I Could Never Do That 65 Dawn Russell of 8Greens - From Cancer to Kale and the Power of Getting Your Greens
An early pioneer of nutrition-first wellness, Dawn Russell has been chasing simpler solutions for getting your daily greens since 2001, after a stage three cancer diagnosis in her mid-twenties set her on a path to find alternative solutions that might speed her recovery.
Unable to receive radiation or chemotherapy due to a rare bone infection that left her immune system compromised, she tried countless non-traditional treatments, only to find that going back to the basics of fresh, green nutrition was the key.
Russell launched 8Greens in 2016, the world’s first greens-based supplement company, to make it easier for people to get their daily minimum requirement of greens without having to splurge or sacrifice their time. Despite endless manufacturers telling her that getting real greens into effervescent tablets couldn’t be done, Russell was determined and spent five years and went through 264 prototypes to make it happen. The result, an effervescent tablet made from eight real greens: spinach, kale, aloe vera, wheatgrass, blue green algae, barley grass, chlorella and spirulina.
Today the product line of 8Greens continues to expand with the introduction of Chewables, Gummies, Skin and Detox tablets, and brand-new Lollipops, to ensure there’s an option that works for everyone (kids included). Her mission remains the same: to uncomplicate nutrition and make it easier for everyone to get their daily greens, no matter what’s on the schedule.
Key Takeaways from Dawn:
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When chemotherapy wasn't an option, she faced a pivotal decision moment in her healing. How did she have the gumption to go on a quest for self-healing?
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The importance of combining both Western and Eastern medicine in her full recovery.
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The tenacity to keep going in the face of naysayers, prototypes, and those who said her dream wasn't possible.
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The highs and lows of scaling a major business.
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Why she chose the 8 specific greens she chose and the power that they pack in one small tablet.
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Brand extensions - what factors and audiences did she consider when building out her line extensions into gummies, chewables, and lollipops?
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How a daily dose of greens is your best defense mechanism against pervasive lifestyle disease.
About 8Greens
Real greens for the real world. We created 8Greens to make it easier to get your daily greens, no sacrifices necessary. You shouldn’t have to compromise to live a healthy life, so our products are made with real greens in easy-to-use formats that taste great and take the guesswork out of nutrition. We offer a simple solution to a problem that’s been overly complicated for too long, so that your busy life can be a healthy one, too.
Episode Resources
8 Greens Website - Use promo code: ICNDT for 15% off your first one-time order at 8greens.com
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