcast with Fleur Emery is produced by Buckers at Decibelle Creative, find her on Instagram: @decibelle_creative and here: www.decibellecreative.com Our thanks go to Tom Seals for his wonderful piano playing at the end of this episode – find him here: @tomseals and www.tomseals.co.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to The Busi-Ness Podcast.In this episode, I am joined by Pip Murray, Founder of Pip+Nut, a business she founded in 2013. Pip and I discuss finding friends in what can be a very lonely pursuit, why it's impossible to try and do everything, and how to make the biggest impact through focus + honesty. Pip shared her thoughts on why transparency has been so central to the way that she works with her team, and her customers, and why picking your lane, and holding your line, is key to her success. Pip also talked candidly about the things she doesn't know, and how she backed herself to figure it out, through asking questions, and surrounding herself with people she could learn from. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm talking to Fleur Emery. Fleur is the founder of REALWORK, the online co-working space for women; an action-based community where female founders and freelancers up-level their business fast.  Featured in Wallpaper Magazine, The Sunday Times Style Magazine, Stella Magazine, Grazia, The Financial Times, The Guardian and The Observer, Fleur's first brand went from concept to Waitrose in 18 months, the second, from concept to house lager at The Ritz Hotel in the same time frame.  She has held a guest lectureship in business and branding at UCL and has coached or been a NED on multiple start-ups including Pip & Nut, Miso Tasty and Little Bandits. Fleur has a regular column in Courier magazine and has hosted business events at The Wing.   We talk about 3:56 Fleur introduces herself and her business journey 5:19 Real Work 9:38 Fleur's Instagram post - “Will you hate me when I'm rich?” 13:27 What led her to creating Real Work 15:58 Acknowledging money privilege 17:07 Failing after success 17:50 How getting data from failure led to her new venture 19:03 Selling her membership 20:42 Investing in an opportunity 22:20 There is no marketing trick to success 21:40 The power of community  24:50 Charging without a solid plan 26:52 Iterating - low risk experimenting 27:25 Brinkmanship 29:48 The podcast effect vs polished media 31:48 Earning in a pandemic 33:40 Self awareness in the face of criticism online 36:10 Selling mindfully 38:43 Will there be a book of Fleur's colourful life? 42:44 My quickfire questions   We reference the following books -  Rupert Everett, Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins   Find Fleur at her website - www.doreal.work and on Instagram @doreal.work   Join my Facebook Group - Money Making Women and follow me on Instagram @ray_dodd This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media

As food and drink lovers, we couldn't let Valentine's Day pass without helping you create some lovely cocktails for a special evening. Whether it's your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, dog or cat – this episode of the FoodTalk Show is best enjoyed over a candlelit dinner with that special person or thing in your life. We're incredibly lucky to welcome Paul McFadyen to our studio. Paul is a master of cocktail mixing and a brand ambassador for Maison Ferrand – a producer of fine spirits. Not only did he tell us a bit about the brand and educate us on alcohol, he also whipped up some amazing cocktails for our gracious presenting team. We know you can't taste these through the airwaves, but just take our word for it, they're delicious. Sue got a bit carried away and already feeling merry on the cocktails, was delighted to welcome the amazing Pippa Murray back on to The FoodTalk Show. You can't have missed her Pip & Nut peanut butters in all of the major supermarkets, and here she tells her amazing story from museum worker to award winning entrepreneur.

Welcome Jeremy May. Him and his co-founder Lucy Wright, run Nice Drinks. Wine in a can. It's a thing. The pair kicked things off last, after both consulting in the Food and Bev industry. Jeremy was one of the early hires of popcorn success Propercorn and then went on to work for Vita Coco and Pip & Nut. The brand have gone from strength to strength. They are now stocked over 600 Sainsbury's stores, numerous bars and a growing number of hotels and chains. Enjoy. 

While we usually talk to the founders of restaurants or bars today I have a very special guest - Pippa Murray - founder of Pip and Nut peanut butter. I wanted to bring Pippa onto the show not only because she is literally every entrepreneurs dream scenario- she left her 9-5 job to test a product out that she made herself which was instantly profitable and 5 years on from inception it is worth nearly 20 million.But she categorically changed the much neglected nut butter industry with her innovative package design of the nut butter sachets for on the go consumption. She transformed how we all perceive nut butters as a food and introduced new ways for us to use them.She essentially livened up a snack that was perceived as unhealthy and dull.If you're an entrepreneur yourself, you'll want to take notes during this episode, she gives a lot of useful tips.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/your-tables-ready. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, we’re joined by Tommy Kelly and Salim Najjar, the co-founders of Sound Brands, a fast-growing company that markets carbonated, unsweetened iced teas and tea-infused sparkling waters made with herbal and botanical ingredients. Launched in 2015, Sound has been at the forefront of an emerging market for sparkling teas. Hailed by Bon Appetit magazine as “The New LaCroix,” Sound products are primarily distributed in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and also available at several chain and independent retailers across the U.S.  During our interview, Kelly and Najjar explained that while they’ve made several costly mistakes over the years, their perspective that “a failure is really a lesson if looked at properly” has been essential to the brand’s development. “The first year, I’d probably classify it as a bunch of failures, from spending way too much money on an initial product, to spending way too much money on an outsourced sales team,” Najjar said. “They all led us to where we are… and our current strategy, in terms of spending money and how lean we are.” Also within our conversation, Kelly and Najjar discussed Sound’s origins and overarching mission, how complementary skill sets have supported their working relationship, why getting up to speed on industry terminology is critical for early-stage entrepreneurs, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how corporate sales have been a boon for the brand. Show notes:  0:40: It’s All About Popcorn & Pickle Salsa, #CBDMike and Eating Your Veggies at Expo -- The episode began with a chat about John Craven’s West Coast extravaganza and Mike Schneider’s kombucha-soaked visit to London, and discussion about recent office visits from fresh pickle and CBD snack entrepreneurs. The hosts also riffed on a few products sent to the office, including premium popcorn, non-alcoholic spirits and cocktail mixers, and shared tips for a successful experience at Expo West 2020. 18:00: Tommy Kelly and Salim Najjar, Co-Founders, Sound Brands -- Taste Radio editor Ray Latif met with Kelly and Najjar at Sound HQ in Manhattan for a conversation that began with their transition from nuclear power plant engineers to beverage entrepreneurs, how they identified white space for a sparkling tea brand, why they eschewed added natural flavors and sweeteners and a critical error in the company’s original name. They also spoke about the trials and tribulations of their first year in business and why it was costly to hire retail consultants without having a clear go-to-market strategy, the importance of defining brand positioning, why it took years to make their first hire and how their retail strategy has evolved, particularly in Sound’s home market of New York City. Later, Kelly and Najjar explained how corporate sales have become a key component of the company’s overall business strategy and why they regret being hard on themselves during challenging times for the brand. Brands in this episode: Sound Brands, Nora’s Snacks, Belgian Boys, From The Ground Up, Maya Kaimal, Jarr Kombucha, Pip & Nut, Grillo’s Pickles, Farmhouse Culture, Big Swig, Alta Goods, [Popped] Artesian Popcorn, Lyre’s, Seedlip, GT’s Kombucha, WithCo Cocktails, Sir Kensington’s

In Episode 16 of the Plant Based Business Podcast, Damien talks to Pippa Murray, founder of peanut butter brand Pip & Nut. This week they chat about how to build a world around your brand, why you don't necessarily need a background in business to succeed as an entrepreneur, as well as funding opportunities for female founders. We recommend that you enjoy this episode whilst scoffing some peanut butter out of the jar, as Pippa does daily! This podcast is produced by Vevolution and edited by Bridey Addison-Child

Let's talk about the business of wellness…   Created out of a love of peanut butter on toast after a long run, Pip Murray founded Pip & Nut with the aim to offer a natural alternative to a stagnant nut butter market. As the sole founder of the UK's fastest growing nut butter brand Pip was recently awarded Natwest's Entrepreneur of the Year 2019.    In January 2020 Pip & Nut will celebrate their 5th birthday. A poignant moment in the life cycle of the business, Pip has always had at the back of her mind: ‘1 in 3 businesses fail within their first 5 years'. A landmark year for the brand, Pip still continues to raise the standards when it comes to the business. A recent B Corp certification, a significant increase in headcount, and expansion of the product line have all supported the growth of this incredible business.   In this episode Pip shares the journey of Pip & Nut; from her kitchen table to the supermarket. She discusses frankly the importance of finding a mentor (Giles Brooks, CEO of Vita Coco is hers), the challenges of expanding your product range too quickly and why trusting your instincts is vital when building a brand.    Thank you to our sponsors: The go-to legal firm supporting the wellness industry Bird & Bird. Software booking experts, MINDBODY. Creative agency for all your wellness business needs, Skipper & Skipper.   To find out how Welltodo can help you grow your business and support your career objectives, head to welltodoglobal.com today.

On episode #163 I welcome the founders from two of Britain's brightest food and beverage challenger brands: Dan Broughton, co-founder of Dalston's Soda Co & Emily Fitch-Deeley, co-founder of Fitch Brew Co They are both part of a burgeoning scene. 10 years or so ago quality products weren’t as accessible. But since then there’s been a street food revolution, the evolution of gin, and the craft beer movement. Both believe in making something with higher-quality, natural ingredients, and therefore less of the sugar or artificial sweeteners relied upon to flavour mainstream products. The “Innocent and Fever-Tree effect”, has more recently led to a boom in investment in small, creative drinks companies and people have cottoned on to the fact that there is money to be made in small food and drink businesses if it’s done correctly. Regular listeners to this show will have heard me champion the likes of Ugly Drinks, Pip & Nut, Jimmy's Iced Coffee, Rejuvenation Water, and more recently, Nix & Kix and Double Dutch Drinks. Dan has nearly 20 years in the industry behind him, working for the likes of Cadbury's and Green & Black's whilst Emily has worked for Pernod and Brewdog. I got together with Dan and Emily to chat about: The shift in perception of the benefits of alcoholic v non-alcoholic drinks Sustainability Transparency The health-driven benefits of non-alcoholic drinks Where Gen Z & Millenials meet - and their choice of drinks Roller Hockey - and dislocated shoulders A massive thanks to all who entered our August contest to win a day out with myself and the team at Entrepreneur Summit 2019 in Bournemouth. You can still rate and review the show at anytime - something which I'm always eternally grateful for, and which always gets a shout-out from me. Entrepreneur Summit 2019 is the centrepiece of the year for everything Screw It, Just Do It, a chance for the online community to get together physically. To see and hear some of our interviewee's in the flesh, to ask their own questions - instead of just mine - and share a once-a-year experience together. I've outdone myself with the line-up, you can see it in full here. Back to today's show. I really enjoyed chatting with Dan and Emily about the challenges they face as challenger brands in the FMCG category and believe you will do so too. Let's StartUp!  

Pip Murray is the founder of Pip & Nut, the wholesome nut butter brand that rejuvenated the face of humble peanut butter on the high street - she (and Pip & Nut) even got an honourable mention in Fab's book, Make an Impact.Pip came up with the concept for the brand in 2013, while eating lots of peanut butter to support her marathon training. She noticed that most of the products on the supermarket shelves were packed full of palm oil and added sugars and realised that there was a gap in the traditional spreads category for a natural nut butter brand that also appealed to a younger demographic. Pip herself was featured in the 2018 Forbes 30 under 30 Europe, won Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Startups.co.uk’s 2017 Awards and was named in Management Today’s ’30 under 30’.A few things you’ll learn in this episode...Why social media metrics matter when talking to investorsThe fine balance of being a founder AND a doerHow to nurture a passionate team around youABOUT US:

Having first thought of the idea for Pip & Nut whilst training for a marathon at the age of 24, Pippa's come a long, long way since she initially started selling her market-leading nut butters from a market stall each weekend. Now a multi-million pound company that is now stocked in over 5000 stores UK wide, I was lucky enough to sit down with her at Pip & Nut HQ (yes, there is a giant tub of nut butter slap back in the middle of the office... what a legend) to discuss how her role as Founder has evolved throughout that process and how she's adapted to that change. She opens up about how she dealt with the painful reality post-Brexit when she woke up on 26th June 2016 hundreds of thousands of pounds down and how she manages the days when the reality of owning a company tests your resilience beyond belief. Plus, of course, the various funding methods she has used since day one and her advice for anyone looking to raise; what down time and self-care looks like for her; her proudest moments along the way; plus a whole lot of other bits and bobs thrown in for good measure!  She's been an inspiration of mine since day one of She can. She did. and my chat with her lived up to (my very high) expectations!   She can. She did. is hosted by me, Fiona Grayson (hello!) and is sponsored by xero.com For a free one-month trial on Xero followed by 50% off for the next six months, please feel free to use the code, 'SCSD50' going forward! The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek! She can. She did. @shecanshedid Pip & Nut @pipandnut Xero @xero See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today’s guest is Pippa Murray who, 5 years ago, founded Pip & Nut, which is “arguably the brand that kicked off the nut butter revolution” in the UK [The Independent].Pippa began her career in the creative arts! In her early twenties, she was working as a theater producer when she started her nut butter side hustle -- making various peanut and almond butters at home and selling them at a local market.Pippa shares how rewarding it was to start this business and also how her brand has developed over the years. “The power of design and creativity should never be underestimated,” she says. We also talk about carving out time and space for creativity, even/especially as a sole entrepreneur.Something that is increasingly important to me in the products I buy is the sustainability factor as well as social responsibility, and Pippa and I talk about how Pip & Nut puts efforts toward doing good as a business. Pip & Nut not only has a range of nut butter flavors, they also produce nut milk, they published a cookbook, and they put on events -- all of which contribute to bringing the brand to life.I’m amazed by what Pippa has created, and I so enjoyed talking with her. I hope you enjoy our conversation, too!-- Pip & Nut --Instagram // @pipandnutTwitter // @pipandnut--Keep It Quirky--Instagram // @keepitquirkypodcastKatie Quinn on Insta & Twitter // @qkatiewww.youtube.com/TheQKatiewww.facebook.com/TheQKatieDon’t forget to sign up for my e-newsletter! Go here: http://eepurl.com/dNtAx2 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Crowdfunding before launch, creating a strong brand from the outset and encouraging a new perspective on food. We spoke to Pip, founder of Pip & Nut, about how she went about launching a new type of nut butter. Pip & Nut create 100% natural, nutritious nut butters without palm oil. The absence of this ingredient was quite revolutionary at the time of launch and the purity of their ingredients gives the butters a luxuriously glossy finish, unlike any other on the market. We heard how Pip turned to crowdfunding to facilitate the launch and why this route has been so beneficial. We also discuss the process of building a team who shares the brand's ethos – with some members having been with Pip & Nut since launch. Throughout this episode Pip shares so much helpful advice and learnings from their experience so far. It was amazing to hear the story behind a company that is fast becoming a household name. It sounds like there are some exciting projects in the pipeline for Pip & Nut so watch this space… Find Pip & Nut on Instagram @pipandnut and via their website www.pipandnut.com Find us on Instagram @whatscookingpodcast, on Twitter @whatscookingpod or email us thewhatscookingpodcast@gmail.com

Pip Murray is the Founder of Pip & Nut, the award winning nut butter and almond milk brand. Pip talks to Feel-Good Brands about the company’s mission to embrace healthy fats and put nuts back on the nutritional map.

Pip Murray is the Founder of Pip & Nut, the award winning nut butter and almond milk brand. Pip talks to Feel-Good Brands about the company’s mission to embrace healthy fats and put nuts back on the nutritional map.

This conversation is with Thea Alexander and Pip Murray. Thea is the founder of Young Foodies – a community platform supporting food & beverage startups as they try to get off the ground and achieve scale. They have helped a number of brands become market leaders in their niche including: WheyHey, Mallow+Marsh, Plenish and Pip&Nut. Pip is the founder of all-natural nut butter phenomenon Pip&Nut. Now stocked in most major retailers, Pip&Nut is the foremost UK nut butter brand. In combination, they give us a detailed expose on many of the key obstacles facing challenger food and drink companies in today’s and tomorrow’s markets.

"I remember when I wrote my business plan for crowdcube and I think I said that we would be a £3 million brand in 5 years time and in our second year we beat that... and suddenly the goalposts moved". Pippa Murray, founder of Pip & Nut is #screwitjustdoit's most popular  podcast - as chosen by YOU! You can find out the Top 5 by visiting our Facebook page here: Pippa is the founder of wholesome nut butter brand Pip & Nut which she founded in 2015 with a startup loan in which she has rejuvenated the humble peanut butters of the high street and she's also a previous Virign Foodpreneur winner. Pippa started with a £10,000 startup loan from her kitchen table and used that to rent to use a commercial kitchen and sold her first products in London markets at the weekends whlst working part-time as a theatre producer. Fast forward to 2018 and she's turning over £3 million, is stocked in every supermarket in the UK and has just raised £1 million to fuel future growth. Let's StartUp!

Pippa Murray, Founder of Pip & Nut shares her story on launching and growing the nut butter start- up  that started in Maltby Market in London and is fast becoming a retail favourite.