VBT 130: Interview with vegan zero waste retailer Callee Ackland of Bestowed Essentials

In this episode I interview Callee Ackland, founder of Bestowed Essentials, a wholesale distributor, online marketplace, and zero waste retail store selling ethical, vegan and eco-friendly home goods in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Callee founded the company three years ago at the age of 23 while still on active duty in the US Navy.

A zero waste activist, Callee also hosts the popular Hippie Haven Podcast, a free weekly resource on sustainable living.

She also travels the US in a self-converted campervan, hosting zero waste workshops, trash cleanups, and speaking at events such as the World Holistic Expo and Des Moines VeganFest.

Callee is currently working on her first book ‘Starting A Zero Waste Business: Everything I Wish I’d Known’.

In this episode Callee discusses:

• How and why she transitioned from working as a translator in the military to starting a zero waste business

• The pros and cons of running a business from a campervan

• Why she chose South Dakota, which is not renowned for being vegan-friendly, to open her first retail store

• How she keeps the manufacturing process for her products sustainable

• What ‘zero waste’ really means and tips on how you can start to run your vegan business on these principles

• And much more

Visit the Bestowed Essentials website
Check out the Hippie Haven podcast
Find out more about Callee’s zero waste workshops and consulting

Brands mentioned in vegan business news highlights

Omnipork
V2Food

RESOURCES:

My Online PR Course for Vegan Business Owners & Entrepreneurs: Vegans in the Limelight

My book Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow an Ethical Business

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