Todd Anderson On Personal Transformation Through Veganism And Success Of The Turnip Vegan Brand
Our readers love to read stories of powerful entrepreneurs creating a difference in the world. Please tell us about yourself and the work you do.
In 2016 I made a decision that changed my life in so many ways. I have spent a good amount of my life not really caring about my health regarding foods. I have always worked out but just ate what I wanted. I would also have a good time with my friends and drink pretty often. November 2016, I took a four-day trip to Las Vegas with some good friends. We had a good time, but my body had enough. After returning from Las Vegas, I realized how unhealthy I was due to a two-day hangover. I remember sitting in front of the TV and saying, “Man, if you don’t do better, you are not going to live life to the fullest. From that point, I started to search for something on Netflix that would encourage me to eat better. I stumbled on a documentary called “Food Choices.” I didn’t know this was a vegan documentary. I just saw “ Food Choices” and felt it had to be about eating better. I started to watch the documentary, and it was one line in a documentary that grabbed my attention. “We are the only species that drink milk from another species.” Right away, I said to myself, that is weird. I had no clue this documentary would change my view on life, but that one sentence opened my mind to change. I made a connection with this documentary, and I decided to start my plant-based journey. Slowly my outlook on life began to change, and also my energy and well-being.
This was a milestone in my life, and I wish I could’ve gotten here sooner. I’m so excited about the new plant-based journey that I wanted to share with all of my friends and family. Right away, I started to learn how to do videography, and I started my social media journey. My goal is to help people see that plant-based food is delicious, and hopefully, open their minds to eating more plants.
This is where the power of entrepreneurship comes in. Before starting Spoiled Vegans Cafe, I managed a recruitment system for the university. Through this position, I learned how to create interest through marketing and showing people the power of change. Right away, I noticed that there is a lack of plant-based breakfast options in San Diego. I recognize that if I can create food that tastes good and looks beautiful, it may help open the minds of others. This was the beginning of Spoiled Vegans Cafe. Not only do we create delicious food, but we are also helping make an impact by helping reduce the impact on climate change, and you feel good after you eat! It’s a win-win.
What prompted you to create Spoiled Vegans Cafe? What was the idea behind creating the Turnip Vegan brand?
Shortly after I decided to go vegan, I started to receive many questions from friends and family. Most of those questions came with a joke behind them, like “what do you eat just lettuce?” I didn’t think it was funny, and I wanted to show them that vegans can eat just as well. I wanted to share with everyone that a plant-based lifestyle is actually not boring. Right away, I started to share all the delicious plant-based food that I was enjoying on my Instagram. It brought me joy to see a friend say,” You know what? Even though I am not vegan,” I wanted to create a safe place for non-vegans to check out what we eat without making them feel bad. I never looked into veganism before because I always felt guilty, so I just shut it off. This is what most people do.
I wanted to inspire others to try plant-based food, but I needed a name to start my brand. I wanted something clever but also a double meaning. Turn up/Turnip your health, knowledge, fitness, nutrition, or whatever helps you elevate your lifestyle. Shortly after starting my social media journey, I began to connect with other Vegans in San Diego. We named ourselves Spoiled Vegans because we Felt San Diego was spoiled when it comes to so many plant-based options. Spoiled Vegans decided to travel to Costa Rica and film a short documentary on the plant-based lifestyle in Costa Rica. Shortly after returning from a trip, we all decided to do different things and never produced this documentary.
One day a good friend told me you should open up a café called Spoiled Vegans and not let the name go to waste. He actually planted a seed in my mind that day, and I was just waiting on an opportunity. There was a small coffee shop below my apartment, and they had just opened up a few months ago. I walked in one day, and somehow he brought up it would be nice if we had food and were actually looking for a vegan option. The light went off in my head, and right away, we created a Spoiled Vegans first menu and presented the idea. We started off with a waffle bowl that was loaded with salad-type ingredients. We learned quickly this was not going to work and started exploring other options. We did our first pop-up three weeks later, and it was a success. By utilizing the Turnip Vegan platforms to market Spoiled Vegans, it was a success from day one. This is when I really learned the power of social media, and this has continued to shape how I view the future.
How has veganism changed you on an intrinsic level?
Veganism has changed everything about me. It’s pretty clear to see. If you went back on my social media platforms 5,6 years ago, I was totally different. The first thing that changed was my energy, and I lost some extra pounds around the waist that I have been trying to lose for years. Next, I noticed my mentality started to shift, and I began to open my mind up to things that I have always been close-minded towards. I felt like I was thinking more straightforwardly, and I had more focus. Also started to get upset because I spent so much of my life just doing what I was told was best for me but without question what is actually best for me.
Things that I was interested in before were no longer appealing to me. I was very materialistic and cared a lot about my outer shell. Don’t get me wrong, I still care about my outer shell, but the things that I am interested in have changed. Like I won’t go out and spend $300 on a pair of shoes anymore, but I will pay $300 on a blender that will help me cook more food at home. Before, I was very traditional and did traditional things just because they were traditional. I stopped eating things because it was passed down in my culture, and I started to eat food that would help nourish my body. Before, I would eat to get full, but now I eat for fuel. It’s a different mindset. Veganism showed me that it’s not always all about me. Veganism opens my mind to think for myself, and in return, I feel free to be myself. I would say my mind, body, and even my soul have changed since making a decision to become vegan.
Running a successful business often comes with its own challenges. What challenges do you face on a day-to-day basis? How do you overcome them?
When we decided to open Spoiled Vegans Cafe, I was warned that opening a restaurant is one of the most challenging things you would ever do, but my passion for veganism totally blocked that warning out of my mind. After two years of managing a pop-up and finally opening a location, I hear exactly what I was warned about. Last year we faced a lot of challenges just like everyone else due to the pandemic. We signed our lease for a location in March, and two weeks later, we learned everything was shutting down. We also had a full Spring and summer of events booked. Of course, all of our events were canceled, and we found ourselves sitting down, trying to figure out what to do next. Once everything closed down, we realized how difficult it was for our community to find food in the area. So we decided to start doing curbside pick up, and we named it Break -fast. Basically, pick up your breakfast fast concept. Order online, and your food will be ready when you arrive. This concept worked very well for us, and we have kept it all the way till today. Through this process, we learn how to operate better and more efficiently, and we feel that our customers are happier with our service.
Now that we are starting to make our way out of the pandemic, we’re facing a whole new set of challenges. Some of the challenges we are experiencing are a low number of applicants applying for positions, shortage and supplies, and inconsistent improvements in our area.
At the end of the day, the pandemic made us stronger. The problem that we’re facing today has nothing of what we experienced last summer. It’s almost like we went through a training course to prepare us for the future. We know there will be challenges every day, but the more we do this, the more equipped to handle the problems with a smile.
As a busy entrepreneur, what does your lifestyle look like?
Excellent question. I think I have only taken 2 to 3 days off in the last year. Don’t get me wrong, because I’m doing Saturday, I am passionate about it doesn’t feel like work. Currently, I am co-owner of Spoiled Vegans Cafe, and my main focus is on marketing for the brand. I also create a contact for plant-based brands as a videographer. I’m currently running seven pages under Turnip Vegan and focusing on growing the brand to generate more knowledge on the plant-based lifestyle for the next generation.
The way my week is broken up is I create content on Monday and Tuesday for Turnipvegan. I make contact for Spoiled Vegans on Wednesday, and on Thursday, I work on operations. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I am working in the café or working on outside projects. I’m currently working on a cookbook and possibly expanding Spoiled Vegans outside of San Diego.
We heard that you are writing a cookbook. Would you like to reveal anything about your writing process yet?
I’m currently working on a cookbook. I should’ve done a cookbook a long time ago, but I don’t just want to create a cookbook. I feel like my audience enjoys the positive vibes in a synergy I create around the food. My goal is to create a digital book that will include the recipes, video, and music representing the dish they are cooking. I want to create a vibe around food. I want people to walk away from whatever is going on in their life and for the moments that they are cooking, I want them to be happy and enjoy it. There’s nothing like cooking your own food and watching the ingredients go to work. You created this dish; now you get to enjoy it. Date wise I’m hoping to release something by the end of this year in early 2022.
How can our audience connect with you? Where can they find your work?
My audience can find me at.
Instagram: turnipvegan
Tiktok: turnipvegan
