Episode Transcript
Nina Huchthausen (00:02.766)
Hello everyone and welcome to the Makers Business Tribe podcast. My name is Nina. I'm the founder of the Makers Business Tribe. And today I have one of our super powerhouse clients with us, Sonia Garcia Ayla. She is the founder of Bravo Gazpacho, a freaking delicious gazpacho drink that is perfect.
for the hot summer months where we losing a lot of minerals, a lot of water, a lot of nutrition very fast, especially in WA Perth where she hails from. And it is her mission to bring this century old delicious, nutritious, nutrient dense drink to the masses to nourish us from the inside out. And
Sonja, to me, is just one of these women that, from the get-go, I just felt deeply inspired by because she doesn't just have a heart of gold and is super passionate about your product, but she also works incredibly hard manufacturing it, getting it out, and getting it stocked in all the stores. So I cook waffle on and on about how much I admire Sonja, but without further ado, welcome Sonja.
And I would love for you to just introduce yourself and tell us who are you really, Sonia? Hello, everyone. And thank you, Nina, for this. Wow. Wow. Wonderful introduction. feel very, that sounds very nice. Thank you. So I'm Sonia. I'm, apart from being a businesswoman, don't like much that, but yes, I am as well.
because I've got a business and I'm a woman, so I'm a business woman, right? Exactly. So I will describe me as normal person, normal woman, average human being who is a survivor. So survivor from what life always gave us, know, life is up and downs, up and downs. And so I...
Nina Huchthausen (02:23.98)
I believe I'm a survivor, not from big things, but coming from South of Spain, when economically sometimes it's not very good, good for holidays. So yes, I would describe me like a person who is trying, a woman to survive, to live a life in a very healthy way, and just share love, be a good person.
keeping in contact with family, with friends, with the people that you feel comfortable with. Yeah, that's all, I think. No, it's not. What makes you... So you are from Spain. You grew up in Spain. Yes. What made you decide to move to the other side of the globe, to WA? All right. did that... We will say...
Okay, people think that it was la more like Italian will say the law. It was more economical thing because I met my husband 18 years ago in Spain, Spain. We're very happy there. But when the financial crisis hits Spain, like around 15 years ago was very hard. My partner lost his job. So I told him, let's go to your country. Just I will learn some English and then we come back.
So when I arrived here to Western Australia, I was like, sorry, Spain, I'm not going back. I just felt at home since the first day I stayed here. I just love it. Yeah, practically the main reason was the economic situation in Spain. So thank you to the politicians in Spain that it was hard at that time. So I can move to a better place. Awesome. So you landed in WA.
20 years ago. Is that right? No, I met my husband 19 years ago, but we landed here 13 years ago. So we were seven years married once we moved here. And how did you rebuild your life?
Nina Huchthausen (04:31.808)
OK, at the beginning, people thought, that's so hard. But for me, I was so happy because I still remember the first time that I visited, I asked for a job. My husband came with me as an interpreter because I couldn't say one word in English apart from hi and thanks sometimes. So he said, here's my wife. She doesn't speak English, but she's a very good chef. So she's a hard worker. So they said, yes, come on board.
And I still remember the first day when I finished my job, they look at me when I finished and they said, thank you very much, Sonia. Are you coming tomorrow? And it was like, no one told me that in Spain when I was working. It's not thanks or no, please. I felt like I was a slave in Spain. So here I go. I actually started to like more this country. So I started to work in the kitchen, serving hamburgers and chips at the footy.
And then I was doing another job doing cleaning things and then started to do massages and then I started to work in a childcare. And then I work with disabled people and I wanted to work everywhere because the pace was so good. And I thought, my God, my husband sometimes told me, Sune, you know that you can't be working in four places at the time, right? Yeah. You're right. So from the perspective of other people, they will think,
my God, this is so hard from my perspective. I was always very thankful, very like the opportunity that this country bring to you, you know, so in my country is so hard to survive because as much as you work as much as you unless you have a very good business or rich family is so hard as a normal person to survive day by day. It doesn't matter if you do three jobs per day. So this country offered me is like,
exchange of energy. You put your effort, you do your job, and the country and the people give back to you. So it was just wonderful. yeah, that was the beginning here. So I did many things just to survive. And to build your life, yeah. To become part of the community. now, mean, your English is fantastic. wow.
Nina Huchthausen (06:58.798)
How did it come about from, of course, at the start, you were working for other people, you were cooking for other people, you were looking after children, you were looking after the elderly. How did it come about that you were like, Gazpacho, I'm gonna do that. Let me build a company. Let me get it up to the sharks. Let me get support from the government. get the...
some grants from them, some big production support. Like, how did this happen? All right, so I would say there are two versions of this story. One is the version that you will tell people that I will tell you. The other version is maybe, I would say- I want the real version. I want the real version, not the polished one, okay? I would say middle crisis age. No, so apart from Jogi's,
Yeah, was at that time when I started to think in that business, had a little business parallel with other jobs and I was giving massages and I was doing Reiki and all these witchy alternative therapies, you that I love it. And I always said, everything that happened in your life is a bridge to go to another place. So coronavirus arrived, so I couldn't continue working, know, because massages, you couldn't.
So again, thank you to coronavirus. Thank you to the bad things that you to good things. So with all my respect for all what's happened with people, they suffer a lot. So in my case, I had that kind of break and I was thinking, also because I started to have a lot of pain in my hands physically and menopause, all this stuff, suffering a little bit. And I thought, what can I do that?
And one day I was driving and I saw this here in Western Australia in Geraton, we have these little stands that they sell tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum, and you just take the bag and put your coins there. It's amazing. And just your veggies from the farmers here, directly to home. And it was a very hot day, very hot day. And stopped at a petrol station to put petrol and I was so thirsty. And you you go to the fridges.
Nina Huchthausen (09:23.566)
or sugary drink. I won't say bad words about that, like I was, my God, a nice glass of gazpacho now. would be so lovely. Why the hell they are not selling gazpacho here? And then I thought, oops, I have my tomatoes, my cucumbers. I thought, well, Gerardton is the major or a big producer of the main ingredients of gazpacho. That is tomatoes, 50 % cucumbers, capsicums.
Olive oil is a very good first-core press. Olive oil here in Western Australia as well, in Gerrardton as well. So I thought, my background is a chef. I'm very, my husband would say I'm fanatic. I don't think so. I think I'm a healthy person, but I like, know, fresh, healthy food, always checking what is good for you, what is not. How the food that you eat affect to your emotions, to your body, you know. So no one qualifies a qualification on that.
is just a qualified chef from Italy. I lived 10 years in Italy as well. So that day I was, why not? So then I started to talk with a friend and we started to talk about that. And from there, this plan started. that's how it started. I love this. So was literally like you were like,
I need this in my life. Why is it not in the free juice? Let me make it. Let me make it. it's such a... Because first when I first heard it, I was like, wow, it's such a niche product, but it's so good. And there's nothing like it anyway. Right? Like now I've been really been looking out for it. And it's like...
You can't get it. you like, what the heck? You're in Western Australia. You know, when does it come to the sunny coast? Like anyone who listens to this, we need to kind of get it over here. So I mean, but I love it. But it also takes so much balls because it's one thing to say, well, I got the ingredients. I should make it versus. I'm going to set up a business and I'm going to say I'm going to make it at scale.
Nina Huchthausen (11:42.7)
I'm going to sell it at scale and I'm going to create something that I'll be proud of for generations to come that I could give to my family.
So can I ask you, of course, you started it because you saw this big gap in the market and this opportunity within Geroton because that's where you can get the ingredients from. But who are you now making this for? Who's this drink for? What is this all about?
Probably a lot of people were listening to this. They're like, cool, maybe they have an idea of what gazpacho is. But if I'm thinking, if you just tell me about the raw ingredients and some olive oil, now I'm like, that doesn't sound like a drink. It sounds like a sauce or something. Who is this for? What is it like? Well, gazpacho is made of the ingredients that you told you.
Cucumber, capsicum, tomatoes, a little bit of onion, just a little bit, salt, pepper, a little bit of vinegar, 4 % of fresh cold extra virgin olive oil. It sounds scary, this is where the magic happened. The hardest thing from my product is to make people to try. 90 % of the people, 95 % of the people that they try, they buy.
my God. the flavor of, it's like, gazpacho is a Spanish, I will describe gazpacho as a Spanish refreshment. lot of people they know gazpacho as a cold soup. And that is a, we'll say a wrong name for gazpacho because it's not cooked. Everything is raw, doesn't have any stock. It's really a beverage. And really how we use in Spain, apart from some restaurant that they can use like an entree and combine with bread or other things.
Nina Huchthausen (13:47.374)
So it's very versatile. You could also use as a soup or cold soup. But really how we drink and how we use in Spain in all the Spanish families that everyone, I can't want to you, has gazpacho in their house. If they don't buy, they make their own. It's just as a refreshment. So you just drink it because it's quite liquid because the water contained from the veggies that they has, it's not like dense. So it's very pleasant to drink.
And just to feel good, just when you open the bottle, smell the real produce, the real ingredients. Everything is just directly from the farmer, so fresh, directly to the bottle. So plus, will say all my love that I put in it. I just love it. Look, I will say it's not for everyone. Some people, maybe I would say less than 1%, because I don't have the statistic right now, but from.
You know, when I do tasting, think some people, will say, I don't like it. And many of these people, when they try second or third time, they like it is because it's a new flavor. It's like when I try veggie my first time, I thought, what the hell is this? And now I love it because it's a quiet taste. But that is one percent or less of the people, some of the people, they don't like the flavor of tomato. They don't like a cucumber or they hate onion or garlic, but they won't like tomato.
they won't like gazpacho. really 99.9 % of people love it. So it's just a fresh product, healthy, when you drink it you feel so good. It can be used also as a meal replacement because it's very filling with the 4 % of fresh cold extra virgin olive oil that it has. It's from Western Australia. So you feel quite full, not me because I'm a big eater and I need something else.
fine driving and I'm my God, I'm so thirsty, so hungry. So a bottle of gazpacho just you think and you feel so good. So I don't know if I answered your question, maybe I'm talking too much. I feel like, so look, first time when I, and I still have to try your gazpacho, right? Because we need to, we need to get it over here. But anything that, probably nothing comes close to it, but I had a few different gazpachos and
Nina Huchthausen (16:13.336)
How I think I can describe it is this like, you know, there's some liquids, you drink it and it just kind of like, you're like, it doesn't hit my body. Whereas with gazpacho, I would assume probably because of the oil as well, like really gets like the all the fat soluble vitamins actually into your body. That it just like, you can feel it everywhere. It gives you like this whole body.
experience and maybe for anyone who kind of thinks about like, like all these vegetables in a body bottle that sounds weird. It's like, to me, I think it's the first time I tried a savory muffin because in my head was always like a muffin is sweet. And I was like, what do you mean savory muffin? That's like weird. Yeah. But now I'm like, my gosh, like you can get like such good, amazing tasting savory muffins that you're like, man, delicious.
Yeah. And you got no sugar in it. And it's similar to this because it's like a real fresh organic cold pressed juice. But instead of the fruit, which give you the sugar highs and lows, you know, no matter how many greens they put in there, there's like apple juice in it. You got like 30 grams of sugar and you're like, shoot, your body can feel that. But this one is just like your coolest cucumber. You know, you're like you're like a
Buddha on the road and it just gives you this, it gives you this amazing clarity. I would like to say something about the Sura content that you said. What's happening in Nacca is when you have an apple that way, when I eat an apple, it's like, my God, it's never finished. You just, your body, you eat an apple or two if they are small and you are saturated, you are good.
you have the fiber. So juices they take the fiber out and of course cold press they are good and better than another additive or drinks. I won't say the brands you know but things that is just water and sugar and chemicals you know. So cold juice is good in that perspective but the different with caspacho is that with caspacho we put all the fiber in the product it's all blended plus we sieve
Nina Huchthausen (18:38.05)
the products. So the skin and the seeds, are going out. That is usually what upset people. So when you drink the gazpacho, you will drink one little glass and you will feel satiated because you have all the fiber. So the body, what it does when you have an orange juice or an apple juice or so you take all the sugar from maybe 20 apples because you don't have the fiber on it. So with gazpacho, you know, you have just
all the fiber and the right amount of sugar that your body will tell you, would tell you stop because you already ate, I don't know, half kilo of tomatoes and that's enough. know, because you have the fiber, the tomatoes you will drink much more. So I think that is also a reason why you drink a spatula and your energy is going there and then it stays there for long time. You have all the nutrients. Up in level for anyone who can't see this. Yes.
When you have very sugary drinks, any sugary drinks or food, the level of sugar is like when you drink coffee, I feel very good. But then suddenly, you go down. So that's the difference, would say, with Gazpacho and other meals that they have all the properties of the product. Yeah. And it's such a gap in the market because I'd like, I mean, since we, like, I think we started working together in August, I've been looking out for anything comparable, and I cannot find it.
and up and looking for the shelves. And normally when you start looking for something specific, you see it popping up everywhere. And it hasn't happened for me, which is really cool, right? But I would assume, Sonia, your journey so far, now we have it in a few stores and you're dialing up production and we're now pitch ready. So you're now actually really starting to get it into stores more consistently. that journey from
You had you weren't that petrol station and then you get all these epiphanies. You could actually make your own gazpacho and you could you could bring it to the masses all the way up to where you are today. Pitch ready, starting to onboard your stockists. What was it like if you were to be able to draw a picture for me of that journey? Yeah, I would assume it's not a straight line like what would it be like?
Nina Huchthausen (21:03.022)
What was like, can you tell us a few of those highlight moments where you're like, my fucking God, my gosh, disaster. All right. So now I will tell you why you didn't come to my life earlier. OK, it was hard for many, many reasons.
First reason was the language. You can understand me, but my writing is not the best. So I always use translator, my English teacher, my husband, chat GPT, just to write things properly. So that is a big handicap, I will say. Also, when you receive information from when I was asking for the whole-size license, that it took two years to me to get it. And I believe it was more slow because
my problems with the language, you know, because they send you all these bunches of documents with this information that what the hell does this mean that also my husband that is an English speaker, he was saying, I don't understand neither. So, you know, so that it was very hard, but very good, because that way today I can speak and write better in English. Another thing that it was so hard was to introduce my gazpacho to the stockist.
Because I didn't know. I'm a good chef. I like cooking. I just enjoy when I'm in the kitchen and the smell and going to the farmers and talk with them. But when you go on the computer, do the homeworks, and you go to, hello, I got here a beautiful product. they're looking at you like, who the hell is this lady? And you get, I started to get nervous. And I don't know what to say. just, just why is so good?
So it was really hard in that time until we get in the first talkies here in Gerardo. I'm very grateful with them because they believe in my product when they tried. They this is a very good product. The only problem is the novelty of the product, but it's good. So that was very hard. All the steps, really many days I was thinking, why am doing that? Like, at the sample, gazpacho is a refrigerated product.
Nina Huchthausen (23:26.542)
So the expiry date at the beginning of my gazpacho was 12 days. Today I've got three months because we are doing now a cold pasteurization. All natural, all good. We don't add any sugar, any additives, any preservatives. Not. I just want to pause you right here. I know when you and I first started working together, you didn't have that yet, right? So just to like point out that challenge because
I know you like to then be like, cool, now I got this. But for anyone to grasp this concept, Sonia started with a preservative-free, and it's still preservative-free, completely preservative-free product that had a shelf life of only 12 days. And she still decided, I'm going to sell this retail. That is balls, because.
12 days is not much, right? And she's not in a major city where she can just like bang, bang, bang, distributed to like 50 stores. It's in Jarreton. Have a look on the map. It's quite far away from bigger cities. She was still like, I'm gonna get this out. And I think when we just started working together, you started doing these tests on a bit of a different technology. And now we got
three month shelf life. That is huge, right? Because we got to make it and then we have to, especially WA is a big challenge of distribution. Yeah. And that's to, in my eyes, a huge achievement. And at the same time, you took the risk. It didn't scare you off, but probably a lot of people would. For me, Nina,
The reason that they did this came up, I knew my product and I know my product is so good. It's just so good as a quality primary product. for me is also maybe sounds silly, for me, feel, and I will feel very proud of me that I'm putting something very healthy and good in the Australian market. Because when you go to supermarkets and you see all this food, you said,
Nina Huchthausen (25:50.542)
I want to be one of these people that put a 0.0 point percent in the self to have a better choice, to make people to feel good. So I feel proud of that really. But for me, the main thing I was just thinking many days, how am going to do that? 500 kilometers away from that, refrigerated. And I was thinking, Sonia, something will come up. Just, this is a good product. Keep going.
And I always tell my husband, he's very supportive. I always tell him, you know, the only thing that they want to know is that at least I try all I could, you know, with sense, you know, won't put my house in risk or my politics with businesses don't do high debts, don't do, know, just, keep the quality of a product. If you have a quality product, it will go, it will take more time.
Probably when you are not a rich person, in my case, that I don't have a lot of money to invest in promotions and things. So my promotion is the worth of mouth. I'm going to do tasting and people try. That's my bigger promotion there. for me, was like the love that I've got for this product. And I know it's a good product. I know it's good for people. So my question was always also,
They sell milk. Milk is very similar to my brother and everyone. every day and then. Also was thinking 20 years ago in Australia. No one was drinking coffee. Just think. Now everyone drinks coffee. I thought why not? In 10 years everyone will know what gaspacho is and they are drinking gaspacho and then this is when I'm. I didn't say at the beginning, but I'm a dreamer as well. Yeah friend one day she told me Sonia.
You can't have dreams come true if you are not a dreamer. So yes, I think the main thing is you know you have a good product and you want to do something and just go. Yeah. And I think that's such a powerful and rare mindset. Yeah. Because I mean, like in the tribe, everybody is a business owner.
Nina Huchthausen (28:16.174)
Everybody's an entrepreneur, right? But you're one of the fearless ones that are like, I just hold on to my dream, like, as if it was like a helium balloon. Yeah. And that balloon is going to pull me to where I want to get to. Right? Unapologetically. to me, that is so inspiring because that's how you overcome the hurdles.
because you're like, I just hold on to the outcome. I know where I want to get to. I believe in my product. I believe in myself and what I've created. And I just let myself be guided to it. And I think to me, that's like if I can point at one person that I'm like, she's going to make it.
no matter what is like, that's absolutely you because the characteristics that you have is you're not just a dreamer because they are dreamer who can dream all day. The dream is always there, but they don't move. Yeah, you move and you got you're like out of my way, out of my way, everyone. Yeah. Sonia coming right here, right here.
I'm your best friend. I got an amazing friend. You don't know just yet. Just wait here, like right here. Let's try it out, you know? And that is so fantastic because that's how you open your doors yourself because you're already through. You're already through and you show up consistently. You keep doing your thing. It's like no excuse. There's no procrastination.
There's no like rolling back. It's like you only got like this one. It's like an emu, right? That's what's on our... Can't go backwards. Just like, yeah. And only go forward. It's beautiful. And we need more, we need more people in this country to do that because that's, that's just like the bang of passion now.
Nina Huchthausen (30:40.458)
Where, like when you were putting your recipe together and perfecting it, what was your dream when it comes to going local? Because when I first met you, it's like, big on your packaging, everything is local, made in Western Australia, all of that stuff. Even though Western Australia is not your birth roots, but to me, it felt like very much like that's your connection to country.
Nina Huchthausen (31:13.634)
So the question is, sorry, I didn't understand the question. what, okay, to use local thing. For me, so Western Australia is my home. It's my country now. So, I always said my heart is divided, you know? So for me, using local produce is healthier because the transport, when you bring a fresh product that is, the cucumbers is my neighbor here, farmer here.
maybe 500 meters away from here. So you take that product and it's so fresh. So first of all, it's healthier. Secondly, less pollution for the planet because you don't transport, you don't need plastic. I just go with my boxes, you put it in there and I bring it the kitchen. So secondly, so the freshness, the nutrients that the products have because every day that the product is taken off from the plants, they lose nutrients. secondly,
We help the economy here. So when the economy, when we help each other, the economy is so good, you know, because if I help my neighbor here, she will have money then to go and buy my gazpacho because she loves it. She doesn't have money. She won't do it. And the same in Australia, when we help each other. Plus, if something happened that we saw with all this craziness in the planet, know, wars and things, if they close,
the oceans, you know, when they are coming from Europe and they cross something and because it's a war and they need to go around the products, they rise so much the prices. And then you said, what I can produce Gazpacho, the olive oil is coming from Spain. And then when we produce and we do things locally, the taxes they are going here to our government. And when we pay taxes, we pay for the schools for our kids, we pay for the roads, we pay for hospitals, we pay for things that maybe I could achieve.
but other people, can't. So we are helping to our people. that is for me to produce local. But I'm from the health produce, for the economy, for the planet. it's just rising all together, helping each other. So that's what I don't know if I answered your question properly. Yeah. I think it's such a good one. And look, I haven't heard it.
Nina Huchthausen (33:37.858)
from so many people as strongly as it comes from you, which I really love because the money is actually, like we're nourishing our soils through it ultimately, you know, versus just looking at where do I get the things the cheapest because like we both come from Europe. I'm from Germany, you're from Spain. Europe,
has mastered this and it can work out really well when all the borders are open, when there's peace, when all of that stuff is, then you can get all your ingredients for whatever it's cheapest and yet that's probably quite competitive. So when I grew up, I thought that's how it's done. And I was a bit surprised and I thought initially that was a bit backwards when I came to Australia and I was like, what do you mean? We can only get bananas from Australia and then we had the
I think it was 2012 or 13 or something when we had this banana crisis. were like $17 and they were like kind of greenish. And I was like, cold my pants. And I was like, this is ridiculous. Why are we not getting bananas from someplace else? But then I started understanding because it's like, because Australia has this number one person, a lot more.
pride of being their own country and not just like subsidizing the heck out of everybody and getting bananas from Argentina and all sorts from all over the country. it's supporting whoever is here to making a living. To me, that creates a lot of positive energy, right? Yeah, number one.
We are also looking after our own backyard and it creates independence for us. For you, wouldn't matter whatever goes on in the world because you're getting everything local. do you. No dependence on what's going on in Bolivia. We don't need to. But we are also not messing with the economy by taking resources away from them that locals could have.
Nina Huchthausen (36:03.352)
because we're paying some ridiculously crazy price for it. Yeah. And I think that's just, because my ethos is the reason why I've created the tribe is because I want to leave the planet better than I found it. And that is a big thing because I would hate if anyone, like, if we are undercutting
people are messing with other countries' economies because we are taking resources away and using it for our own good, even though we could just be using our own or creating demand in our country and creating jobs and opportunities right here. And that's a big thing. I'm like a, I think 10 years ago when I was still living in Sydney, there was
I got introduced to the Hare Krishna community. Yeah. Whether anyone believes in them or not, the ethos of the Krishna community is very much about this, that only specific people could make the food and touch the food. Yeah. And
So when I like I got the opportunity to to spend some time on like the interlands of the Gold Coast I believe where the Krishna village is and there were only the monks who were preparing the food. Yeah and and Because they had the purest highest vibrational energy That went into the food and it was just Matt that just that experience was so magical
of eating that food because it just tasted so good and it was so simple.
Nina Huchthausen (38:04.322)
This is what I feel about you too. It's like a hidden magic that we haven't put in the catalog because it might be a little bit woo woo. And we haven't really talked about it much. But in some shape or form, I strongly feel like we need to bring that story out more that your vibrational energy as a person to me is very high.
And the way you make this gazpacho and how much energy and love you put into this gazpacho, I think is something truly magical. I know not everybody will understand it. And someone's like, what are you talking about? I think is just a secret ingredient because even though you have larger scale manufacturing, you're not just cooking it in your kitchen.
But you are there. are managing it. You're right there in the making process. And I truly believe your vibrational energy adds something to this product that cannot be described or just added to the label.
Nina Huchthausen (39:19.138)
That sounds very, very real. Right? So now that was a long-winded story.
However,
Like I think the wisdom and the vibrations that you bring to this product makes it even more, because we're saying on the package, you're saying on the package, it's an age old, it's a century old recipe. But I think there's more to it. What is in it? Can you describe to me when you are sourcing the ingredients and when you are
when you're setting up in the kitchen, when you're making it, what is like the Sonia magic that you kind of maybe inadvertently inject into the product? How would you describe it? I will describe happiness and joy. And I just put the radio with music. Sometimes I'm dancing while I'm doing it.
Just when I make it, I smell this, when I start to blend it on cutting all the veggies, it's like, I know, I can't smell this smell. It's like in my body, my body just with the smell, and I have to say sometimes I take a piece of cucumber things and I eat Like, my God, this is so fresh, so nice. So it's just, I smell it and it's like the vibration of good food because.
Nina Huchthausen (40:56.502)
It's good food, it's nutrients, it's life, right? It's like sending and return. So the veggies and all the good products and fresh that I'm receiving through all the sends, know, the colors, when you say the red, the green, the white of the onion. So it's like beautiful, like all colorful. I think that affects our brains as well. it's like these amazing ingredients. They gave me a good vibration and then
I feel good and then I give back that good vibration. So that's in a personal level. And then really when I'm preparing everything, I'm thinking many times, I think, my God, I made a wonderful thing for the society. People, don't know what like it they are to have this product. And the people that they still scared to try, I said, they will try. And when they will try, they will love it. And I will be the person.
that, a person who feels so proud that, as I said before, I'm putting something very good for people there. And this is what resonates with me a lot when I found you, when you explain what was your business about, I was thinking, my God, this is what I needed. Apart from the psychological perspective and all the support that you gave, all the steps that you gave us, me and I believe all the time, is like, wow.
So yeah, that was I'm thinking. So I think it's an exchange of energy, but he's just putting their happiness on. Yeah. And really when I have hard times, I put maybe a no good vibration is when I'm in the computer. So don't be worried people. I don't cook the asparagus when I'm in the computer. So that could be a little bit challenge because I don't like it much. I started to like it, but it's not my thing. So that could be a little bit challenge, but again, I'm not making the asparagus with the.
because you are safe. No, exactly. these are the vibrations I can just feel every single time being around you. And you take such good care of your energy. And I think that's a very hidden ingredient that probably anyone who would try to just try and come close to your product, I think they will have a really hard time, which is awesome. But can you tell us from a business side?
Nina Huchthausen (43:26.83)
Like, of course, you started in COVID, so would assume 2021. Where are you at today? And what is your big vision? Well, I started 2021 to do the homeworks, but really my product came out to the market last year in September. So it's one year and two months out in the market. So I started with just one supermarket, two supermarkets here in Geraldton. Today,
I have six in Gerardone and six in Perth and a few confirmation now they are coming so they grow quite fast I believe.
When I started, as I said, it was quite hard. was a big dream. it's like I'm seeing, where I'm now is I'm seeing that this is coming real. My dream is like, my God, I'm creating that. We are creating that because it's a big help around from you, from the support of my husband, from my friends, from the people that they know me, that they buy a little bottle just to support me at the beginning, you know, from my English teacher who called it my English from. So it's a lot.
involved here is only me. So I'm thinking that now I'm in a state that we are creating this magic. So this is possible. My goal is to introduce really this product in all Australia and probably part of Asia. could be. People, told me, I didn't think about that, but some people, told Sonia.
isn't part of Asia, it will be very good because you are very close. So from Spain, you can bring a fresh caspache from there. So my goal is just to settle this product in Australia very well, have a comfortable life for me economically, start to think about, I thought I will work less having my business. Actually, it's not. I'm working double now, but I believe in a few years I will work a little bit less. But in my own rhythm.
Nina Huchthausen (45:31.224)
So my goal is just that put something good in the market for the people, for the planet. And at the same time, as I said, it's an exchange of energy, giving back to me, be able, I'm 50 now, so be able to have an early retirement. Although I believe I will always do something, you know, I can't be not doing nothing, but my goal is just to have a good life, peaceful life, and it's always giving a return, you know.
Sometimes you have some people that they will never help you, but that's fine. is, you know, I will help the people that they are in need now and I will get their help when I need from the people that they can offer the help. So for me, it's just grow this business, you know, putting something there and then we'll see. Giving something for my kids, for my family, for my friends, for my people. Yes, let's see what's happening. Yeah. And I mean, this is the fantastic thing, right? Like I think we need, we,
It took us about eight weeks to get you pitch ready to really align on how we're positioning in the product. I think at the start, you were still, you had cold soup everywhere. And I was like, let's take that away because it doesn't resonate. Yeah. Let's re-describe it, reshape it. We got your offer ready and all of the different tools, your whole toolkit, your man. mean, you forgot Josh on your list, right? Like we've like,
of this amazing designer who, like, even today, you went in the tribe call, someone was asking him, who did the Prabhu Gaspar chill flyers and catalogs again? know, our good designer Josh, like, did such magic with these tools because we needed to find a way to position your product so it would make people hungry. It wouldn't kind of like...
whole weird faces and we kind of figured out, cold soup is kind of like, made people feel like, I don't need no cold soup, you know? Like, let's change the term. But now that you, honestly, I feel like I've seen you grown so much in your confidence and the way you can now articulate and describe and pitch your product, yeah, and follow up and close deals just by us getting so clear.
Nina Huchthausen (47:55.596)
and so structured and rigorous on who the product is for, what it's all about, and to be able to describe it in the most beautiful words, and then in putting that into your scripts, your template, your catalog, your flyer, with Wobbler, right? We get the whole Insta presentation sorted, but now, me myself, I feel like this is now just going to create a really beautiful ripple effect.
because you have it now so easy to have these conversations. You're so confident. But I'm thinking back in September where it was like Sonia talking 100 miles an hour and I was like, I don't understand. don't understand. going back to the analogy, cause a cucumber. You know, you're just like, you're on the wave. You're on your surfboard. You're just like riding this and spreading the magic.
I remember Nina when you asked me, you were asking me this question to guide me to promote the product properly and get it out. And I remember when you were asking me, why is good your product? And my answer was, well, it's good. That's it. Because it's so good. And it was, the hell? What question is that? And then you make me think, well, you can't tell that to the client. What is that good for? Because I tell you, well, no. There are reasons behind.
So that was, yeah, you are my angels. Yeah, so you make me through so many questions at the beginning, when you're so stressed and so fast and you think everyone knows all what you know, but it's not. So actually you need to think about how you will introduce that product, why people they wanted to drink that, what are the benefits of that?
It's not because you put a photo with a pretty face and you will be pretty because you drink a spatula. It's a little bit more profound of that. So yeah, through all your questions and all your kindness, it was just fantastic. Yeah. So I apologize for my answers at the beginning. I know this is actually a very important journey because for anyone listening to this who's like, man, what's what is important here? And I think the big
Nina Huchthausen (50:22.606)
that we've been in that is just one of many, but the biggest one at the start that we've been able to overcome, which makes me so proud was creating the ability for you to like, fully tell people why to love this, what the magic is, how it works, and to just completely adapt to the Australian market with your positioning, right? And it takes...
time and blood, sweat and tears to really get that out because you're so close to the product and you've been able to achieve this. And now, like, I think you just the numbers because when we started you like just I think had two or three stockers and they were all on consignment kind of thing. You know, you start and you you already have your full stock is in a bunch that you're waiting to to get a yes from.
Well, in terms of production, you know, when you met me, I was doing batches of 47 liters. My last batch was 500 liters. So just that is like, well. I didn't even know that. That's like 10 eggs. It's so fantastic, right? Because that's what, but all of these opportunities came by you sitting down and creating real clarity on really the why, what and how of your product.
in Nata, that's what we did. But it's like, because you've done this so beautifully, that's why I keep saying, I know the magic is going to come so easily, because now this is so easy for you to talk about. But I would love to know from you, because of course, you've done the hard yards of the creation of the product and now being able to pitch the product.
So that's where you are, busy pitching and selling and getting products stocked in store. So for any mom, woman, husband, father, human that has a dream, right? What would you tell them is like you're maybe you have one tip or two or three that you're like, my friends, if you're starting at the beginning.
Nina Huchthausen (52:50.754)
Remember to do this. OK. First of all, I would like to tell everyone that no one business that I know that when they started, they start to earn money. So you need to be very clear and be very strong and be prepared that it will pass at least two years until you start to get an income. So that is not only to be financially
Well, because if you don't have money, but you don't have much, or you have support from your couple or from your partner, if they are working, you know, you don't have that, you can do it. Because I started in the kitchen in my garage, you know, a semi-commercial kitchen. you can do it. But they said, mind, so you need to think about that there will be days that you will be physically exhausted. And when these times come,
is when the moment you think, I think many times, I am doing that. If I will be working as a chef, I will end up. And then I arrive home and the job is finished. But then you need to remind you why you are doing that. So what is your purpose? What do you want to achieve? You really believe in that and you know you have a good product. And for me, very important thing is very important.
as a conscience business person, you know, and for me is like, if you are creating something that you think somehow you are giving some damage to the society, it won't work. And if it worked economically, it won't work well for you as a person. So I think a good thing is that you create something that really, and this is why I resonate a lot with your tribe, because
you want to put to do something good for your people, for the planet. So for me, that is very important that you have something that you are giving something good for the society. And of course, you do something good to the society, to your people, and in return, you have an economical return because you need that to survive in this society. You have to. Just change the mind with the money. Sometimes we think in money, no, if you are rich or if you saw money.
Nina Huchthausen (55:21.194)
is a kind of energy, it's an exchange, but they need to be fluid and you need to have something. So if you offer something good, it will come. So I will say be strong, you know, just when that moment arrive that you are tired, just close the computer, stop to do everything that you are doing and just go for a walk, go to sleep or take one or two or three or four days off if you have to.
When you're in that point, you're not earning any money. So you want to earn any money, although you keep going six hours in the computer. So take a break, a break and take care of your health because that is so important when you are in those moments that you are very down, that you take care of yourself physically and mentally. So that is what I would say. And another thing, very hard one for me that I'm trust.
the people that you think they will help you. If it doesn't work, doesn't work. You need to trust people and you need to learn to ask for help. You can do that by yourself. You want to cross that level, you want to cross that level, you need to learn to give responsibilities to others. With you, and with kindness and know what are you doing, but you need...
At one point you need to trust people. need to believe that there are good people out there like you. So that is not a thing that that choice. You know. With intelligent and you can do mistakes, but if you do the things with by law as well, if you want to trust someone, yes, is good because your gaps is telling you that's good, but everything need to be writing down and that's I learned that from joining up and it's a very good advice. Doesn't matter if you do business with your sister with your mom.
everything needs to be right down and very clear. But trust your people at the same time. I love that and that's a really beautiful one because trust you have to put so much trust in business whether it's if you like you need to trust in yourself you need to trust in your path
Nina Huchthausen (57:45.72)
You need to trust in your inner guidance, your inner voice. And the people that you do decide to lend into your business, and you have to, because nobody can do everything yourself. Once you've decided these are the people and you are very clear on the job and the outcome and all of that stuff, you have to handle with the trust, because they can't fly with distrust. Same with us. If we distrust that we
We're kind of like we're telling ourselves I can do it, but we distrust ourselves. How the heck is that going to work out? And it's the same with our people. And another tip. Another tip? One last tip? Do something in your life at least once a week that make you happy. You need your social life. You need your happiness.
Can we just put the radio on and dance with a chair? Doesn't matter, but with the birds or go for a drink with your friends or go running or listen funny things on YouTube or whatever, but just do something that makes you happy and laugh because that is so important as well to keep your energy. Yeah. Yeah. Because you need to enjoy, right? It's a path. You don't like...
If that's a really good point, because yes, of course we have our end goal in mind and we're dreaming about and we're working towards that. But if you don't enjoy the steps, boy, that journey can be long. Like you don't know how many steps we need to take to get to that first mountain. And then there will be another mountain and another mountain. If you don't like hiking, what are you doing? This is a hike every day. And you never know if there's a snowstorm, if there's like some.
rocks crashing down on you, you're falling into some potholes that you're like, how the heck did this happen? You got me to enjoy this scramble. true, because ultimately when we enjoy the path and we we embracing the blisters at times and we embracing the dirt on our shirts and boots and we just like, we're like, come.
Nina Huchthausen (01:00:08.63)
I'm walking through a strawberry field, my white sneakers turn pink, I enjoy the pink shoes today. If you have that mindset, you're like nothing can shake you. Nothing can shake you because you're always going to be all right. Thank you so much for your time, Sonia. This was such an awesome conversation with so much wisdom. I will listen to this a few times because I know there's like so much good stuff and so many good vibrations and energy in this conversation.
Thank you so much for your tips and I cannot wait for this product to not just be in WA but from WA onto the East Coast, down to Sydney and Melbourne, you will freaking crush it. Northern territory, you will enjoy this product because I know there's so many people out there that don't want Coke, that don't want the drinks that are kind of seem to be very popular out there.
They need a different, healthier alternative. so conquering Australia, that's where it's at. And then we're going to take it to Asia. Bravo! Bye-bye. Thank you, Sonia. Have an awesome week. Bye.
