Eco-preneurs 2015
Co-Owners, Hip Chick Farms
Serafina Palandech and Jennifer Johnson are the hip chicks behind Hip Chick Farms, a company that produces all-natural, free-range, organic chicken meals sold at Whole Foods, Safeway and grocery stores across the country. The idea came about as a result of Johnson′s other job, working for a family in San Francisco as a private chef. (She has also cooked at Chez Panisse, the famed California restaurant founded by Alice Waters.) “Jen′s passion for food was combined with our belief in creating sustainable food systems,“ says Palandech. “The field chose us—natural foods are our way of life.“ The couple, who will be in Food & Wine this month, credit many mentors for their success, including folks at Amy′s Kitchen, Cowgirl Creamery and Three Twins Ice Cream. (“Everyone has been so generous with their time,“ notes Palandech.) But Palandech and Johnson are generous, too, giving back some of the money from their sales to non-profits and participating in their community whenever possible. And while they admit being a lesbian-owned business has exposed them to some discrimination, they don′t let it get in their way: “No matter what happens, we believe in our vision and our family and know that we will succeed.“ Their advice to others? “Always say yes, but never take no for an answer!“
These out entrepreneurs embrace a greener business model.
Alison Burgos & Michelle Gaber
Co-Founders and Co-Owners, Seed Food and Wine Festival
Alison Burgos and wife Michelle Gaber got the idea for their business while attending the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and realizing the food there did not fit in with their conscious, sustainable, plant-based lifestyle. Today, the Seed Food and Wine Festival is a huge hit, though Burgos and Gaber weren′t always the experts they are today. “When we started to create the festival, we were the first to admit we were just ′baby vegans.′ We didn′t know everything there was to know about plant-based living, sustainability, animal welfare or building a food and wine festival with so many moving parts,“ says Burgos. “So we reached out to local and national experts who we admired and asked them for their advice and, in many cases, also invited them to sit on our advisory committee. I don′t think our first year would have been a success without all of these mentors who we now call friends guiding us, teaching us and challenging us.“ She believes that if you want to start a business you need to “surround yourself with like-minded people you can learn from, as well as teach and share ideas with“ and that you have to “believe in your dream even if it scares you, because if you′re not scared, it′s probably too late.“
