Caroline here, and I'm back with some exciting updates from the world of nihilo and share with you a little more about my own journey....
From the very beginning, I've had an entrepreneurial streak driving me forward, and it's led me on an incredible path, culminating in the exciting mission I am on today with Anna-Sophie.
From selling CDs at school, to candy floss at the local markets on the weekend, I learnt early on the thrills of running a small business. Little did I know that this would pave the way for something far more significant in my future.
Fast forward to 2009, and my passion for marine life led me to running a shark ecotourism boat off the coast of Cornwall with a family friend. I knew from this experience that I was commitment to making a positive impact on the planet.
As time went on, my love for cooking and creating took me down the culinary path. I began making and selling raw, vegan cakes to local cafes and restaurants in Cornwall, promoting a healthier and sustainable way of indulging our taste buds.
It was this passion that eventually led me to establish my first business, MAWish Food. Running MAWish Food taught me invaluable lessons in entrepreneurship. I've learned the ropes of bootstrapping and scaling start-ups in both NZ and UK and these experiences have allowed me to build a strong network within the FMCG industry, which we are now harnessing to drive nihilo forward.
Driven by my desire to make a real impact on people's health, I graduated from Kings College with an MSc Human Nutrition in 2018. I was lucky enough to be offered a position in the research team managing a large-scale clinical trial.
The focus? Investigating the cardiovascular health benefits of grape polyphenols and many of the lab techniques used are translatable to the R+D we are about to embark on.
soo where are we now?
Anna-Sophie and I have been juggling our full-time jobs, jet-setting for meetings, and pitching to raise money to begin the necessary R+D.
Last week we were given the opportunity to pitch at the FoodTech Pitch Lounge. After lots of prep, dialling in during work and abroad, it was great to present alongside like-minded individuals who are working on equally exciting projects aiming to advance the future of food.
But pitching events are just one part of our bustling lives as co-founders. Beyond the stage, Anna and continue to work tirelessly engaging with a variety of larger investors who share our values in supporting impactful and purpose-driven ventures... more on this on our next post!
The journey of entrepreneurship is both challenging and rewarding, and I am incredibly grateful for having Anna-Sophie as my co-founder. It has been an absolute game-changer. The lows we encounter are never as low, we celebrate our wins together, big or small, and every milestone feels more significant because we've worked as a team to get there.
