Today we’d like to introduce you to Meredith Cochran.
Hi Meredith, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I suppose you could say that dandelions changed my life forever. I mean, most people consider these beautiful flowers as weeds or something they’d rather see shrivel and die than for the miraculous detoxifying herbs they are. Not to mention the fact that they may be more beautiful dead than they are alive and I’ve spent countless hours making my wishes known to their seeds as I blow them into the wind. Fast forward a few years and I found myself sitting in San Francisco at one of the top schools in the nation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. I wound up here after my stint in healthcare left me feeling defeated with today’s hospital system. Instead, I chose to devote my career to preventive medicine and helping people avoid the hospital as much as possible.
After discovering the power of a dandelion, bone broths, and other flowers, roots, and leaves I realized how amazing food can be when we use it as the medicine it was created for. It’s so easy to understand the power of a plant when we feel immense energy from something like a coffee bean. But, what about a calming chamomile bud? Or a cooling mint leaf? Most people don’t have access to medicinal grade teas grown by small family farmers who care. That’s where I come in. Once you begin to peel back the layers of teas and tisanes, you realize how important it is to find the best sources. I often tell people that if a tea bag from a grocery store shelf is their only exposure to tea, then they have no idea how incredible it can be. Once you try a chocolate mint tea grown in small batches on a polyculture farm with zero chemicals or pesticides and air dried within an hour of harvest, you’ll take one sip and realize how insanely good tea can be. While I source nearly all of my tisanes domestically, I travel the World meeting small family growers to source my matchas, oolongs, and other camelia sinensis teas. And if you think there is a lot to coffee, just wait until you dive into the World of tea. Did you know that all matchas, green, white, black, and oolong varieties come from the same plant? It is how it’s grown and processed that makes all the difference. In fact, it’s the most important detail that isn’t included on a nutrition label that seems to make the biggest impact. And I’m excited to help others realize the importance of this too. I am stoked that I get to help small family farmers and also provide high quality teas and tisanes for those who are looking to enhance their everyday life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Farming comes with challenges and we just can’t control the weather. When you raise crops the right way, without pesticides and in a polyculture regenerative soil, it’s even more difficult to harvest the yield you want from these magnificent herbs. We have to be flexible with what the Earth provides us every season.
Also, many people have had tea and while some love it, most haven’t fully embraced or understood the depth that there can be within the world of tea. So, we must educate consumers that a better tea exists or that each and every oolong is uniquely produced from batch to batch with a subtle nuance that makes it a joy to experience with each and every sip.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am a Serial Entrepreneur who wants to leave the World a bit better than I found it. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would have gone into business. But, I also didn’t realize how much I could change the World for good by creating a business that maintains the ethos I ascribe to. When I started my first business over a decade ago, I just focused on delivering the highest quality products made using the traditional techniques that our ancestors had used for centuries. My soup company, The Osso Good Co. grew into a multi-million dollar omni-channel business model during my reign as founder and CEO. And I fell in love with building business and creating community with a focus on food as medicine and regenerative agriculture. It is ultimately what led me to start my second business, Shareable (www.shareable.life), a marketing agency focused on helping sustainable brands scale their businesses and connect authentically with their communities to create a sticky audience. We are unique in that we act as an outsourced CMO but with the tactical ability to strategize and execute effectively across early stage startups to billion dollar brands. We have delivered insane results for our partners with an average of 10X growth and measurable ROI.
My passion for tea and food as medicine is why I began Societea (www.societeaco.com). Most tea companies source tea from large operations who have lost touch with the soul of their farming. I partner with small family producers who go above and beyond to deliver the highest quality teas and tisanes. I also partnered with the World’s top tea master to craft a unique wine tea that is zero proof and combines the power of wine grapes with the highest quality teas for a sophisticated sip without the hangover or inflammation that normally comes with it. I am so proud of the relationships we have built with our farmers and the people who we have helped heal their bodies through teas and tisanes. Jean Savarin said it best when she said, “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.”
How do you think about luck?
I have long been an advocate of leaning into what brings you joy. Every time I have leaned into joy, I have been able to create my own luck. I believe that luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparation. And so I dive deep into the realms of food as medicine and business growth + development. It’s the craziest thing when you do what you love and attract those who are also looking for you. I also ascribe to the mentality that if you think you’re crazy enough to change the World, you absolutely can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shareable.life | www.societeaco.com | www.meredithcochran.com
- Instagram: @themeredithlife
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-cochran-76365910/
Image Credits
Meredith Cochran
