Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Richardson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My name is Lindsey Richardson. I am a business owner, health enthusiast, backyard farmer, inspirational life coach and dream fulfiller. I’m originally from Northern Colorado and have always known I was put on this earth to help people and do something amazing.
I did 2 years of pre-med at Colorado State University and am not able to handle the sight of blood as I soon found out during an internship with a doctor. This leads me to reconsider this as my life path and was currently enrolled in creative writing as part of my general requirements for my bachelors. The entire course was aimed around sustainability. Growing up in a small farming community I never knew anything about sustainability. This one class opened my eyes to a new way of helping people which changed my whole life.
I loved it so much that I switched my degree moved to Australia the next semester and finished the rest of my bachelor’s degree there in International Business & Environmental Restoration. I lived abroad for 3 years including teaching English on an olive farm in Italy. My eyes were opened up to the beautiful world we live in. There are so many things to see and experience and also learn. I have dedicated my life to inspiring others about sustainability, and have been working in sustainability for the last 10 years.
I create a farm to table programs in the San Diego & Vista school difference using the most efficient gardens on the planet. They were designed in part with NASA at the EPCOT center in Orlando to grow food in outer space.
We use the farm to table programs not only to grow food for their cafeteria, communities and student-run farmers markets. But also as an example that there are problems with farming in our society, our food is less nutrient dense, we have less water and space to use so these vertical aeroponic gardens solve a lot of these problems. They use 90-98% less water, 10% of the space, increase nutritional density up to 88% and grow 2-3 times faster than in the ground. This is a great example of problem, solution and impact to our whole world. It really allows kids and adults to look deeper into our world to see how they can be the change!
I then work with kids to identify problems that are going on in our world today. We talk about things from their school, families and the environment. I help them define solutions and empower them so they can be the change that is needed in the world! They are the brilliant minds of the future that are going to be our global change makers. I was inspired by one of my teachers that changed the path of my whole life and I hope that my program Operation Vertical will do the same to hundreds – thousands of other young minds.
I have dedicated my life to working with others to make the world a better place and so excited to share the power of growing food with our community. I work with schools all around Southern California and expanding every day.
Also on the horizon is a large wellness center that will be a Southern California hub for health, nutrition and food production. People of all ages will be able to pick their own produce, learn health benefits from leading nutrition experts and become part of the movement to take healthy back. We are all on this earth together. Lettuce Grow Together.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has absolutely not been easy. There is almost someone at every juncture that thinks I am crazy and should stop to get a “real job”. I was told I can’t go to Australia for college by my parent. They even forbid me at one point. Instead, I got student loans, found 2 jobs there and worked my way through college. I was the first person on either side of my family to graduate college and with a very reputable college in Australia.
I then was told I couldn’t enter into the solar field without experience, after a 3-month internship I had 4 other job offers for my abilities to put people and programs together to make an even greater impact within the organization. I was the youngest person in that company by over 20 years and the 3rd female in the whole division of the company.
I packed up all of my belongings and moved west after a split decision. Once again, no one thought I would be able to make it. 3 years ago I started Healthy Urban Living when others thought this was not a reliable business. Kids already have food in the cafeteria and won’t need my program.
I still am surrounded by disbelievers. Those will never go away. From those disbelievers brings me power because I know I am in the right spot if someone else is scared or intimidated by my greatness. Empowering peoples greatness and harnessing it into good is the magic in our world.
Having a vision and watching that vision come true and inspire others to take action is unbelievable magic and wouldn’t change what I do for anything.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Healthy Urban Living story. Tell us more about the business.
My business is Healthy Urban Living. I created a program called Operation Vertical 3 years ago helping kids grow food in their classroom and around their schools. I help kids be the change that is needed in the world while also helping them create a farm to table programs.
They not only learn skills about growing food but also entrepreneurship by selling the food back to the community. Problem, solution, impact skills as they learn to identify gaps in our society and how they can fix them.
I’m most proud when I see the transformation to kids in the program. How they speak, think and even move changes when they feel empowered. We are also creating mentoring programs to help kids teach other kids life skills!
I really care about the future of our world and all of us who live in it. There are no other programs that teach in this same way using nutrition, sustainability and community development with the brilliant minds of our future!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I am a full believer in the law of attraction. I make a conscious effort every day to attract only positivity and really believe that helps in every aspect of my life!
Pricing:
- You can grow 28 of your own individual plants at home or school starting at only $45 per month.
- Farm to table programs starting at $2,000 that can transform your school or business for the next 20-30 years!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.healthyurbanliving.org
- Phone: 619-888-0362
- Email: lindsey@healthyurbanliving.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthyurbanliving2018/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthyurbanliving/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/healthy-urban-living-san-diego
Image Credit:
Operation Vertical at Olive Elementary School, Vista CA
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
