Meet Donny Makower of RDCL Superfoods in West LA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Donny Makower.

Donny, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My journey to becoming an entrepreneur and animal advocate was not a straight path and it continues to evolve. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and moved to LA after getting my law degree. I decided not to practice law, but instead pursued a different career path that was grounded in strategic thinking and creativity.

For well over a decade, I was the President and Co-Founder of RED Interactive Agency, a premier digital marketing agency based in Santa Monica. I had the opportunity to work with some of the most influential global brands in the world, such as Disney, Samsung, Under Armour and Audi, and I developed an expertise in building organizations, creating brand strategies, and challenging companies to re-evaluate their customer experience models. I also spoke at various events and conferences about these topics.

During my time at RED, I developed a deep interest in nutrition and its impact on health. This was, in large part, spurred by my sister’s reversal of breast cancer after she went on a strict, no-sugar, whole-food vegan diet that she learned about at a wellness center. After watching many lectures and reading a wide array of books about nutrition, my belief in the power of plant-based eating deepened and I adjusted the bulk of my diet accordingly. But even after being armed with such compelling evidence, I still ate some animal products. Why? Because I never thought about the animals who suffered as a result of my choices. I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

My world further shifted when I took a closer look at animal ethics at the beginning of 2018. I watched a lecture that gave me a new perspective about animal exploitation and the incredible suffering that these innocent beings endure. I was shocked by the scale of it, and within a day of watching that lecture, I aligned my behaviors and lifestyle with vegan ethics. In other words, I began avoiding all forms of animal exploitation, whether for food, clothing, entertainment or otherwise.

With this newfound sensibility, I decided to refocus my personal and professional endeavors around my convictions for animal advocacy and healthy living. I am now Founder & CEO of RDCL Superfoods, a direct-to-consumer provider of personalized superfoods that are 100% plant-based. I’m also a passionate public speaker about issues related to animal ethics, health, and the environment, as well as the Chairman of the Board of the Gentle Barn, an amazing national nonprofit organization specializing in the rehabilitation of abused and neglected animals.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve made significant changes in my life over these last couple of years, which has required focus and dedication. With regards to my journey into plant-based living and animal advocacy, things have gone quite well. Thankfully my family and friends have been very supportive of my journey. My wife and kids share my ethical views and have also adopted a vegan lifestyle, and we’re all happy and doing well.

When we first made the shift, we took some time to explore and discover a wide variety of delicious plant-based alternatives that were readily available in our local supermarkets. We quickly learned that we can continue to eat all of the foods that we’ve always enjoyed; we simply started to buy the plant-based versions of those foods (e.g., oat milk, cashew yogurt, vegan burgers and more). We also strive to maximize our intake of whole plant foods and products made with real ingredients that grow out of the ground. And we love the fact that this lifestyle also has the added benefits of being better for our health and better for our planet. So it’s a win-win all around.

With regards to RDCL Superfoods, it wasn’t easy to create a new brand, model, digital platform and product line from the ground up. There are a lot of moving parts, and building a modern company requires continuous planning and development, fundraising, lots of self-determination, and a fair share of late nights. But the good news is that things are progressing as we had hoped and planned. It’s been well worth the effort and has been a rewarding experience for me and my two co-founders (Zak and Tyler) – and we’re just getting started.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about RDCL Superfoods – what should we know?
RDCL Superfoods is a direct-to-consumer provider of personalized, functional, plant-based superfoods. There are undoubtedly other products that, at first glance, may seem quite similar to ours. But we’ve taken steps to stand apart.

It starts with making products that are simultaneously the highest quality and truly enjoyable. We source the best ingredients we can find – nutritious veggies, high-antioxidant fruit, super mushrooms, ancient grains, healthy fats, functional botanicals, adaptogens and more – and turn them into products that people love. Our product pipeline spans multiple categories: complete nutrition shakes, broths, juices, teas, coffee creamers, and various “boosts” for common needs such as energy, focus, sleep, stress, immunity and others. But we’re not simply creating a typical lineup of disparate products, but rather a “system” of nutrient-rich superfoods that are designed to be easy to incorporate into anyone’s daily routine. Nothing to prep. Just mix with water and you’re good to go.

But just having great products wasn’t enough to meet our high standard. We wanted to make sure that RDCL isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather one that can be tailored to individual people. That’s why each RDCL subscription box is personalized based on someone’s unique needs, goals, tastes and lifestyle preferences. We utilize simple assessments to learn about each person, and then we optimize with real-time data, digital coaching and ongoing feedback to drive results. Because in the end, RDCL is about helping people to build healthy habits.

Being a great company also means standing for something bigger than all of us. That’s why many modern consumers expect brands they engage with to be genuine, transparent and to make a positive impact on the world. RDCL champions and promotes the health, ethical, and ecological benefits of organic, plant-based nutrition. And this is certainly something everyone can feel good about.

One final note is that, at the time of this interview, we’re in the midst of consumer testing, and we have our public Beta launch coming soon. Exciting times ahead!

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
For me, it’s perseverance and resilience. No question about it. When you’re building a business and driving towards success, you’re bound to hit obstacles, roadblocks and rejections along the way. Every successful person has dealt with this. So the real question becomes: what are you going to do about it when it happens?

The answer is that you have to remain undeterred, even in the face of adversity. This is easier said than done but is achievable by anyone who’s committed. I believe that the most promising path to success is to first have a clear vision, and then do everything you can to follow through on that vision (but without ever losing sight of objectivity). In other words, don’t take “no” for an answer, yet keep an open mind when confronted with information that may be different from what you already know or believe.

The road to success is never a straight line, so you have to recognize when to pivot and when to stay the course. Being nimble means you learn to adapt to new data and to forces that are outside of your control, while remaining focused on the best ways to achieve your ultimate vision. When you truly adopt this mindset, it becomes unlikely that any given issue will knock you off course.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.RDCLsuperfoods.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rdclsuperfoods
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/rdclsuperfoods

Image Credit:
Natalie Ford and WORLDZ

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