In this episode I talk with Julie Mathers, found of Flora and Fauna, about the practical application of values in her flourishing business.

Julie founded Flora and Fauna with a clear vision and values based ethos and has, over the past six years, grown it into a flourishing successful business.

Julie offers such great insight into her process and the practical applications of values in the everyday workings of her business. This is such a great chat about the power of values when they're taken beyond lip speak and embedded into all aspects of doing business.

Let's dive in.

Links, resources & mentions:

floraandfauna.com.au

Flora & Fauna on Instagram

Episode Transcript

Laura Jean 0:01

Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The dietitian values podcast. Today, I have a guest that I'm pretty excited to introduce to you today. Julie Mathers is the founder and CEO of flora and fauna. And Flora fauna is, if you're not aware, Australia's largest eco and vegan store, and it's a platform driven by purpose and values, which is the reason I wanted to chat to Julie today. you might be thinking, hey, Laura, this is a podcast for dietitians, healthcare professionals. But I think that Julie has some great insight and some great, you know, experiences around creating a flourishing and thriving business, you know, that's really based in values. So Julie founded flora and fauna six years ago with a clear vision to be the most responsible retailer possible, with the best customer service, and she has delivered. flora and fauna has won a slewer of, oh, a slew of awards. It is 100% carbon offset as a business, they've saved over 30 tonnes of plastic from hitting landfill by shipping orders plastic free, they offer recycling scheme, and they've paired with lots of charity partnerships. So I think that Julie's business is a really great example of a values business, values driven business, but I'm gonna let Julie talk a little bit more about that. So thanks so much for being here, Julie.

Julie Mathers 1:20

Oh, an absolute pleasure. Thank you. Thank you for having me. (laura jean: No problem). So delighted to be to be crashing, you're crashing your party with a non dietitian based business?

Laura Jean 1:34

Well, I think it's a great example one, because it is a little bit of a different example. But also there are dietitians who do run businesses with products, or they have products as part of their businesses as well. And I think the thing that really stands out for me around Flora and Fauna is, one the values, but also, and I know it was part of your purpose, you know, being really customer driven, customer centred, and and probably human centred, which I know a lot of dietitians can relate to. Yes, so let's jump in. So what would you say are the values of flora and fauna that you've brought into the business?

Julie Mathers 2:11

Well, we have. So we've we what we did, actually, when we, in fact, it wasn't kind of we sort of had our values when we started. But we didn't, we hadn't really kind of written them down as such. And then over the years, we've really kind of leant into our values and made them far more concrete, and they haven't changed, we've just kind of more formalised it, but we have eight values. And they've actually they've been the same throughout. So probably our most important is to be kind. I think that is such an important value just in general. And we could definitely do with more of it in the world. But we look at it in terms of being kind to each other, being kind to when we work with suppliers, and brands and other people we work with from outside the organisation, being kind to our customers. So this, yeah, we just kind of, it's always just being good humans really. So that's a really important one. Another one, which is very important to us is authenticity. So we're all about being authentic. And with that is transparency. Really important. And I think that's very important when you're building a culture. It's any business. We don't, I do not want watercooler conversations. So we are very much around if you have a if you have something to say, say it, get it out on the table. But be authentic, be transparent. And really, and do that in terms of whether we're talking to each other or talking, again, talking to suppliers, or talking to our customers as well, you know, and that goes to we, at our business, we have a store at the front of the warehouse. And in the store, we have this very large glass window. And that window leads right into the warehouse. So if any customers come in, they can see into the warehouse. And that has been a very, that was that was designed to do that. So that we can be completely transparent. And being transparent is just something that that we do. And with that is all authenticity. So we've never worked with influencers, we're kind of changing our mind a little bit on it now slightly. We still haven't done it, but I'm more open to it. But we haven't worked with influencers because because of that lack of authenticity, really. So there are there are a couple and then we have things around being positive. And I think that is a really important one to be positive. Again very important for culture but also important for our brand itself. Particular doing what we do which is very much based around vegan eco products.

There is there is a reason we do what we do which is to help our planet, help people and help animals. And you can kind of come at that from two angles. And there's the, I guess the more militant angle, which is more the social justice piece around, this stuff shouldn't happen. And absolutely shouldn't when, you know, things like cruelty to animals and the amount of, I mean, we do talk about this a little bit and waste in the ocean and things like that. But you can come at it from from two different angles. And we very much come at it from the carrot approach from a positive approach from Let's celebrate change approach. And let's focus on, let's focus on driving change. And that's how we operate. So we've got eight of them, so I won't cover them all. But those are those are three, those are three that are really important to us.

Laura Jean 5:45

Yeah, I think they're, they're like, and they're, they're quite universal values. And I think that, you know, that last one, you're talking about that positive, I mean, sometimes things like, you know, positive vibes kind of can get a bit of a bad rap, which, you know, I know thats not what you're in for, but what I really liked, it then was, it's less than bringing people like, trying to shame people around change and around behaviours, but also that to bring them forward with you on that journey to making the positive change, which I think, again, comes through really strongly in your business, which is, which is great. Yeah. And can I ask too, and those values? Because I know those ones, it's probably good ones to say, but how kind of closely Do you feel that the values of the company and the business match your, like, values that you live, you know, even outside of business stuff?

Julie Mathers 6:34

they kind of are my values? Yeah, yeah, they're very much I think, when you, particularly when you start a business yourself, you're, you're, you're just aligned with it. And so the businesses that is our, my, my values, so we have a great big billboard, it's billboard size in the office, with all of our values on it, and our purpose at the centre of it. So our purpose is to help everyone make better choices, and those values, all the values that are on that border, are all my values. So I am absolutely through the DNA of flora and fauna. And it is a very personal business to me. And my view on it is I wouldn't put a value out there that I wouldn't stand behind. So that's so yeah, it is it is me on a plate. And it's really interesting, actually, because when I started my career, which was a long time ago, 90 in the 90s. The advice I got there, from other leaders, particularly women leaders, actually, it's just so hard to get, certainly back in 90s, it's hard to get in senior positions. And the advice I got was you must have a mask of a leader, you must always have someone Julie at home and Julie at work, and then to be different people, and you must rule with an iron fist. And you must be sort of person that quite frankly, I didn't want to be nor would ever be. So I decided to sort of exit left because I decided that that's not how I like to run a company or you know, at the time, not a company, but manage a team or, or anything like that. So I'm very much laid bare in flora and fauna. And everything that you see at flora & fauna is really intrinsically tied to how I operate and my values.

Laura Jean 8:20

And I really love that you brought that up, Julio, because I think that a lot of dietitians and health care professionals can relate to that. And what it's kind of branched under in our area is professionalism. You know, this real professional kind of persona of being the dietitian, the expert, which like you were talking about there, you know, almost like there's a Julie at work and in Julie at home, we have that same thing. You know, there's a dietician that's in the clinic, and then there's you and I'm really, I suppose, trying to change that conversation. And that's how I run my coaching with dieticians is around. Sure, yeah, you don't have to bring everything to work, but who you are as a person, you know, your values that you show up in your life and personal life. They're the same as you know, it's not two different things. And that that separation, I think it causes like, Well, I think it causes a bit of a values disconnect, because I mean, who who, that you know, it's against I'm not against but you know, makes that thing like authenticity and integrity. Quite, quite tricky.

Julie Mathers 9:17

Yeah. Couldn't agree more. Yeah. Yeah, it's so so I'm going to something next week. So I'm basically getting, it's really interesting, i'm getting a board seat next week on let's can't go into what it is because it hasn't been announced yet. But anyway, getting a board seat next week, and they said, Oh, you know, we needed to come along and we need to take some corporate shots. I was like, Oh my God. And I said, I said, I said, I literally don't own a suit. So I don't own one. I have no intention of buying one. And as best I was probably bring a jacket and I was looking through my wardrobe this morning. I really don't have anything suitable at all. And I think this is This is also something which is an I push really hard to be me. And that's very, very important for me. I just go No, no, no, this is me, and this is who I am. So kind of take it or leave it a little bit.

Laura Jean 10:12

And I think like, Yeah, what you say there, that is really important one, for yourself and for ourselves, like when we were operating to be ourselves, because otherwise, like you said, you're in that mask kind of zone. And that's tiring, that's really exhausting to operate, like the way

Julie Mathers 10:27

I think it is. And I think if you think about it, just from an energy level, you are wasting energy on not being you and you are wasting energy trying to be something different, or trying to put on a facade, or and it is it's tiring, and it's just a major, it's just a major waste of energy. So be you and really just embrace you as a human.

Laura Jean 10:48

Yeah, yes. And actually one of the kind of like little mottos I talked about a lot is, do less harm, take less shit and be more you.

Julie Mathers 10:56

Exactly, love that.,

Laura Jean 10:58

And another, nothing, I think too which, which, being ourselves or advocating, you know, really pushing like, what you said pushing for that is when, you know, when you when you're somebody who has a reasonable amount of privilege, and like, I don't know, your background, but, you know, as you know, individuals operating in systems where, through people without a lot of privilege, it's hard to be themselves. So I think there's that opportunity to kind of go first, you know, and actually try and pave the way a little bit. So that then for other people, maybe with more, more marginalised identities or trickier things that they can actually, it creates that space where there's other people already being themselves seen if that makes sense.

Julie Mathers 11:37

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Me. Excuse me. I need some of your help today. i feel rotten. I'm coming down with something.

Laura Jean 11:49

I know I had about, I think five hours sleep sleep last night split over two blocks, because my 15 month old has a cold, it's that time of the year. Heavy.

Julie Mathers 11:58

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I know. It's crazy. It's crazy. But, but yes, I agree.

Laura Jean 12:07

Um, and one thing that I think comes up and i'd be keen for your experience, or advice or tips around this, is a lot of the time people have a bit of the fear around the, you know, having the values approach to a business that that's going to impact on, you know, profit, on success on on things like that. What would you say to somebody who's maybe yep, in that business space? or thinking about or what's been your experience around that?

Julie Mathers 12:35

Yeah, what's in my experiences, I find it gives you real focus. And I've never, I absolutely think part of our success has been driven a lot. In fact, a lot of our success has been driven by the fact that we are very clear on our purpose, and values. And it helps us make decisions, because we're really clear on who we are. So we're not wasting time or money, or doing things that aren't really for us. Because we know who we are, we know our values, and we can really drive after them. And we absolutely do things which are, which cost us money. So we have a core recycling programme, which costs us a small fortune, and we give money to charity, and we do various other things, but it's just been built into our business model, that for us, that's part of its a cost of doing business. So that's, that is just how we operate. And everything else is, and so we were just very, very efficient with everything else to ensure that we kind of accommodate those costs.

Laura Jean 13:49

Yep. Yeah, I think that's, um, that's a great way of thinking about it in, you know, in that whole, like, you know, because we're all pretty comfortable, or, you know, we're pretty used to having business expenses. And to see that to sort of put it in that way. And then look at Yeah, where, where you can, I suppose make space for those expenses that are really driven by your values. Makes makes a lot of sense. And I also really love another two things that you point out there, one, that that's probably one of the reasons for your success is your values. And would you say I mean, as somebody outside of your business, but I sort of feel like I imagine the customers people drawn to your business are people who share your values, you know, they see your business, they see the values, and they say, they're my values. That's where I want to spend my money. That's where I want to, you know, be associated with this kind of business.

Julie Mathers 14:37

Yeah, yeah. 100% 100% we absolutely have people who are like minded when it when it comes to that, and it's part of the reason for being because in reality, we sell a lot of products that you can find in other places. So we have offers and we have promos and that kind of stuff, but people need it, another reason to shop with you. And I look at it as we've just we've built a community is what we've done. And it's a community around shared values. It's it's people who care about our planet who care about animals. It's, and that's really what we've built the community around. And so. So 100% couldn't agree more. And as a result of that, you get huge advocates for your company too. Because these are people who really love what you're doing. And not they just haven't sort of bought something and bought something. And it's like, great, it's very transactional, that, of course, we have customers who, who absolutely buy things, and it's a, it's a transaction, but we have so many people who are just really invested in in what we do. And it's quite, it's quite special when you think about it. Yeah. Because people can spend their money anywhere they like, and for them to choose to spend it with us. And to be part of the journey we're on. It's, it kind of get quite humbled by it, when you when you sort of take it down to brass tacks a little bit.

Laura Jean 16:07

Yeah, yeah. And I think that community aspect, you know, when you can unite people with those shared values, like you said, and that's how people feel. And so then the, it becomes, you know, you're not, you're not trying to stand out on price or things like that, you're really, you really just standing in your values. And that is, that's almost like your key marketing marketing tool. Really?

Julie Mathers 16:31

mmm 100%. Yeah, absolutely.

Laura Jean 16:33

And another thing you were mentioning, when you were talking before was around using values as decision making tool. And that's something I often talk about, would you have you got an example of like, where that values has, you know, made it really, you know, made things easier around decisions? Or a particular decision that

Julie Mathers 16:49

Yeah,yeah, so we, so what we, and I advise anyone to do this if we can. So we have all of our values, as I said before, on a massive billboard, in the office. And I refer to them so whenever we're sitting around desks and talking about something or the other, I refer to them constantly. So probably an easy example is looking at products that we're buying. And a very easy one to everything flora and fauna has to be vegan and cruelty free. That's just kind of out the gate. And that's one of our one of our values. 100% vegan, cruelty free. But we'll also look at things in terms of, say packaging, so a product from I'm like going, Oh, my god, there's an amazing product. But the packaging is not quite right. It's quite wasteful on packaging that it comes in from the supplier to us is great. And we you know, we have long conversations around products, and should we stop them at Flora and Fauna? Should we not when we refer to our values, and one of our values is treading lightly? It's like, is it helping us tread lightly? And is it, and another value Is our wowing our customers? That's one for us. And is it wowing our customers? So we talk about it, whenever we look at products, we just look at them and go - Do they meet our values? Do they tick them? And if they don't? Well, maybe that's not what we should, maybe we shouldn't be stocking them. So or shouldn't be looking at them. So that's probably an obvious one. But then it's equally with customer care as well. If we have any customer queries, now, one of our values is to wow our customers. Are we doing that? Or are we not? And if we're not, why not? And being kind? Are we being kind to our customers. So they are used all the time coping with any decision we make really, it's really important for us, you know, we've got lots of product suppliers, but then we also have people we work with, like IT, agencies, developers, so on and so forth. And do they share the same values as us?

Laura Jean 18:48

Yeah, yeah, that's a really important point, too, isn't it that whole? So yeah, you making decisions within your values, but then it goes into that broader sphere of well, who are we working with? Are they making decisions within values that align with ours? Like, don't have to obviously be exactly the same. But are they the same? Yeah. Are they, Are they in that same alignment? Yeah, so it's not not diluting what you're trying to do then is it if you're, you know, if you were to be part, you know, go, Okay, this is what we can control on, we're just going to focus on this and, you know, and we're not going to worry so much about that next step out, then it can I suppose there's the risk benefit, sort of, yeah, diluting what you're really kind of working towards.

Julie Mathers 19:27

Yep. Correct. Correct. Absolutely. Yeah.

Laura Jean 19:30

They were really great examples of how just how values become practical. That's one thing that I'm really, I suppose always harping been on. And also really try to make it make that kind of that message of use it in a practical way, because values can be seen as these and maybe because people think of them and those you know, those well what has happened in I suppose in our capitalist, type of society where they're often like very lip speak, you know, they're these kind of like really big nouns over here. I'm always talking about values being verbs, you know, values being doing things But those practical examples of how they actually become a decision making tool is so valuable. Pardon the alliteration. Yeah. But yeah, you know, it's a really valuable way to think about, yeah, that that every day application of values, and not just the big statements you put on your website, but actually, what are you moving towards? What are your everyday actions. So they're great examples. I love that idea of having them really visible. So that they're in your face all the time

Julie Mathers 20:28

In your face and we just we talk about them as part of our language. And I think that's really important, because I've worked to two very large retailers over here, nay even be the largest, and couldn't imagine who I'm talking about. And an off what my experience of working there was that even when they talk about values, typically, it's left to the marketing department to come up with them. So they go to marketing, go and come up with values. It's a marketing thing, right. And they'll come up with them. And they'll spend copious amounts of time coming up with these values, and not actually talk to anyone to find out what values actually are. And then they'll come up with them. And then what happens is, we'll stick them on a PowerPoint and go, here you go, here's our new values, everyone just goes that's lovely, forgets about it instantly. It's like a task, it's a task that's been done. And they are not part of DNA. And that's what it should be. It's your speak, it's your tone of voice. It's absolutely everything. And it just, it is your it's your your values are your blood of your organisation. Yep, that's what keeps you alive.

Laura Jean 21:34

I love that. And I'd be fist bumping over here, if this was a visual medium. ANd that's it isn't it. It's like, you know, it's that it's not just the tick off to do list 'yep, we've got our values' it's that embedding that real, and it's living them. And I think that that comes back to that kind of initial point where we started the conversation that there isn't really a deviation between your business company values and the values of the people in the business. And probably that gets a bit trickier when you have more than, you know, more than just one person. But there's ways that you can, you know,cCanvas values and bringing those in. But I think yeah, that whole actually being the values that live not just these broad, you know, things on a piece of paper, tick off the to do list, yep We've got our values, we stick them in the drawer, pop them on the website, and then yeah, nobody ever speaks of them again, until we review the values, you know, until we've reviewed the values exactly how many years. But that's really, yeah, I think that yeah, that embedding like what you were saying, it's how you speak. And it's, it's who it's who you are, as well. And for a lot of the dietitians, listening that they're they're single person businesses, I mean, not everyone is, but a lot of dietitians are, its themselves. So it's not so much a personal brand, because with the, you know, being held professional, like there's a little bit of a sort of, I suppose, a difference there, but it is, it is still Yeah, that's something I think that is really important. Like you were saying before too take off that mask, not not having the mask really and just being who you are, what values are they Yeah, and brings us into a space of a better world, which we all want, right?

Julie Mathers 23:12

I know, we do. We need it, you know, I mean, obviously, you've got children, and I've got two little babies who are one years old and two years old. And, you know, I want a better world for them. Really?

Laura Jean 23:22

And one other thing. Yeah, I mean, that's what we're all kind of going like, you know, we have our visions of the world that we want to see and and how do we bring that into action. And every day in daily actions, not just this big grand. This is what we'll do when we get there when we have enough x y Zed like, how do we work towards it right now in this moment, you know, what's what's like you said, What's the language we use? What are the decisions where use whe're making to move us towards that in tiny incremental steps every day. Every decision. Yes. One thing because I think what comes through with your business too, and you've mentioned it is how you're really human driven client centred. One thing that I think can easily You know, when I think about human driven or when I'm talking about it often what I'm also reminding the clients I work with dieticians is that you're one of those humans too, and it's actually about taking care of you and directing your values back to you as well. is a sort of, do you find that something that that you you know, that you are able to do easily or do you find that it's a bit tricky, you know, centering you in in that those values as well like taking care of you as well.

Julie Mathers 24:28

oh Yeah. Oh, yeah. You're talking my health and everything else, I'm guessing things yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Probably in my list of priorities. I am firmly at the bottom and which which is not good. And as you know, as I talked to you now, I've got a bit of a, I'm rundown is probably the best way to describe it. I'm rundown. I'm I am definitely not well in terms of You know, my health and, and I have for the last six years put me last. And that is a problem for me, you know, I need to sort that out. Because I have two beautiful little babies that need their mummy. I have a very large baby FLora and Fauna that needs its money. And then and I also need me in the middle of this too. So the in doing everything I do, the one thing that is being compromised on the back of it is me. And, you know, I really needed a haircut. I shaved my legs in the shower this morning. And that felt like I've been to a spa and it wasn't i just shaved my legs. And it was kind of missed a bit. So I've missed bits cos i didn't have time to do it properly. So it's so yeah, so I think it is, you know, kudos to anyone who can get it all. I haven't absolutely not managed to do that yet. And and that has to change because there. Yeah, it's not. It's just not sustainable. Really. I think it's probably the best way to say

Laura Jean 26:15

no, it's not is it and i think i think it's easy, particularly, you know, people that are socialised as women, you know, that's quite normalised for us to do that. That's, that's one part that, that, yeah, that that we all, you know, can work better at is a centering, you know, centering ourselves as one of the humans in our human centred businesses. And, you know, in making that space for Yeah, directing our values back at ourselves, but I think, you know, I think too, it's that self compassion that it is, you know, it's also that acceptance to have what is Yeah, like, so it's not beating ourselves up about it, but just recognising that, okay, there's, there's room for improvement, which there always is, you know, and i often talk about tilting into different areas, because I think the myth of like that whole balance and having it all, I think it's a bit of bullshit. But I think, you know,

Julie Mathers 27:03

could not agree more .

Laura Jean 27:05

Yeah. And you know, and I think it's at different seasons, isn't it of like tilting into, like, I know, you've just had a lot of changes going on. So of course, it's the time when you're tilting into the business a little bit more tilting into the family at different times, then it's just I think, yeah, it's keeping that on that agenda to tilt back into ourselves. Yes, bring those values back to us as well.

Julie Mathers 27:25

I like it. I like tilt. I like tilt. Because I've been using, I sort of use the word lean, and I groan when I use it. I've groan internally to myself, because it's such an overused word. But I actually the right thing to kind of describe things. You know, I talked about us leaning into our purpose. i Kind of like tilt. I"m going to steal tilt.

Laura Jean 27:48

Yeah, take it. It's not mine. I got it from Brooke Macalary from the slow home podcast many years ago. She was like it. Yeah. And then I heard an example not that long ago, somebody talking about, you know, when you're in like a balancing yoga, and where you're sort of, you're trying, you're staying still, but you're not ever staying still, you're really doing all these little micro movements and tilting into different parts of your body. And, and it really kind of made me think, yeah, like you never it's, I think when we think of it as balance, it feels like this static thing, this perfect point of perfection that we are going to reach versus tilting, which is it's dynamic, it can move, and it's just recognising that, yes, some some areas of our lives will need us to tilt more in that way. And it's just, and I think the other thing, too, is it's like it's coming back over to the other spaces. And so we don't, you know, fall on our face, because we've tilted so far into an area that you know, yeah, we do get run down, which is the I suppose the Yeah, that that kind of hypothetical, what's the I can't think of the word now. But you know, that it's the it's the, it's the, it's the actual incarnation of us tilting too far. in one area, we get we fall on our face we we get run down or exactly, all those things happen. So they're just little, little red flags for us for, you know, maybe tilt back into another

Julie Mathers 29:05

tilt back, this is it. Our body gives us a gentle slap around the face and says, What are you doing? What are you doing sort this out? I"m getting a major slap at the moment.

Laura Jean 29:14

I think it tries to gently communicate initially, like for quite some time, it's just then, you know, eventually it takes matters into its own hands when we're not listening, exactly. Many of the dieticians listening know what that's like for themselves, but also working with clients, a lot of the dietitians that are listening along non diet dietitians. We work a lot around, you know, helping people to come back into their own bodies and use their bodies as a tool for connection. And it works for our clients, but also for us as business owners, to listen to our body and the wisdom that we have there and not in a woo woo way but in an actual literal, like our body will let us know. We're tilting too far when we're not getting enough sleep. Yeah. And again, I think there's that tilting to between doing taking actions we can take care of ourselves, but also also acceptance of what is in that moment. You know, when you're In the same season of young kids, absolutely, it'd be nice to get more sleep, but it's just not going to happen. So it's accepting that, but then maybe making space for rest and rejuvenation in other ways. So yes, of taking care of ourselves.

Julie Mathers 30:13

Yeah. It's very true. I know, I'm talking to you going, Oh, my God, I need to see a dietitian. Because it's because I've, I think the one thing that I've definitely failed to do in flora and fauna, and problem is my husband, Tom works in Flora fauna as well. So there's two of us going gangbusters. And both of us have put ourselves last, and both compromised on our health, I think. And a lot of that is driven through food. And we and we're vegan as well. So we think we have the worst diet in the world. Because when we should be eating a lot of certain stuff, and I have hemochromatosis, and I have GERD from my babies, and oh my god. And so there's all these things, and I'm they're going, Okay, how do I fix this? How do I fix this? How do I fix this? And how do I run a business? And it's, it's, yeah, yeah. So you're now convincing me that I actually really need to go and sort this out,

Laura Jean 31:08

you know, to you to, to push your values back on yourself, I suppose it's a time to just be kind to like, be kind to yourself about where you are and where you're coming from. But then also, maybe now, carving out some space to push bring some kindness to your body, you know, and, and looking at it less from that point of view, of I need to fix myself or I should, but actually, just what does my body need? Like what kindness? Yeah, I'd be kind and nourishing to my body, maybe foods, one of those things, maybe it's sleep, maybe it's movement, whatever it might be, but you know, coming at it from you know, us to use your values back at you bringing that kindness rather than so true. That other way of being but um, yes, but I mean, you know, definitely we can we can hook you up with a good dietician, we know a lot around here. Or they go right, go to dietician, so if you were ever That's awesome. Yeah, Julie, I mean, this is really great. I think like I said at the start, one of the reasons I really was excited to chat to you about this was your business is just to me yep the epitome of a values business driven business in an area in a market where it's, there's there can be a lot of values lip speak, you know, it really yes, it does come through. So I really appreciate you you know, basically just pretty much just giving everyone a live example of all the stuff I'm always rabbiting on about, around which people are probably sick of me, talking about us now. But yeah, is there anything else that you think would be useful to share or any, any words of wisdom or tips or things that you'd like to share with the listeners today?

Julie Mathers 32:44

I think I think linking with values, I think purpose is really important. And it because they're just so tightly woven with each other. And I think when you're thinking about values, just figure out what your purpose is. And once you've found that, I just find everything falls into place a little bit. It, you, for my experience, everything just starts to make a lot more sense. Once I've really defined it. And I didn't start off defining what our purpose was, I started off going, Hey, I want to have a website that sells cruelty free beauty products, that's kind of how I started. And over the years, I've really understood what our purpose is, but it's taken a bit of time. But once I, once I got there, once I defined the values, that was the point, I was like, I got it, it's kind of a bit of a ray of light almost for me. And, and then I could really start tilting in to that. And and, and it just made every decision afterwards so much easier. So and then, and I think probably another piece actually, which is really important, really important when you have values, and you start recruiting for people and making sure that making sure that that they have the same values as your business or at least an appreciation for those values. So that's, that's really important. We've always been quite big on values recruitment.

Laura Jean 34:25

Yeah, and just another application of them. Isn't it like this? Yeah. When you have them embedded in all those aspects that so makes such a difference. And yeah, thanks for for sharing that. Because I think that's a really important thing too, for people to know is it doesn't really matter where you are on your business journey, you can still stop and pause and really get those values, get clear on those values and use them to recalibrate or just use them like you said, you know, you might have an idea of where you want to go or who you want to be or what you want to put out into the world but, but pausing and actually getting clear on your values just brings it into clarity and like you said, you know, it makes things easier. It's not easy or simple ever in business? Yeah. Yeah. You know, it just takes one more hurdle out of it, doesn't it? So that's some. Yeah, that's a really good point. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you so much for sharing this because I think, yeah, it's great. I mean, the the values, like I said, you pretty much just gave me a, you know, just reiterate everything we took around around here. But also, I think, to show that, to really just bring home that point of your values make it easier, they make things clearer. And also, they're actually part of Part of the reason and that, that you that you've, you've got such a successful flourishing business, because you've built a community around shared values. And I know that's what a lot of the dieticians listening really want to do with their businesses? Yes, absolutely. They want to flourish themselves. But a lot of the time, it's really that community that they want to see flourishing. So yeah, yeah. Values values is the way to go.

Julie Mathers 35:58

Absolutely, absolutely. It certainly is. And if you can nail those then yeah, life, life becomes easier I find in business.

Laura Jean 36:07

Yes, absolutely. I'm right on board with you. So thank you so much for that. And I will pop things in the sort of show notes under here on over at the website dieticianvalues.com. links and things. But did you want to just give a little shout out to Where's best to connect website or social handle or wherever? The people?

Julie Mathers 36:29

Yes, yes, yes, I certainly do. So you can find us? I'll give you Our website is www dot. And why do I even say that anymore? Anyway, flora and, floraandfauna.com.au. And our Instagram handle is @floraandfaunaau and that's the same for Facebook as well.

Laura Jean 36:48

Excellent. I know. I always love perusing your website and I appreciate when I receive the occasional gift from there. To full disclosure, my sister in law is my connect to Julie here and she's often sending me beautiful flora and fauna gifts, which I'm very happy glad recipient of so yeah Great. Thanks so much for your time. Julie. Go have a nice hot cup of tea for that sore throat. And yeah, thanks for sharing your experience, which is which is one I think that has a lot of great tips and lessons and info for those listening.

Julie Mathers 37:28

My pleasure. And it's a pleasure. Thank you so much.

Laura Jean 37:31

Thanks. And thanks, everyone for listening. And that wraps up another episode. If you've got any comments, questions, of course, come join the conversation over at @dietitianvalues on Instagram. Until next time, have a good one. Bye for now.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai