Mr Gift – Quality Gifts for Men
Did you know it takes more than 4000 years for a glass bottle to decompose in landfill?
BottleHood have made recycling glass bottles fun, with their quirky range of handmade glasses sourced from local San Diego restaurants, bars and events. Local craftspeople then transform these empty bottles into cool, reusable glasses that are durable (and a fun talking point). A unique gift for the environmentally conscious!
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With the spread of plastic straw bans, businesses like The Other Straw have emerged to provide environmentally friendly solutions. We were particularly inspired by co-founder, Jamie-Lee Kay’s story of the inception of The Other Straw, and delighted to interview her for our Aussie Business series:
1. Tell us a bit about your business and how you got to where you are now?
The Other Straw is a social enterprise replacing single-use plastic straws with reusable, ethically sourced bamboo straws.
Since launching in late 2018, we’ve diverted over 9 million plastic straws from entering our landfills, waterways and oceans.
After some early traction with our straws, we took the leap to extend our product range to other sustainable, ethical alternatives to plastic items. Including bamboo toothbrushes, bamboo cutlery and coconut bowls.
Our mission is to make the world a more sustainable place. We want to make it as easy as possible for individuals, and businesses to live a less wasteful lifestyle.
2. What do you love most about your business – how is it unique?
I love our why and purpose of our business. We started this business with the goal to eliminate single-use plastics, and this is our biggest motivation.
The pillars in which our business was built on are our personal values and ethos. And this shines through everything we do. Every decision we make is made with passion, meaning and intention. We put our purpose and people above our profits, always.
3. What’s your life mantra?
Create a life you are proud and passionate about.
Your daily choices, decisions and actions are what makes up your life. If you are not proud of them, do something about it. Live a life that you are content and passionate about. Build a legacy and purpose that you can be proud of.
4. What else would you be doing if you didn’t do what you do?
I probably would be in marketing (as this is what I studied). In 2018, after graduating with a Commerce Degree (major in Marketing), I turned down the corporate career path to start The Other Straw.
5. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
The best gift I received was from my partner’s Mother. She gave me some veja sneakers. For those who don’t know veja, they are an ethical, sustainable and fair-trade sneaker company. I wear them pretty much everyday, so I couldn’t have asked for a more practical and better gift.
6. What’s the best gift you’ve ever bought someone?
When my partner and co-founder Lennart moved to Australia from the Netherlands I bought him a bike. The Dutch love their bikes. Although it wasn’t the bike he had in mind, he loved the gesture haha.
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My father always told me a kid, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” and that statement has proven so true after all these years…. One of the most fruitful tools in building my business over the past eight years is in the power of networking and taking every advantage possible to meet new people; Efficiently communicating and never dismissing a single soul – you never know who you’re talking to, who they might know or how they’d be able to contribute. The real life connections I’ve made while growing my startup have been the major fuel for our business’s growth.
Lori Cheek is a NYC based architect turned entrepreneur, Founder and CEO of Cheekd – a hyper speed Bluetooth mobile dating app that removes the “missed” from “missed connections.” After working in architecture, furniture and design for 15 years, Lori came up with an idea that led her into the NYC world of technology and dating. Shecompletely threw away her design career and is no longer building structures, she’s now building relationships. Lori, a Shark Tank Veteran, was recently listed as “The Digital Dating Disruptor” and “One of the Top 10 CEOs to Watch.”
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The best thing my dad taught me was how to respect women. Fortunately for me, I didn’t grow up in an environment where toxic masculinity was going on. Instead, I learned to be more respectful towards women, their feelings, and sentiments. Through how he was with my mom, it also showed me how to understand women and how to act accordingly.
But he also taught me that a woman should be more of an inspiration, not desperation. That stuck with me, as well.
David Weingot is CEO of DMAC Security.
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Happy birthday to everyone celebrating their birthday this month! Wishing you all a wonderful first day of spring:-)
The best thing my dad taught me was planning for retirement. He’s been talking about it with me since my early 20’s, particularly about the value of having money saved up for when you hit your 60’s. It’s still the best piece of advice anyone’s ever given me, and I’ve taken it to heart.
Ben Walker is the CEO of Transcription Outsourcing, LLC a transcription service that works with government agencies, single practice attorneys and physicians, as well as entire university systems to provide fast, accurate, and reliable transcription services.
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