Zuryna Livermore: Hey, hey.
Welcome to Operations Unfiltered, the
podcast that takes you behind the scenes
of influencer and talent management.
I'm your host and your favorite
marketing project manager, girly Zaina.
Today's episode is special because we're
not just talking about business, we're
talking about being bold in business.
We're talking about what it looks
like to build a wellness brand from
the ground up in a beverage industry
that's saturated with billion dollar
corporations, yet still leaves little room
at the table for black women founders.
In fact, less than 1% of US beverage
brands are black owned and even
fewer are led by black women.
And yet, right here in the heart
of Baltimore, a city that's known a
little bit more for its grit than green
juices, mother nature is thriving.
What started as a local feel-good
passion has become a powerful
force in the wellness community.
Not only does this brand serve
cold press goodness and healing,
but it disrupts an industry that
was never built with us in mind.
So today you'll hear from the
brilliant founder herself.
Kelly is a woman who has taken her
love for holistic health and black
community care and business operations,
and she turned it into a movement.
So if you've ever been curious about what
it takes to build a beverage brand, you
wanna know more about growing community,
or you simply just want some encouragement
to stay rooted in your purpose, then
this episode is most certainly for you.
So without further ado, I'm
excited to bring you this week's
episode of Operations Unfiltered.
Thank you so much for joining me.
I always give a brief introduction
at the beginning, but can you
give me an introduction to who
you are and give us the origin
story of all things your business?
I don't wanna say it until you
introduce it, but give us the tea.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Thank you so
much for having us on this podcast.
This is amazing.
So I'm grateful for having us here.
I'm Kelly, the founder
and CEO of Mova Nature.
We are a holistic juice
and company based here in.
Baltimore City, we are providing
health and wellness through beverages.
So that's functional beverages, fresh
juice, herbal teas, all the things.
And then we are also teaching wellness
education through juicing, through
different, city facilities, different
corporations, things of that nature.
So we are five years in the Macon.
I like to say we are a pandemic
business because we started.
20.
Yes.
2020 is when we started right
in the height of everything
happening in the world, by the
nature showed up and really the.
Was my sister Danielle.
She was 33 when she had,
stage four colon cancer.
She found out in 2019, so this
was towards the end of 2019,
going into the pandemic in 2020.
So along trying to assist her
in her journey with cancer, and
then with the shift of the world
and Mova Nature was created.
She was born.
And it was really just a
process of me learning.
. The benefits of like fruits and
vegetables and juice and different
herbs and things like that.
And as I was learning, I was
sharing online, so that's how
we were building our platform.
I was just organically sharing online.
Zuryna Livermore: love you,
like I love your mission.
I loved you, and the reason I wanted
you to share your story is because I
actually heard this in person and I
want to tell my listeners all about
it because I was like, so moved.
I actually met you at the
Carey Business School Community
Consulting Lab pitching event.
And you were one of the finalists
and your story, the way you, your
energy on stage was just like, it
gave me everything I needed to know.
I needed to have.
So I was like, yes, we absolutely
wanna know all about you and
Mova Nature and that story.
Honestly, it takes the worst of
the worst and then a beautiful
blessing can come out of it.
And I truly feel like that's
what your business is.
'cause that's what the, you gave me
the warm and fuzzies when you were
talking, so I'm so excited about that.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes.
Everything you said exactly that.
Exactly that, yes.
Zuryna Livermore: Yeah.
And speaking of that, the community
consulting lab, that's exactly
where the community consulting
lab, that's where I met you.
Can you talk a little bit about
your experience with that and how it
influenced your business strategy moving
forward, and what is that program for
people who might not know what it is?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Absolutely.
Number one, I'm an advocate for
small business to join different
programs whether in Baltimore
City, Maryland, or beyond.
I think that's a great way to gain.
Deeper insight of how to scale and grow
your business, understand operations.
And it's also a way for you to get
in front of a different audience.
And on top of that, you get to, you
may have possibly went some money,
which we got to win second place.
So, that experience, it
was an eight week program.
We got selected and we actually submitted
our application like the day of.
That was the last, time
that we could submit it.
I.
The video, it would not
upload in the queue.
So what I did was I went on LinkedIn
and I posted the submission video onto
my LinkedIn platform, and I tagged
John Hopkins Business Carry School.
So everybody saw my submission
online and it was like.
It wasn't together, it was me just
look, this is what we're trying to do.
This is how we need help.
This is this is what we need.
And granted, this was only for John
Hopkins Business Carry School to see it.
But everybody saw it on the platform.
They saw it and then they selected us.
Zuryna Livermore: Yay.
Talk about like tenacity.
'cause me, I would've cried.
I would've gave up.
I mean, I'm gonna figure it out,
but I would've had a whole meltdown.
So that just speaks volumes.
And I could just feel that.
When you were speaking and giving
your presentations, I was like,
yes, girl, you gonna get it?
Whatever money they give.
And they, you gonna get it.
So that alone speaks volumes
and I'm so happy you made it.
But can you talk a little bit about
what you gained from that experience?
Aside from, I feel like you already
have it, whatever that it is, you have
that, but what technical skills or
what did you learned from that program?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Absolutely.
So the program was, it really
opened my eyes to learning
how to scale your business.
So I think we start as entrepreneurs,
we have this full vision of what we
wanna do and how we wanna do it, and
it normally pictures with us being in
the mix doing everything because that's
just how it starts off with a vision, a
Zuryna Livermore: Yeah.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: scream,
A little bit of Lulu in there.
You just go out there and you try it.
And so this is year five for us.
And I knew that we were at a pivotal
point where things have to adjust.
And I'm recognizing that in order
to grow this business, I do have
to step out of the day to day.
I have to learn how to delegate.
I have to create some SOPs to
onboard people so they can know
how to make the product like Mova
Nature makes the product and really
be a part of a team and grow it.
And I think the main thing
that I took out of this.
Was that understanding of in order
to grow your business, you do have
to step out of that day to day.
You do have to create systems and
processes for people to be, to come on
board to be able to follow your lead.
So that was one of the
major things that I learned.
They, a lot of what they said was
start with the ending in mind.
So meaning you're not just looking at
right now and today, you're looking
at five years from now, where do
you want, where do you see yourself?
Where do you see your
company and how do you see.
See your life?
Do you see yourself, doing
popups for five, five plus years?
Do you see yourself working
in the kitchen, being on
frontline with your customers?
Or do you see yourself building a team,
building your brand, speaking, meeting
with different partners and corporations
and really pitching your business?
And what I recognized is that's
the stage that I am in right now.
I'm in the stage of I'm
pitching, I'm ready to pitch.
I'm so speaking to corporations
partner, like I'm just.
I.
Zuryna Livermore: Let me, you are ready.
Because like I said, you move me so much.
I was like, oh no, I
need to walk over here.
And I was ready to leave because I had
to go get my kid, but I was like, oh
no, I have to go talk to her because
you just made me feel that and I,
you are absolutely ready for that.
Stage of everything.
And you mentioned that they helped
you think with the ending in mind.
And I loved that because as a
project manager myself, I consider
myself like air traffic control.
And I always tell my clients that we
need to see the forest through the trees.
So the fact that they echo that as a
business owner, I love that because you
know that gives me the warm and fuzzies.
Again, that's why I said this
connection that I had, I, I.
the best for your business
because you just have such a
good energy and I love that.
Now, all this technical stuff you
learned, what is your background?
Do you have a business background or did
you just say, let me start my business?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: So my expertise
comes from the people around me.
I do not have a business
degree or anything, but
Zuryna Livermore: I love it.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: I grew
up around entrepreneurs.
Like my mom, she had a
restaurant for 36 years.
And mind you I'm 35 this year,
so that's how long she's had it.
My sister's been in business
with her graphic design.
My other sister was also in
business with her clothing line.
So I've been surrounded by like
people, women that have honestly
taken the forefront and taken control
over how they wanna make their money.
I've had like business mentors around
me who have really shaped my mindset
when it comes down to understanding
like how you should approach
business, how to think next level.
And really opened my eyes and it
gave me like a firsthand view of how
they were growing their business.
And they had large numbers and
I was saying like, oh, this is a
possibility and with me, all I need
to see is it's a possibility and.
Go in and do my research and learn
what it is that I have to learn in
order to get better in business.
So I will say today, in year five, I
thought I knew so much five years ago.
No, it's like year five.
Me looking at baby Mova
nature five years ago.
I'm like, girl, yes.
Thank God you, you weathered the
storm to get to this point, because
that's another great thing that I've
just learned is you gotta weather the
storm no matter what business that
you are in you're gonna hit those
roadblocks, you're gonna hit those bumps.
And I, if it wasn't for the people that
were around me that were like my mentors
and things like that, I don't think
I would've been able to push through
to get to this space that I'm in now.
Zuryna Livermore: I love that.
And it's almost like you
really had to bet on yourself
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes.
Zuryna Livermore: then you got that
frontline experience, which I feel
like is it's oftentimes looked over,
but the value of seeing people doing
it and you that's a word being as long
as I see you can do it, I can do it.
I love that.
And the fact that you're doing
it, you're probably modeling that.
Not probably you are modeling
that for someone else.
So again, kudos to you.
I don't know.
I'm getting all the vibes now.
Okay, so you're running
this wellness business.
You do the physical products,
you do the live engagements and
experience, and I know that can be
so much to handle and my I wanna
know what your work week looks like.
What is it, what does a day in
the life of Mova Nature look like?
Especially if you have a live event.
Walk us through that.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Okay, so
a live event, it's like you
gotta prep days prior to that.
And because with and I'll say live
event, like catering, or I'll say popup,
but I'll use catering for more of an
example of how you have to prep for that.
Because our products are fresh made.
It depends on like the style of
do they want pre-made bottles or
do they want us to juice on site?
So we offer.
Two methods.
We can juice live on site for you
to see the whole start to finish.
Which was, which requires us to
bring in our setup our fresh fruits.
We have our cuts.
We just have the whole thing set
like a mini mini mocktail bar.
So that's a,
Zuryna Livermore: love that.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: or there is
the pre prep where we are making
the juices prior and then we have to
get that together for the next day.
Because currently we don't use
any preservatives, we don't have
anything in there that would
make the shelf life be like.
10 plus days, we're looking
at four to five days shelf.
And I want to make sure that when
we do these events, you're getting
the freshest product possible.
So a lot of times it's the day
before you're prepping for maybe
75 to a hundred bottles for these
companies and yeah, 75 to a hundred.
We
Zuryna Livermore: Oh my goodness.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: so it
it's really a matter of.
Strategic planning out my day, because
more than likely, if I'm prepping for
an event that day, I either have to
teach a workshop later on in the day.
So I still have to be prepared for that.
I have a lot of emails that I'm
going through because again, I'm in
the growing stage of Mova Nature, so
I'm pitching all throughout the day,
all throughout the week to people.
Hey Mova day needs.
Zuryna Livermore: You have
all this stuff going on.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: And it's strategic.
So it's not like I'm pitching
everywhere, but it's key people
where I'm seeing these events popping
up or I'm seeing certain things.
LinkedIn is a gold mine.
I'm like seeing stuff and I'm
like, okay, I gotta get on that.
And because we just finished our
we just finished the CCO program.
Before that it was, I had to be logged
in with the CCO program that was
like a three hour program on Monday.
So I had to get prep for that.
But we still had work we had to complete.
It was just, it's a lot.
So I think for me.
The work week is really about
utilizing your calendar.
Zuryna Livermore: Yeah.
Yes.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: It's
utilizing your calendar.
It's making sure mentally and
physically I'm in a space to be
able to handle the week, because
sometimes it does get overwhelming
when you gotta, and people think
emails, sending emails is simple, but
Zuryna Livermore: No,
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: think
Zuryna Livermore: research.
I always say that you gotta
pre-pitch before you pitch and post
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes.
Zuryna Livermore: and follow
up, and it's a lot, it's a job.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: It's a job in itself,
but I luckily I utilize chat GPT, so.
Zuryna Livermore: Amen.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Business,
please utilize chat, GPT to
assist you along with that.
But it's still it's day
to day, it's constant.
But what I'm working on now is
shutting it off at a certain time.
I'm shutting it off so that I'm not
so 24 7 business business while also
understanding that I am in a real,
like str I'm just in a pivotal point
right now where it's just like I.
Zuryna Livermore: you're in the
growth phase, like the super growth.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: And it's
like Mova Nature has to capture
it now because the energy is here
Zuryna Livermore: Yeah.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: on us.
And there are opportunities
flowing our way.
So I've gotta make sure I'm
giving them the right deals.
I gotta make sure I'm
reading through contracts.
I gotta make sure this is a,
a good partnership for me.
And yes.
So
Zuryna Livermore: I love that.
And it's like I said, you're
really in the growth phase
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yeah.
Zuryna Livermore: I understand that.
mentioned that you're doing all of these,
but at Operations Unfiltered, we'd like
to understand who are the right, who are
the people, processes, and tools that
you use Now, is it just you by yourself?
Do you have an assistant?
How do you do all of these things?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby:
Right now it's me, so I.
Zuryna Livermore: What.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby:
Multitasking in me right now.
I've grown to be able to develop
a skill to be able to multitask.
However, I am definitely at
that line where it's saying
Kelly you can't do that anymore.
So I'm in.
With the prize money that we
just won, it's definitely going
to bring in staffing for us.
So, again, we, throughout this whole
program, we created our SOPs, we created
our systems so people can understand
like how to make this product exactly
like how our customers are used to it.
So bringing them into that fold.
So that relieves some of that work
for me and also helps to be able to
bring in more business for Mova Nature.
So up until this point I've had
people come and for different
catering events or different popups.
I've had people come out
to assist and to help.
Yes.
However, I'm looking at now more
of a consistent, because we're
getting more and more inquiries
about, Hey, can you come out here?
Can you come out here?
Can you come out here?
So it's like I.
Zuryna Livermore: need
some logistics support.
Two.
Two live more agency.
I'm gonna have to hook up with you, girl.
Oh my gosh.
I'm so excited for you.
And we really are in the wellness era.
We're in the WAN era, the Whole Foods era.
Everybody cares about their body.
So you are right.
This is the wave that we gotta.
You gotta ride this one girl.
Yes.
And speaking of which, managing
all of this, you mentioned
that you have your calendar.
Are you a pen and paper type of girl?
What other tools and
technology do you use?
I know I'm a Google Drive, I use
Smartsheet and some of my organizations
and some of the companies that I help.
Did CCL offer any tools
that you could use?
Just let us know what you're using
to keep all the things organized.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yeah, so they
heavily emphasize the cash flow
projection sheet, which was really
done through Google Google Drive
and Google Sheets, like it was.
We utilized that so.
That was one of the main
technical tools they spoke about.
Also, will Holmes was one of
our he was our mentor there and
our teacher in this program, he
heavily emphasized the use of ai.
Now, he had so many AI tools outside
of chat, GPT and it was a lot.
But he heavily emphasized
how you can utilize.
AI and then you can save your money.
As opposed to paying out for people
to come in like an operations
manager or something like that.
You can kind of train AI to
be able to handle a lot of
different parts of your business.
Like admin support checking
in like certain things.
I was being exposed to watching his own
story about his AI tool that he was using.
It was doing, it was answering
calls, it was responding to emails.
It, well, it was talking to, it was doing
so much stuff that I was like, you know.
People think of your business
industry, they think of it as one way.
Like, oh, you're in food.
Oh, you're, you're an artist, or
You're this, but AI transcends all
of those industries, and there's a
way in which we can use AI to help
alleviate some of the tasks that we
have to do, help us save some money.
It's just, it's phenomenal what
AI is doing and what it's going
towards, and I would e encourage
people to, to log into it, but my.
Zuryna Livermore: love that you're
embracing this because I do work
with a lot of small business owners
who are really nervous about it,
and they're shying away from it.
But here is a, you're giving us a,
a success story that, Hey, I'm gonna
incorporate this into my daily life, so I.
Kudos to ai.
I call it Alan Iversson.
So yes, we gonna continue
to use Alan Iversson.
Now, Mova Nature is both
business and lifestyle.
I consider it both the business side
of it because you are selling and, and
doing things like that, but it is the
lifestyle, the wellness experience.
But when you're creating the content
and you're posting things, this is
the question that I always ask of
each of my guests because it's, the
discourse about this subject is so real.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Okay.
Zuryna Livermore: you consider yourself
a content creator or an influencer?
Why or why not?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: I think
that I am actually an influencer.
Yes, an influencer, content creation
is something that I learned how to do.
Like I learned how to do it.
Before we had Canva, like I, we
learned how to do these things before
real started to really take off.
Like I would say.
Yes, content creation comes for me second.
But influencer I feel comes to me first.
Especially because of how I.
How we got our name.
It was through, organic following online.
And it just so happened that we were
doing it at a time where a lot of
small businesses started to take off
because people were looking for answers
and solutions in a different place.
I felt like for the first time in,
in decades, people were looking
towards like social media for
information where they may have been
looking at another source for that.
So I felt like during our our.
In the beginning 2020 to 2022, I would
say we were definitely on the forefront
of being a safe haven for wellness.
Not only did we have Baltimore
residents asking us for products, we
were shipping outta state, like as
far as California, South Carolina,
Florida, like we were shipping sea
moss and herbs to people during the
pandemic for two years straight.
So.
Zuryna Livermore: Wow.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: I would
definitely say that's where we were.
We were pushing the juices, we
were pushing the herbal teas.
We were, I would like to say we were
one of the, a part of one of the first
people to, first group of people to really
be pushing that during the pandemic.
And it just shows our resiliency and just
shows that, during a time where things, it
was a serious change in life for everyone.
We were outside masked up.
Dropping off juices to people and dropping
off sea moss to people just showing up.
So I would definitely say I am more of
an influencer, it, a micro influencer.
It could be whatever, I know I influence
people on my platform and I try to
utilize it in the best way possible.
And the, and I try to
still be myself on there.
I.
Zuryna Livermore: type of content
would you say do you post?
Do you post like the traditional
like day in my life type of stuff?
Is it all of that or
is it very structured?
What type of creator are you
given that you are an influencer?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: I wouldn't say
day in the life, 'cause I feel like
day in the life is too much for me.
I just feel.
I feel like it's too much for me, and I
also feel like it comes a time where it's
no longer just organic day in the life.
I feel like it starts to get performative
and the last thing I wanna do is
be performative on social media.
Like I don't wanna get trapped
into, I have to be presented a
certain way and I've, and I've felt
like times where I've needed to.
Present myself in a CA certain
light because I am pushing wellness.
I am pushing health.
I am pushing this image where,
sometimes people would see me outside
and they would be like, oh, like
I pictured you in this, like very
much like Earth Godmother type of.
Zuryna Livermore: Oh no.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: It was that,
and granted, we love Erykah Badu,
and I do give those in certain
spaces, but you know, I'm a native
of Baltimore City, so I'm still
me, I'm still, I'm still just live.
I'm still me, I'm still vibrant and I'm
pushing this culture of social health.
So I wouldn't say it's day in the life.
I would just say it's, information based.
It's, it's,
Zuryna Livermore: Love it.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: it's raw.
I post a lot about business failures.
Honestly, a lot of people are
looking at my page now and they
see a lot of wins happening for me.
But for the last two years, I
posted my lows because we did
open up a storefront and we did
have to close it, and I did lose.
Almost all my money and I did
have to go back to my mother's,
so much stuff happened, but I
was very vocal online about it.
I was just like, look, I'm in a, in a
pivot of a season of pivot and that,
Zuryna Livermore: Yeah.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: and seeing that
online at that point where people were
just, people were posting their highs
and I think you have a right to do that.
But for me, I was like, look.
This is where I am because people
were asked to me as I returned back
outside with my juicer in my 10.
They were saying to me, what
happened to your storefront?
And I said, it's closed.
I said, I'm outside.
I said, rent is high.
I wasn't in the right neighborhood.
It was a lot of stuff going on, but you
know, I made a decision to come back
out because I believe in this brand
and I believe in this product, and I
believe just because I made a decision.
Decision in a space that didn't
work out, that didn't mean that
was the end of my business.
So, I post like very real,
very raw content, very
self-empowering health content.
I'm,
Zuryna Livermore: we need
to hear because again, we
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes,
Zuryna Livermore: lot of wins, but we
need to know what happened prior to those
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes,
Zuryna Livermore: need to have
know what happens in between that.
And again, everybody shares when they're
up, but nobody shares when they're down.
And how you rebuilt from that.
So I love that.
I appreciate that.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes,
Zuryna Livermore: go back
and scroll through 'cause I
might need some motivation.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes.
Zuryna Livermore: girl, I'll be so ready
to throw in the towel as an entrepreneur.
I mean, I still have my full-time job.
But I wanna do something that fuels
me and, and you know what I mean?
And I get so discouraged that
imposter syndrome is so real.
So seeing stories like you seeing,
hearing from the other women that
were in your cohort, it just really
motivates and pushes me forward.
So I love that you share that content
and I encourage you to keep doing it
because it, it brightens up my feed.
I hate all the salesy stuff.
I need to see that, you know.
But to that point, I do know
you are selling a product.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes.
Zuryna Livermore: you had to work
with a content creator or your dream
influencer, who would it be and why?
And what would you want them to do?
What would you want them to try?
What would you want them to taste?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: You know,
I don't even I don't think I
have a favorite influencer.
I I feel like even though yes, you
know, the answer to the previous
question, I said I, I, I would
more so resonate with being an
influencer versus a content creator.
I feel like this stage of business and
this stage of my life, I'm really looking
to connect organically with people.
I've, I've seen that viral is good, but.
There is a backside to
viral that isn't that good.
And businesses don't speak on how
sometimes you go from, having your
normal, maybe 50 customers a day and
your operation can handle that to your
business went viral and now you got 500
people at your door looking for you to
deliver the same experience that you
gave those 50 people without a moment.
Zuryna Livermore: on it.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: And I.
What that does to
businesses on the back end.
It starts off good.
It starts off with people wanting to
have a mission with wanting to support,
wanting to, show businesses love.
But then it turns into the
conversation of, oh, this,
this, the service took too long.
Or, oh, this wasn't up to par.
Or, oh, this wasn't all that.
And then it turns into people
going into your reviews and they're
giving you one star reviews.
Like it's, it's a, it's
a slippery soap there.
And I think that for me in business now.
I am past the part of show and tell.
It's would be great for an influencer
to, to get my product and a few business.
A few influencers have taken my product,
they've done videos, things like
that, which I'm so appreciative of.
However, now I'm in a space where I'm
like, I would like to go viral within
the corporate spaces where that are
cutting my check, can see what's going on.
And I go viral in that room.
Zuryna Livermore: Coins please.
I know that's right.
But to that point, what does success
look like for Mother Na, mother Nature?
What is that?
Is it a number?
Is it, is it a coin number?
You know, what does
that look like for you?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: For me means that
Mova Nature has made its name and it's.
She's made her name, she's made a
space for herself, and I feel like
we've already done that, but I'm
looking at it on a much bigger scale.
Like I said, you, you hear a lot
about me talking about corporations
and partnerships because I'm going
for these larger spaces, these larger
companies, because I want Mova Nature's
product inside of their hotels.
I want malicious products
inside of their universities.
I want it in the stadiums like I want.
Zuryna Livermore: be amazing to wake up
and get a fresh juice instead of a coffee.
'cause you know, I'm a coffee
addict, you know, I need to relax.
So if I had a, you know, a juice option at
a hotel, come on idea, that would be nice.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes.
Zuryna Livermore: I'm thinking like
the Ivy, that's a black-owned hotel in
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Zuryna Livermore: like that.
Let me put this into the universe.
Maybe you need to talk to visit
Baltimore or some of these, let me, my
wheels are out there, you know, they
call me the Olivia Pope of marketing.
It's handled, you know,
let me put it out there,
Kelli Redmond-Bagby:
No, but you're spot on.
Like that's, that's where we are.
And I feel like Mova
Nature has enough clout.
I'm gonna say that we have enough clout
Zuryna Livermore: period.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: and we have
a phenomenal product and we also
have an amazing CEO, which is me.
So I'm like,
Zuryna Livermore: know that's right.
Pop it friend.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: I know how to
pitch myself and I know we have an
incredible story backing us, and five
years isn't a long time to really, you
know, five years is not a long time
in business world, but for five years.
Even with the months that we
were down, we, I've gone hard for
this company and hard for this
vision and hard for this match.
It's never changed.
And I'm back here and I'm,
and I'm not letting up.
And that's what this year has given me.
It's given me that energy
and that confirmation.
You're not letting up, you're leveling up.
So when I say I,
Zuryna Livermore: Say that one more time.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: you not leveling up.
Zuryna Livermore: Oh my goodness.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Wholeheartedly.
Every, every conversation, every
pitch, competition, every cohort I
join, I make sure that my mark is
made there by speaking on our story,
by really speaking about our losses
and where we're trying to grow to.
So for me, success looks like Mova
Nature's name being exactly where I
envisioned her in these spaces where she's
gonna get paid the money that she's worth.
Also being able to give back to my
community, being in my spaces and
being, being that bridge between
the information and the person,
like connecting them with that.
Because I believe that
wellness is for everyone.
So it's like I believe that
success is just, it's my
birthright and I it is here for us.
And it looks like peace.
It looks like giving back.
It looks like stopping in these rooms
that people may or may not think I
belong in, but I know I belong in there.
And it believes and it's just me
saying at the end of the day, I
wanna look back and say, I did it.
It's, it's, it's something innate
in me where I'm just like, I
did that despite the, I did it.
So that's what success feels
like and looks like for me.
You probably felt that from
me in my pitch as well,
Zuryna Livermore: absolutely did.
That's why we are here today.
I told you, I said that energy, it
like shook the room a little bit.
I was like, okay, girl.
Yes ma'am.
I'm, and honestly, I.
I feel that here, I felt that
through looking at your profile.
It, I, I honestly, like I said, when I,
when I started the interview, I really
hope nothing but the best for your
business in whatever form of success.
That means if you wanna be in the
storefront, I will be there purchasing it.
You know what I mean?
Like I want that for you.
And since you are running all of
this by yourself, this is a lot,
how do you prioritize self-care,
especially being that you run.
Wellness business, you
have to take care of you.
You can't pour from the empty cup.
So what does self care look like for you?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes.
And I'm so glad you said that.
It self-care looks like me.
Looking at my calendar, incorporating my
downtimes, it looks like me making sure.
And I just actually spoke on this
yesterday where it's just you
know, being in that fine line of
growth, but also, you know, you
still have to have your life too.
So it looks like me going
out to my local eateries, you
know, chilling out down there.
I may still have my laptop, but
I'm not on there all the time.
It looks like me just enjoying
myself and enjoying my outings
making sure I'm still connecting
with my family and my loved ones.
It and just.
Taking a moment to take
it all in and relax.
I feel like you're absolutely right.
You cannot pour from an empty cup.
That's what I did.
When I opened my store, I was pouring
from an empty cup and I crashed,
and it was just not a pretty crash.
It took me a while to recover from that.
I think it's important for people that
are in wellness or any type of service
field you have to go back to self
because you cannot show up for people
if you can't show up for yourself.
So it looks like that.
It looks like my my hour therapy
sessions with my therapist and.
Zuryna Livermore: I'm on therapist.
Black women in therapy is
like a vicious tool, man.
Like when when we get to therapy,
it's a problem, so I love that.
Because I can even hear the self-awareness
like it has helped me so much.
All the black women entrepreneurs
that I've talked to that are in
therapy, it's like you can hear it.
They got a sense of, I don't know,
it's just something aqua, as they say.
It's, it's just there.
I feel it.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Is so beautiful.
Zuryna Livermore: Yes.
Okay, so you mentioned that CCL
gave you all of these SOPs, they
gave you all these technical tools.
But you know, every, every
day is still happening.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes.
Zuryna Livermore: there one process
that you still need to adjust or tweak?
One workflow that you're like,
ah, it's still not hitting right?
If so, what is that and what are you
planning to do to address that issue?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: I think
it's still surrounding the SOPs.
Honestly it, it's still surrounding
that because it's you know, as I'm
tweaking recipes and I'm tweaking
different things that I feel like
I'm trying to adjust with the.
Movement of the beverage industry.
It's like I have to continue to adjust.
I have to continue to narrow down
and I have to do what makes sense.
So it's like I have to do these, like
whether it's me mock doing it so I can
kind of time myself to break down this
stuff, or it's me actually doing it.
But I have to remember that.
Okay.
'cause when you're in the mode of
creating, you're just like, all
right, I'm, I gotta get it done.
But also people don't move as fast as I do
when it comes down to this type of stuff.
Zuryna Livermore: 'cause
this is your brainchild.
They like, uh.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yeah.
So it's, it's really that.
And then it's also getting together
this strategy for our catering.
More so our catering, our popups.
I would say we are still doing popups,
but I'm being very strategic about that.
'cause I feel like we've
popped up everywhere.
We popped up everywhere.
But now it's about popping out where
it makes sense, where it's you're gonna
get clientele after this, or you're
gonna get a partnership after this.
Like my main, my main focus is
always what's coming after this.
I'm not just coming out here
to sell you guys juice, but
what am I getting after this?
Am I gonna be a part of a
conversation about partnering later?
Am I gonna do that?
It's always long term for me.
So.
I would probably say getting together
the strategy for our catering events
because they are getting larger again, we
got people requesting a hundred bottles
from us and that's a lot of juice.
Zuryna Livermore: Yeah, that's a lot of,
I'm just sitting over here like, what?
Oh my gosh.
I can't imagine a prep day for that.
It my, I'm stressed with
my own personal juicing.
That's why I've, I'm very sporadic
in my juicing journey, but I couldn't
imagine making a hundred bottles of
juice and then you gotta deliver them.
my gosh.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: You gotta set
up, you gotta set up, you still gotta
interact with people you're explaining
and depending on what type of package
they got, you're either on site explaining
the health benefits of it, you're
talking, you're mingling, like you.
It's so much that's going into this.
And once again, I recognize that
I've handled it up until this
point, but I recognize some of the
people that are reaching out to me.
I'm like, oh, I actually, I need that
money to come in sooner from CCO so that
I can go ahead and bring in, bring in my
little, my juice and interns, my juice.
Zuryna Livermore: Yes.
Not the juice intern.
I love that.
But you do.
And even.
It maybe like high schoolers
who need some service learning
hours, they can come help.
There's some people that need to be,
and, and I know my, I'm gonna toot
my own horn, my alma mater Stevenson
University, they have a great
business communication department.
Perhaps they can help
you with some events.
You know, toot my, let me write that down.
Reach out to Stevenson
and connect the dots.
You know,
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: No, I love that.
And one of my best friends, he used
to go to Steven University, so yeah.
Zuryna Livermore: go Mustang.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: No,
you're absolutely correct.
So that's where we at right now.
So you wanna see , some mothers
juicer team running around, and
really representing this brand.
And also I got a firsthand look
at what that looked like with our
student interns at John Hopkins.
Like they also had to pitch for us in
their presentation of Mother Nature.
So seeing how they.
Handled Mother Nature, seeing how
they fought for Mother Nature and
what their perspective of what
we were and where we were going.
It made me fully see you know,
there will be people who love
this brand as much as you do.
Zuryna Livermore: much as you do, and they
will take pride in it as much as you do.
I didn't realize that until I
saw those pitch competitions.
These people love that company
and I was like, oh my gosh,
y'all really are invested.
It was really lovely to see.
I love that.
And that's why I was like,
okay, this program is really
doing things in Baltimore City.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes,
Zuryna Livermore: I know you are
based in Baltimore City, but do you
have visions or plans for expansion?
And if so, maybe we can get an exclusive.
Where would you want to expand to?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: absolutely.
I would definitely love to expand
a along the East coast, so maybe
Philly, Florida, things like that.
I wanna New York, like I wanna go
down the East Coast line, but I'm
also very interested in West Coast.
I'm interested in the.
Colorados, things like that.
And all of that comes down to one thing
and it's us getting a cold packer.
So this is where we talking
about big expansion and big, big
numbers and what that looks like.
So I feel like this is the next elevation
for especially people in the beverage
industry because a lot of what I see is
yes people, they create the juice company.
Yes, they're doing the popups and yes.
They do like local local
cafes, things like that.
But when it comes time to expand
past that, you have to start.
Having different conversations with folk
and different levels, different arenas.
Then you're starting to look at what
does different investors look like?
You're looking at how are you raising your
capital, not just through, I'm selling
a thousand juices, but I'm entering
into these different pitch competition
where you don't have to actually be in a
program to enter into a pitch competition.
You can just go into a pitch competition.
And those five, 10, $15,000,
they start to rack up.
So now.
Your seed money to go ahead and
invest that into how do I increase
the shelf life of my product?
So for me, I have visions of
expansion and mother, the nature
far beyond Baltimore City.
However, it first starts with that
one thing that we are currently
working on, and that is getting us
connected with for co-packer and then
expanding our product from there.
Once we get the finalizations
with a co-packer and we get.
We, once we get that and the mock up,
it's the sky's the limit and that's all.
Zuryna Livermore: I love that, and I truly
believe that will be the case for you.
And I realize we didn't even go down
the list of what products you guys have.
I know you've mentioned the juices, you
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yeah.
Zuryna Livermore: herbal teas,
but give us a quick rundown of the
products you have and then also tell
us what your favorite product is.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yeah.
So we have so we've.
Have the juices, the fresh juices.
We offer that in our popups.
We also offer that through juice cleanses.
We have the herbal teas.
Our bestseller is the
Mother's Hibiscus Tea.
I'm gonna have to get you some of that.
Zuryna Livermore: I need this.
I need all this.
All the juices.
The flavors you mentioned
during your pitch.
I'm gonna let you tell them, but
they just, I was like, oh my gosh,
I wish they had some here tonight.
They sounded so good.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes.
No, I know.
The mom's hibiscus.
That's a great heart healthy drink.
Great for your gut health as well.
Hibiscus number one.
It's just a great just herb to have
in your cabinet for immune system,
heart health, all the things.
And then we have we have CMOs
that we sell as well in different
herbs, but again, in that.
Pivotal point, whether or not we'll
still keep selling it or not, but
that's also a great product as well.
It has different herbs
in it for energy boosts.
Mental clarity.
So you're looking at like lion made
mushroom you're looking at macaro,
all those things that are adding
into your just added boost for your.
Zuryna Livermore: the overall
hol holistic wellness.
I like that Now.
Now, how have the tariffs impacted you
and like the rise in grocery prices
and how have you pivoted with that?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: So tarriffs has
hit us like it hits everybody else.
Pineapples were a dollar and 29 cents.
Zuryna Livermore: Not
to the, I know that she.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: 1 29.
That was in like Aldi's.
And this is when I was like going into
grocery stores, so like Aldi's or Sprouts.
I saw like Sprouts lowest for
like $2 or something cent.
Normally I'll go into these type of
spaces if I haven't made it to Restaurant
Depot or if I haven't made it to any
other farmer's market that I find.
But now I've seen a
pineapple one for $5 and.
Same size.
So, has tariffs affected us?
Absolutely.
Because
Zuryna Livermore: I'm even thinking like
your plastics, your bottles that you use.
goodness.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: it's everything's
the cost of everything has risen.
So having to.
Raise prices on, what we're offering,
but making it still be valuable
for people and not just, well
we're raising prices, this is that.
But you know, still making sure
people see the value and understand
we are raising this because everything
else around us is raising up.
But it's all a part of the growth
in your business and I feel like you
have to have those buffers in there,
especially when you're pricing stuff out.
For those increase in costs.
So you get down to like, how much
does it cost to make your product?
That's down from ingredients to the
bottles, to the tops, to the labels,
all that, how much does it cost?
And then you know, you're adding in
where is your product going, delivery.
All those things you gotta add into.
And then how much does it cost for you to
actually make the product, like per hour?
If it wasn't just me, if it was
somebody else, you gotta add that in.
Zuryna Livermore: my gosh, girl,
you in here doing big math?
Oh my gosh.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: It's scary because
numbers have always kind of frightened me.
So especially when you talking about
larger numbers, like it's, it's
frightened me, but I've learned to
embrace it and especially like with
this past program, it made me much more
comfortable with numbers and understanding
you gotta get down your numbers.
To the team, you know, and you
can always bring somebody in.
You can hire a CFOs to make sure your
numbers are correct, however, you still
need to know what's going on down to
the penny, so it takes a bit more.
Zuryna Livermore: 29, she said.
She said the pineapples were a dollar 29.
So down to the penny.
I'm not like, hello?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: You gotta know it.
You gotta know what, what that looks like.
And then just add your buffers in.
Everybody's charging,
higher prices everywhere.
With food clo everything's going up.
So, people buy what they find value
in and you just gotta continue to
increase your value while you're
increasing the cost of your product.
Zuryna Livermore: I feel
bad about it because again,
everybody's going through it.
So I love that you've been giving
so many gems throughout this whole
show, so I hope everybody had
their notepad and notebook, but.
If you had to leave our influencers,
entrepreneurs, content creators,
whoever is listening with one piece of
advice as a business owner, a woman in
business, a black woman in business,
what would that one piece of advice be?
I.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Sorry.
I would say keep going.
That it sounds so simple, but
keep going and you will feel when
you are getting ready to take
off, it's a different feeling.
And if you've experienced
any type of loss, embrace it.
There was a point in time where I
thought I was not gonna come back to
this space because of the grief that was
surrounding my business and everything.
But I remember asking that question
of this is what I'm supposed to do.
Give me the strength to get back out.
And, sometimes it, it's about,
lowering your ego, going back
outside and just showing back up
and with a smile on your face.
And if anybody asks you What happened?
This happened.
And now I'm.
Zuryna Livermore: be honest.
I think that vulnerability
is what builds loyalty.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes,
Zuryna Livermore: and that
openness truly is what people,
what make people come back to you.
So I.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes,
Zuryna Livermore: I True.
That is a big, some big advice.
Keep sharing your story
and you said keep going.
I love that.
I love that so much.
And I'm gonna keep, I'm
gonna keep going myself.
I done quit and start it so many times.
I done got frustrated so many times.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes,
Zuryna Livermore: Producing
this podcast alone is a quit and
start journey in itself, so, yes.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yes.
Zuryna Livermore: Now I'm in my book era.
I keep telling people I'm reading Set
Boundaries to Find Peace by Nedra Twab.
Is there a book or a podcast, a song
that you are absolutely loving right now
that keeps you in perfect peace or helps
you turn up whatever the case may be?
What is it and why?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Some people
said it on my account, like I just
got this book from the co-founder.
I just got this book and I really
wanna actually look into about, to
be honest, I have not had the time
to actually sit to get into that.
But I think I'm always inspired.
It doesn't take much for me to get
inspired or, you know, to feel motivated.
I can have a conversation with someone
and they, and they tell me something
and I'm like, oh my God, like.
How do I connect with what
they're saying to me and how do
I turn that into my own thing?
So I'm deeply inspired just by
conversations from regular folk walking
around because everybody has some insight
in a story where you can find some, like
you can find some motivation in that.
And I've learned how to hone in with
people to be like, oh yeah, I'm taking
that advice and I'm going with it.
As far as, you know, people that keep
me motivated it's always probably
gonna be like music for me too.
I'm such a I'm such a hip hop
person that there are certain
artists to me that resonate with
this winning and fighting spirit.
And it's always gonna be
a Jada kiss for me on my,
Zuryna Livermore: Okay.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: it's always gonna.
Zuryna Livermore: particular song
or just their catalog in general?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: It's
their catalog in general.
If I start listening off songs,
girl, we'll be on it all day.
But one for J Kids I always
play is Can't Stop Me.
That's like my number one, like pusher.
And Styles P has so many amazing
records mix tapes where it
just, he just speaks about.
Just the grit, the hustle, and pushing
forward and moving through things.
And I feel like what I've learned
how to embrace is the grit in moving
through things because I recognize
it's not about your wins and it's not
about, how you can avoid pitfalls.
Why, while that's ideal, and that's where
I'm at right now, avoiding the pitfalls.
Zuryna Livermore: we
wanna avoid the crazy.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: But it's like
what happens when you don't avoid it
and you get hit and you get caught up
and you get knocked down and you are
now hanging off the side of the ring.
What do you do then?
Because a lot of times that's what
shows you what your character is.
It shows you where you need to do
some more work, and it shows you
really who you are in those moments.
And I used to be so scared of
getting hit in spaces or just.
Not being able to recover that these
last five years forced me to get
it forced me to have to recover.
It forced me to have to say, okay, you're
saying you're this person, let's see it.
And I don't
Zuryna Livermore: that's right.
Show me it is time to prove it.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: kind to
prove, I don't think that the
universe like is out to harm us.
I'm just saying that certain things
happen where you have a choice.
You either gonna get up
or you gonna lay down.
If you lay it out for a while,
it's okay, but you know when
it's time to get back up.
You gonna get back up.
And when you get back up and you keep
going and you stay connected to God
and to the source you stay connected to
people that love you and support you,
you're gonna make it on that other side.
So for me, I find that energy through
music that I listen to, I find it through
conversations that I have with people.
People like yourself just.
Just sharing your journey, sharing
your story, me being inspired about
you putting yourself out there
and me knowing how hard it is.
Not knowing the full story, but I know
how hard it is to put yourself out there
and believing yourself even when you feel
like maybe somebody's not looking at you.
Maybe you feel like you should
have had another opportunity
that somebody else got.
Like, all these things about
putting yourself out there.
And I feel like that is where
I draw my inspiration from.
I'm no longer afraid to fail
'cause I've already failed, but
now I'm just up, I'm just up.
Zuryna Livermore: you preaching today?
She pop it Friend today, pop yo.
You know that's saying
Pop your shit friend.
Pop it friend.
Because you were just,
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yeah,
Zuryna Livermore: I love this.
I love this.
And I'm ladies and
gentlemen, the mother nature.
Okay.
How can we keep up with all the
things that you have coming up?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: if,
Zuryna Livermore: buy your products?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: yeah.
Zuryna Livermore: event I want everybody
to support in whatever way they can.
Put your cash app out.
No, I'm just kidding.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: So, we are
on, Instagram under Mother Nature.
My Instagram is Mova Cow, so
they kind of join together.
So you can find us on there.
You're also able to purchase
products on our website.
We are getting ready to go through
a whole website deconstruction,
so it can really update with
everything that we're offering now.
But you can still go in
there and buy your things.
You can book us for catering events.
You can book us for wellness
talks, popups, things like that.
So all that stuff you can get next.
Zuryna Livermore: the employer
groups, if you're looking
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yeah.
Zuryna Livermore: I used to work at Care.
First in Baltimore City in Canton.
They used to have cute little
events, so they need to reach out.
Listen, I'm gonna be all the people.
Carrie, they need to have you
back for an employee event there.
Come on now.
What's up?
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: They do.
Absolutely.
So yes, that's where you can find us.
And then just different popups that,
you know, we decide to join we're
that we are connected to Pratt Market
right now, but I think we're going
on next month, I think on the 15th.
We'll also be Vening, the
Juneteenth at the Eagle Park.
So yeah, we got a, a few things coming up
and I'll be posting it on social media.
Zuryna Livermore: Yay.
I'm so excited to keep
up with all the things.
I'm gonna make sure I tag everything in
the episode description and of course
when I posted on all the socials, but
this has been so insightful for me.
Like I said, your energy was everything.
I knew I had to have you on here.
I think I met you what, like two weeks ago
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Yes.
Zuryna Livermore: are
already on the show 'cause.
That energy was there.
So I'm wishing you all the success.
So excited for you.
And again, thank you so much
for being on the episode today.
I hope everybody learns something
because I did and I got all the feels.
Again.
Kelli Redmond-Bagby: Thank so much.
I'm wishing you equal success.
You are just a beautiful
energy, so thank you so much.
Zuryna Livermore: Thank you