The G.E.M. Series Episode 15: Finding The Recipe to Success With Robin Goldberg Simon
[00:00:00] Blake: Welcome to the G.E.M series powered by rocket level. On this podcast, we empower entrepreneurs to succeed by setting big goals, executing like a pro, and having a fearless mindset. The G.E.M series is all about investing in yourself. We're here to share the path to getting what you want out of life. By sharing the stories of entrepreneurs who have done this themselves.
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[00:00:41] My name is Blake Chapman. I'm the vice-president of the ambassador program here at the rocket level. And I am thrilled to be your host for the jet. All right, everybody. On today's episode of the G.E.M series, I have Robin Goldberg here. Robin came from a marketing background and has now transitioned into nutrition and wellness and you know, send people up, to make sure that they, they, they feel great every single day.
[00:01:07] Hey Robin, how are you doing?
[00:01:12] Blake: Hey, I'm so glad you're on here. You know, I know we have some mutual friends and they told me so many good things about you. I was so excited to get to chat a little bit more. So Robin could you share a little bit about yourself with our, with our audience so that they can, they can learn a little bit more about what you do?
[00:01:28] Robin: Sure. So, yeah. So my name is Robin. Actually, it's Robin Simon. Now I recently got married. 
[00:01:33] Blake: Three weeks ago. 
[00:01:35] Robin: Congratulations. Yeah, three months. So we're right near each other. Yeah. So haven't changed the business name. So Robin Goldberg still works. But yeah, so I basically was doing experiential marketing. And then I also went into a sort of. But all in the marketing realm for almost 10 years.
[00:01:55] But I've always had a strong passion for fitness and nutrition. I used to teach kickboxing classes and I just always have found health and wellness nutrition, super interesting to me, it was, a hobby just an interest. And then after getting sort of burned out from marketing, I decided to follow my passion and I started my own nutrition.
[00:02:17] Blake: That is so, so cool. Especially now I feel like so many people are in a similar position where they're, you know, everybody has passions or hobbies and they're, they've been long exhausted by the kind of nine to five that maybe isn't exactly what they're wanting to do. So yeah, I, I think there's probably a lot of people that would resonate with, with that, that journey that you went on.
[00:02:38] In terms of like getting into nutrition. Yeah. Where did it all kind of start for you? 
[00:02:44] Robin: That's interesting. I know like the interest of it, I think just sort of came naturally, you know, I, in experiential marketing, there was a ton of travel. You were like, Working, you know, it's not typical, you know, it is a typical 95 and nine to five, but then you add on all the events you go to.
[00:03:00] experiential marketing is event marketing. So we're planning these massive corporate and sponsorship events for companies. And so you're doing your planning that regular nine to five, and when you're traveling and nights and weekends, you know, to go to the events instead of the events. Trying to like really stay healthy and, you know, eat right and work out during that kind of crazy schedule was something that I really started to really get into.
[00:03:25] Cause I was like, you know, it would be, it's so easy to fall into. I'm too busy to think about food. So I'm just going to grab whatever the most convenient thing is. There's wait, I'm too busy to work out. I'm too busy to do any of this stuff. So I'm just gonna, you know, not work out. I'm just gonna grab something quick and easy on the road.
[00:03:40] And so I sort of was like, I can't do that. Like, it's just not good for me. It's not, it doesn't make me feel good. So I really started getting a lot more into finding out about it and just, you know, starting cooking a lot more and finding ways of things. So like I can travel with, and then I found. So many of my fellow colleagues will be so interested.
[00:04:01] And so then they would start asking me stuff. And I just started finding that, like, I just love those conversations so much. And so I just sort of like really continue to grow my interest just to learning more about nutrition and then talking to people about it. And I just, there was something about like spreading that information, knowledge.
[00:04:18] You know, when you saw someone else light up with the information, like, oh my God, that like, wow, that was so groundbreaking. And you were like, oh my God, I just imparted knowledge. Just like, make it feel good. And so that's really how it flowed. Yeah. 
[00:04:32] Blake: It's, it's, it's kinda crazy as to how magnetic passion is.
[00:04:37] I've found, you know, whenever you can really I don't know, whenever you, whenever somebody, I think that's probably the most exciting conversation is when somebody is just like fully, almost. In the heavens just feeling excited, talking about something that gets other people so excited too. I feel like, so I don't know.
[00:04:53] That's a that's that's really cool. So you started noticing that, you know, these conversations were happening organically and that sort of started motivating you to want to, you're like, oh, maybe I will sort of check this out a little bit more. Tell me, tell me, yeah, tell 
[00:05:08] Robin: me a little bit more.
[00:05:11] For a long time, I loved marketing, but you know, that just, that grind just became just too much. And it was just like the traveling, the stress. And I also got to a point where I sort of, I don't know what sparked it, but I really wanted to sort of doing something I felt good about. Yeah. Well, I felt like I was making a positive impact and I felt that more from the conversations with people about like giving them some sort of tip about nutrition than I felt about creating these massive events for a brand.
[00:05:39] And I sort of thought to where I was like really burned out. I was very unhappy in marketing at that time. Like I just was like, not being fulfilled by it. It wasn't challenging anymore. And I didn't feel like I was like, you know, making a positive impact. And so that was definitely when I was like, okay, I think it's time to do something different.
[00:05:56] And, you know, after a lot of thought and a lot of, you know, conversation, I was like, you know, what is this? Something that does spark me? And then what does make me feel like I'm helping other people that I am can get excited about. And that was like, it's the wellness like that? Just like. You know, and what's so funny about it is that like, I would find like little tips and tricks that I would tell people about that I thought were just like, everyone just knew those.
[00:06:22] And that finds that like, oh wait, everyone doesn't just know those I do because I have had a passion for it. And I look for that information. And so finding like, oh, okay, these are the things that people really need to know that they don't know because they don't have this like obsession about it or this passionate about it.
[00:06:38] Blake: Yeah, absolutely. And, and growing up, was this something, so this was something it sounds like maybe you found a little bit later, like growing up. Was that something that was a big emphasis around your family? 
[00:06:48] Robin: No. No. So like food, you know, Well food, but like the nutrition aspect of it. Definitely not something we grew up in.
[00:06:56] And I always tell people that I joke, like when I went to college, like, that's when, you know, when you're on your own and you're trying to figure this stuff out and you know, you're thinking like, oh my God, I'm being so healthy. I'm eating a salad every single day, you know? And I'm like, well, why am I gaining weight?
[00:07:09] Well, I'm dowsing in a rancher. And no idea. I'm like, but it's a salad, you know, like know that like, okay, but ranch dressing, I should be eating a burger. It'd be better for me. And all of that, like slow information that I started to pick up on and learn like, definitely didn't have it growing up. And that was also sort of where I felt like.
[00:07:29] You know, trying to help people that younger age also, like as you're kind of going into the college-age when a lot of this stuff really starts to come effect, and a lot of the fad diets start to come into effect and people's misinformation about food and nutrition. Cause I realized I definitely growing up did not have that information.
[00:07:48] It was so much of this stuff was so eye-opening to me when I started really getting into it, you know, sort of post-college. Yeah. 
[00:07:55] Blake: And so you, you went to college in Phoenix, is that right? And then Tucson, excuse me. Tucson. And so are you an Arizona native or did you move out there because you're Alabama.
[00:08:08] Robin: Oh, cool. Yeah. Nice. I'm all over the place. Yeah. I met one from Alabama, from Birmingham. My brother actually went to school in Arizona, so that's what. Got interested in it and went out to visit. Actually, when I was deciding between a school in Boston and Arizona, I went to go visit Boston and I'm from Alabama.
[00:08:29] So like this is the weather, you know, we do warm weather. So I went to go visit Boston in April and it started to snow and I was like, Nope, Nope, Nope. Not doing it. And now I live in. 
[00:08:42] Blake: Well, oh my gosh. So you're like really? Okay. So you had to really change, change your mind around that stuff. Now, now I'm sure you're getting blasted with the wind.
[00:08:53] So whenever you went to school over there in Tucson and you've got your degree or was, was, was that kind of, the vision was, you're like, okay, I'm going to go into marketing and that's going to be my thing. And. Tunnel down or what was, what was life looking like around then? 
[00:09:08] Robin: Yeah, so in college, I don't think I like totally knew what I wanted to do.
[00:09:12] I thought I always wanted to do advertising. Arizona didn't have the best advertising program, so I did media arts and business. And so I sort of laughed and I was like, I don't really know what I want to do when I graduated. I ended up getting a job at Bain consulting and doing their graphics.
[00:09:30] And which was a skill I always had. I was definitely doing media arts. You learn how to do a lot of graphic stuff, but I really gained a ton of knowledge. How to create presentations and make them, you know, beautiful and perfect and all they live it and everything. But that was not my passion either.
[00:09:45] I didn't love it. And I was debating what I wanted to do. I was like, you know, I always want to do like that advertising marketing side, but I also really want to plan events. I think that's so fun too. And I was like, I can't be, I don't know what to do. So I just started Googling. I dunno, like marketing events, and all of a sudden I came across this company that was like event marketing.
[00:10:04] And I was like, no way, that's a real thing. You can do both of them together. I was like, mind blown. I was like, I had no idea how to do event marketing. So I reached out to this company and like had no experience, nothing. I was like three years into working. So it wasn't like fresh out of college. And I wanted this company so badly that I was like, I will intern.
[00:10:28] I was like, I will intern to get the experience. You know, I just want to be here. This company is exactly what I've been looking for. And so they were like, well, you know, these internships, they're like college kids trying to do it for credit. I was like, I don't care. I want the experience. And then hopefully turns into a job.
[00:10:44] So I convinced them to hire me as an intern and then two weeks into my internship, they ended up offering me a job. 
[00:10:52] Blake: Wow. Yeah. Something I'm kind of picking up on a couple. I mean, maybe I'm, maybe I'm, I'm always like I pick little things out of the conversation and I'm like, oh, that's kind of interesting.
[00:11:02] It seems like you're a very knowledge-hungry person. And a very curious person would, I don't know, because anytime I talk to people that have. They want to get into something they're like, look, I don't care what it is. I don't care if it's an unpaid internship. I don't care what it is. I'll do what it takes to get to that next level.
[00:11:19] Cause I'm just, I dunno. What, what do you think motivates you typically to do that kind of, you know, go down those, those rabbit holes so to 
[00:11:26] Robin: speak? Yeah. I mean, I think definitely the knowledge, like for sure I'm big, you know, I want to know something I'm researching and which isn't always the best thing.
[00:11:35] Google is sometimes a good friend and sometimes not, but I think like, I think it was passion. As I, at the time, I was like, this is exactly what I want. And this combines the two things. And I couldn't decide which route to go together into one. And I just was so determined. And I think that passion and determination of like going after something you really want.
[00:11:55] I think really just was like, I'll do whatever. Wow. 
[00:11:59] Blake: That's really cool. It's you, your execution is, is, is next level because, you know, I guess fast-forwarding a few years, you, you know, you did this for, gosh, you got a decade of, of marketing experience under your belt. Right. And then, you know, a lot of people might just, even if they were burnt out, probably a lot of people will.
[00:12:20] The burnt-out until hopefully they can, they can retire. What, kind of led up to the execution of wanting to make the, make the switch officially into, into what you're doing? 
[00:12:31] Robin: It was definitely scary. I, it was exactly, as you say, like 10 years of doing in a career and, you know, I built my way up.
[00:12:38] Like I was about to be promoted to a VP. Like I definitely, you know, gotten far in that career, but I was so unhappy and I think I just hit a point when I was like, I can't keep going on like this, like, this is just, you know, I'm so miserable. I don't want to do this anymore. Like, and it was, it was scary to be like, should I just stick it out?
[00:12:58] You know, I think for about three years, I was like, let me just stick it out. And that had gotten to a point, I was like, I just can't stick it out anymore. Like I just, I'm not happy if this isn't worth it. And you know, I started, you know, talking to some different people and just about like, you know, well maybe I can find something different in marketing or something different and events, but nothing.
[00:13:19] Even the idea that like, didn't make me. And so I went and talked to someone and she was like, well, what is something that makes you happy? What do you get excited talking about? And I was like, wellness, food, nutrition, working out. Like I light up when those conversations come around and she was like, so why not do that?
[00:13:38] And I was like, you mean, start from scratch. Like, start over after 10 years in marketing. And she was like, what do you have to lose? I guess that's a good point.
[00:13:51] I was like, you know what the, I think that being the sort of made me sort of a safety net. I set myself a timeline. I was like, well, I'm going to give this six months. And if six months, I just feel like this is not what I continue to be passionate about. If this is just a hobby, this is just this isn't right.
[00:14:07] I can always go back to marketing. Six months break is not going to be the, you know, the thing that had companies like oh God, we don't want her. She took six months off. Like I was basically, that was my safety net, knowing I can always go back. I can always find another job in marketing or vans or advertising or something in that field.
[00:14:25] Why w why not give this a try? I have nothing to lose, but a little bit of time, which again, is not the big, not a big deal in the grand scheme of life. And so I think knowing that, like, this was a leap, but there was a safety net underneath that I could always go back to marketing. I think sort of made me feel a little bit more confident in like, let's just give it a try.
[00:14:45] Let's do it. 
[00:14:46] Blake: Yeah. Well, it was the feeling like whenever you, you know, talked it over with the people that you're like, Hey, this is what I'm going to do. Yeah. What were you, what were you feeling like in that 
[00:14:56] Robin: moment? I mean, I was nervous. I was honestly nervous, like tell people what I was doing because I thought everyone was gonna think I was crazy.
[00:15:03] Like, what are you talking about? Your. This great position in marketing, you spent 10 years doing that. Are you insane? But honestly, every single person I told I was going to do it, their response was it's about time. I have been waiting for you to go into wellness. I'm waiting for you to go into nutrition.
[00:15:19] Like it is about damn time. And I was like, oh my God, I had no idea that everybody felt this way about me. It was like, it was one of like the reassurance, like, okay, this is definitely the right decision. Not that I needed the outside, but it definitely helps when it's. So scary and such a big leap to have that support is definitely helpful.
[00:15:38] Blake: Totally, totally. Yeah. I mean, that support is so well, it's, it's affirming one, but then it also just it's so it's such a, I don't know. It's just so nice to see how many people will come out and sing your praises and say, look, this is this thing that. It's like a thing that you didn't even know about yourself that radiates out of you, that other people are recognizing.
[00:15:59] And it's really special, to feel like other people. Or like, Hey, I've, I've known this, you know, like this is something that you should have been doing. Yeah. That's very cool. What were you know, and I know that it's, it's never an easy road. So what was, what were some of the hardest parts about making that transition for you?
[00:16:18] You think? Yeah, 
[00:16:19] Robin: I mean, I think there was a lot because I look, my, my dad had started his own business, so I knew a little bit about entrepreneurship, but he did it 40 years ago. So the initial stages of it are very. So I think a lot of it was like just where you began. And so I started out, I've been okay, why I need to now make this official, so I need to go get a nutrition certification.
[00:16:42] So it was like before I can say, I want to make the, a business. I know I need to have some sort of verification that anyone who's going to trust. And I started out by doing a nutrition certification for me also, that was the first step. I was like if I don't like this coursework, then obviously this isn't the right path for me.
[00:17:00] And I found that like, I loved it. I ate it up. I went through a program that is supposed to take eight months in two months because I was just like, so. And yeah, it was not with like either reassurance. I was like, oh my God. I was like, this is just, I just find it so interesting, which I knew I enjoyed, but like never to that level until you really just like the natural only focused.
[00:17:23] So like that was also like, okay, this is definitely the right thing for me. And then it was, you know, I had to learn how to create a website and the marketing stuff. I think there was a lot of, I had a lot of learnings, which. You know, wanting things to happen so quickly, you start trusting some of the wrong people.
[00:17:41] So I, as you know, I signed, you know, with sign up with someone who can, you know, claim they could get me like Google top on Google search. Well, you know, that was a scam. And I learned that, like, it doesn't happen that way. It has to be more. And, you know, you know, there's a lot of like little learnings like that, that doing this on my own, which is also super scary, not having someone to bounce ideas off with, or run things by or read over all of your, you know blogs and your websites and everything like that.
[00:18:09] I did end up reaching out to a business coach to sort of help. The process. Okay. So do I need to set up an LLC? How do I do that? I need to know how do I start a website? What program do I use? And that was helpful for me, not only learning that steps but she sort of pushed it because I was working on my website for months.
[00:18:28] You know, I'm such a perfectionist that I was like, would read over every sentence 400 times and I would change here and change here and change here. And she was like, You can continually change your website forever. She was like, but launch, launch it now launch it. And she was like, it doesn't matter. It's never going to be perfect.
[00:18:48] It's going to be constantly changing. You're going to constantly be adding and rewriting and reworking and rebranding launch it. And that was like the one night when she said that and I hit the button, it was like, Yeah. 
[00:19:03] Blake: That's I think that's such good advice. That's funny. That's like a, you know, I mean, that's a sales thing too, right?
[00:19:10] Where they're like it's better to send an okay email than send no email at all. Right. And yeah. Cause otherwise you can sit and stew on these things forever. But no, I think that's so that's such a wise decision whenever you're getting started to dive into that. So you found this really great business coach.
[00:19:31] This person helped you navigate some of the things where you're like this isn't explicitly a nutrition and wellness based stuff. This is just like starting business stuff. And I didn't know you had a background. And so your dad was so you grew up, so you had a little bit of. As an entrepreneur, you saw what an entrepreneurial spirit looked like growing up.
[00:19:51] Tell me a little bit about that. 
[00:19:53] Robin: Yeah. So my dad started his own business 40 years ago. He does security systems, like closer containing access control. The business has grown where they now have an office in Atlanta as well. And so I think that you know, I'd always watched him. You know, in the like running things and making decisions and, you know, being the boss.
[00:20:13] And I think that that sort of. I didn't understand all the ins and outs of the security systems and I still don't. But I think growing up and seeing him be the boss and make decisions and people coming to him. And also, honestly, one of the big things that I loved, you know, it was great for a parent, you know, for a kid with their parents.
[00:20:29] But also like now I think we all appreciate it. Like the flexibility, you know, he could come on vacations with us and he would still work remotely and he would take calls, but like, it was nice that he could be around when we needed him to be around. And I think that was also something that I always really.
[00:20:44] Loved about my dad was that like, even though he's a business owner, I'm, you know, big, you know, head honcho and not some company, he could always be there because he ran the bins. It was his business. So he come on vacation working and now, you know, which is also now I think people have realized too after COVID, but there was definitely a lot that I picked up from him just watching him.
[00:21:06] Manage a whole company. 
[00:21:08] Blake: Absolutely. I mean, I love the work-life balance aspect of it too, right? That's probably, I don't know. I think that's a good standard to set, you know, is being available, especially if you're, if you have a family supporting your family in that way and trying to be there.
[00:21:24] Cause what kind of life is that to, to grind away and never see any of. 
[00:21:31] Robin: Totally. And I think that was part of the reason why, you know, leaving marketing, I didn't just want to just go into like a wellness company or nutrition company. Like I think that was part of, one of the reasons why I wanted to start my own.
[00:21:44] I wanted to have that balance. I think that was part of being burned out for marketing was you don't really get a lot of that. By working nights and weekends and being on-demand on call to the client at any hour of any day. I think I was like, you know, I want to do somebody's own, I want to be my own boss.
[00:22:02] I want to have a work-life balance because I think as we do get older, we start to realize the importance of life as well. And I think that that was also a big motivating factor for me to open my own business instead of going somewhere else. 
[00:22:17] Blake: Yeah, no, that's I, I, that was, that was something I was curious about is cause you know, it, it is something that would have been an option of course, but starting your own thing, it just comes with.
[00:22:28] Everything else. And it's a really hard thing to do as well, but I mean, it's just like this, the payoff just seems so significant, you know? To me that I, that I'm like, yeah, it makes so much sense to, to dive into that. Has there, you know, with that, has there ever been a time where you're like, oh my gosh, I want to quit this, or where you got freaked out or anything like that?
[00:22:50] Robin: The biggest time was COVID and I know that's true for a lot of people. But that was like when COVID just first started, I was like, just getting into the group. Like my business had been open for a year. I was really starting to pick up on getting more clients. I was getting a lot of corporate talks, so I was doing a ton of presentations and businesses and they were just starting to ramp up, and then COVID comes and shuts everything down.
[00:23:18] Clearly, you're not doing, you know, corporate presentations anymore. A lot of clients are like, you know, not sure about the future of their own businesses. So they can't really afford, you know, I think some people would consider it as an extra expense, even though I think learning about nutrition and wellness is actually, it should be a primary expense.
[00:23:37] But I do know during these times, like, so a lot of people weren't able, you know, had to back out because they weren't sure where their money was gonna go. So like at that point, Shit, you know, what am I going to do now? I adjusted, and finally, I hit a good group. I was just getting into things. I was doing a lot of events at different gems.
[00:23:56] Getting my name out there. And then everything came crashing down. And that was a really difficult time where I was like, okay, I need to pivot, I gotta do something else or figure out a way to turn this so that I can still help people, but it's from home. And so. During that time. I hadn't been, I had a client who had reached out to me and she said she's having a difficult time getting her toddler to eat vegetables.
[00:24:19] And she was wondering if I could help her. And if I come up with some recipes to get him to eat vegetables. So I asked what her kids' favorite foods were. And I basically came up with recipes, all have like hidden vegetables in them. So she was like, he loves fish sticks. So I was like, okay. I came with like a cauliflower crust.
[00:24:36] He loves, he loves muffins will only eat chocolate chip muffins. So I was like, okay, we're going to do spinach and our toggle to muffins. And I just kept sending her every week. She would send me new things that he liked, and I would, you know, butternut squash, Mac, and cheese, and like, you know, different things.
[00:24:51] I was hiding a vegetable in his favorite foods and she was loving it. Her kid was eating everything. And I was like, you know, at that point in COVID when things were dying down, Wait, like she's loving these recipes. Her kid is now finally eating vegetables. I was like, everyone is at home cooking. Probably everybody needs these recipes now.
[00:25:12] So that's when I was like pivoted. And I was like, you know what? I was like, I think this could actually be really helpful for people. You know, people are now becoming their own cooks and chefs and everyone has to do everything for themselves now. So I spent like three months. Busted out a cookbook. I was like this, I think will be really helpful.
[00:25:31] I think everybody needs this right now. There are so many picky kids in these families. This wasn't at the beginning. I was like kids. And I was like, you know what? This is what adults do. There are plenty of adults who don't eat their vegetables. So I sort of took a pivot and decided to make a cookbook.
[00:25:45] And that was again, like start doing something. I had no idea what to do. Designed it myself. I photographed it myself. I created every recipe, myself. I Googled and researched like printers and you know how to publish it and all of these things. And so I made a cookbook and it was great, it wouldn't really, it was really successful.
[00:26:07] I did a cup hosted a couple of like virtual cooking classes for parents, and then a couple of like nutrition cooking classes for parents to sort of combine it all together. So that was sort of how I pivoted through like a really difficult time when I was almost like, okay, this is coming crashing down and I should.
[00:26:25] Blake: That sounds really delicious too. I'm like chocolate chip muffins with a little spinach in them. I think I could, I can totally get behind that. 
[00:26:35] Robin: Sorry, what were you saying? I was gonna say though, I have like a bunch of my, some of my friends who don't have kids and they bought the cookbook and I have these donuts, like chocolate doughnuts with zucchini in them and they're like, I make them every week.
[00:26:45] They're so good. Yeah. 
[00:26:48] Blake: I'm like I know that over mine. My wife, I have to get used to saying that cause she's my but she, she showed me the, like these like avocado brownies or black bean brownies and things like that. And yeah, I'm like, they're so good. And no, I, I am totally going to go get a copy of, your cookbook after this and start, start trying a couple of things out.
[00:27:08] That sounds really amazing, but what I really, I love that you. That you pivoted? I think that's like the mark of a really great entrepreneur is sometimes when you're rushed when you're backed into a corner. I don't know. It's like this weird thing for me sometimes where I'm like when I get stuck in something, I love it because it almost means that I'm going to have to be forced to be my most like functionally creative and an accommodate, you know, whatever.
[00:27:35] Customer might be or something like that. And a lot of really special things come out of that. And it sounds like that happened exactly for you. So how you've been doing the cookbooks for how long now? 
[00:27:46] Robin: Yeah, so I started, I did my first one. I think I Launched in 2020. And then I did a second one because that one was such a good success.
[00:27:55] And I had a lot of people provide feedback and they're like, you know, what would be really helpful would be snacks. I need snacks. And so I was like, all right, cookbook number two. And so then I spent a while coming up with the next cookbook and then last year launched that one. I really like doing this and not only, do I just pivot by coming up with these cookbooks, but really the focus on my whole business, because I think at the beginning I wanted to be everything for everyone.
[00:28:21] I wanted to help anybody who needed nutrition, and advice. I don't care what age or what, you know, anything. And I sort of like cast my net too wide and it's a lot, it's very hard to focus in like, Get people and really get your business to be known when it's just so spread out. And I, you know, I kept saying like reaching kids was, what I wanted to do was because I feel like you start young and you get kids involved in food and get them excited about that.
[00:28:47] Get them in the kitchen, get them cooking, get them, to understand different foods that you really help them for the rest of their life. And so I really felt like starting at that age was really how we could help. You know, for the future. And I just didn't really know how to get into it. I started with like doing classes for parents and then doing, the cookbook.
[00:29:07] And it's really sort of helped me focus a lot more that I've teamed up with this nonprofit and we've and I've started teaching after-school cooking programs. Yeah, credible. Yeah, we started it this year and it's, I mean, it took off like, she was like, do you want to just try it out? And come do one class and then one class turned into like seven schools, want the program and then some of them have added into the curriculum during the school day.
[00:29:33] So it's not just after school. And so it's, it's really, really cool how it sort of how I sort of started three years ago to really how it's kind of pivoted and started to focus in and really how it's. Changed from just doing these like one-on-ones and a lot of stuff in G.E.Ms and really focusing on like the fitness combination and sort of the people in their thirties and forties to focusing in on kids and teaching them how to cook and teaching them about food and just you know, when I was in it, you know, many times I would be in tears at the end of the day, but now being able to sort of like, see it's, it's really cool.
[00:30:12] Blake: That is so cool. And I think that. At least, you know, sometimes when I think of wellness, I think of, you know, it's something that is long-term and something that it's, it's lessons that you pass on to other people so that they can practice them daily and have a sort of a rule book to, to, to work off of, of, you know, not, not even like to be rigid, but just something to be like, Hey, this is just a guide of like, facts about what happens when you do, you know, do when you make certain choices and, and.
[00:30:44] No, that's so, so cool. So now you've got so many different, you know, irons in the fire, you're doing so many cool things at the beginning. What was your, I guess I'd be curious. What was your initial goal with this? Like, did you have a clear first goal, and then what, what's kind of one of your goals.
[00:31:01] Robin: I didn't really have a clear first goal, which is what is the part of the problem and how I like, sort of couldn't really focus in, because I think I sort of was just like, I'm gonna try it and let's get our certification. All right. Let's go through a business. Right? Like, let's start a, tried to talk to people.
[00:31:18] Like, I, I really was just like wanting, I want a successful business. I wanted to teach people about nutrition and I guess. The larger goal was I wanted to get rid of diet culture. I wanted to give it to the fat diets. I wanted people to just understand food and why we need food and how it works for us.
[00:31:37] And I just wanted to get rid of like, nothing gets me more fired up than trying to talk to somebody about. You know why they do not need to be doing keto or intermittent fasting. That was my initial, like, I just want to like tell everyone to stop.
[00:31:58] And I didn't know how I was going to get there. 
[00:32:03] Blake: No, I, I think that it's funny though because like with the, I was talking to another guest on the show and she was. Yeah. I think that the thing that motivates me is like, whatever my thing that kind of makes me kind of fired up or angry a little bit, or that, that sort of like dry is a pretty strong driving force.
[00:32:23] Robin: Yeah, I think that's sort of how I really came to realize that this was a passion was because I love food and I can talk about food all day long, but nothing really like gets me in my gut and in my soul more than like trying to tell someone that they like about these bad diets and how ridiculous they're being.
[00:32:39] Like, I'm like, I get way too heated. Like when that conversation comes up, that I was like, okay, this makes sense to be a passion when. So passionate about talking about that stuff and trying to like debunk it. Well, 
[00:32:55] Blake: I think people need it right now. There's so much information floating around, like, cause I'm like, I'm over here.
[00:33:01] I'm like, I've tried out intermittent fasting. I'm like, oh yeah, maybe I should do intermittent fasting. Or maybe I should try out a little bit of some version of keto and it always kind of leads to like fail or it leads to me being. Oh, I feel like garbage, you know, for, for a long time, you know, maybe you lose weight fast, but then you're like it's just like, 
[00:33:26] Robin: yeah, 
[00:33:26] Blake: it's not sustainable.
[00:33:27] Robin: It's not sustainable. Everybody wants a quick fix. That's why they all see all these diets seem so appealing, but they're not sustainable. And ultimately, so many of them are not healthy and they're not good for you. Like, and that's like the bigger thing for me about it. You're not, maybe you're trying to do something where you quickly losing weight for, you know, quite short term, but like you're ultimately impacting your overall health and that's the bigger thing it's like, wouldn't you rather be healthy and lose those five pounds a lot slower.
[00:33:55] And so it's really trying to get back to that feeling to everybody. It's like, okay, if it's going to be sustainable and if it's going to be right and it's going to be healthy, it's probably going to be a little bit slower, but that's okay. You're doing it. The right. 
[00:34:09] Blake: Yeah, absolutely. But the payoff is that it lasts longer and you feel so much better too, right?
[00:34:16] That's no, that is I, I, I think there's a lot of people that want to know that, want to know that that, that kinda, that kind of information So I know that everybody was super supportive. Did you ever run into anybody? I always, I always have to ask them because I know sometimes whenever you're doing something like this and people see you becoming your happiest version of yourself or whatever it is, did you ever have anybody that kind of gave you any flack about it or anything like that? Along the way? 
[00:34:43] Robin: I wouldn't say like straight up that there was anybody who would just like to my face. I don't know if it was me, you know, there's definitely insecurity of myself in this, you know, like I have such a perfectionist and like, it's a big risk to do this. And, you know, starting a business is not quick money and it is not, you know, it is growing and it takes a long time.
[00:35:06] I think that for me, I'm very hard on myself about it, where like, I'm like, it's not successful until it's a huge, successful business and everybody knows about it and the books are flying off the shelf and, you know, until then I'm like, it's not success yet. So I do think that I sometimes overread into people being like, what does she do all day?
[00:35:24] You know? Or like, oh, she just started this like little side job. And I don't think anybody thinks that. So I think, I would say I'm probably the one who gives myself the most black men. Any, everybody else is really incredibly supportive. You know, people, when they hear about that, I left my job and started.
[00:35:40] I mean, people I think are very impressed that even just taking that leap which really honestly like getting the support from so many people I think helps go, helps me move forward and helps me sort of quiet sometimes like my inner critic, which I think is worse than anything. Anybody else would say.
[00:35:56] Blake: Yeah. What, what's your advice, I guess, for people that are needing to practice positive, self-talk a little bit more, what was, what's been your experience with navigating that? Because you're right. Everybody. I'm my worst critic. I think that's everybody right now, which is so unfortunate, but like, you know, it's just the way it's how we're wired, you know, I don't know what it is.
[00:36:16] Robin: [00:36:17] I think for me, a lot of it was like trying to know that like I'm not alone in this process. Like, this is how it goes, starting a business. So I started listening to, how I built this podcast. And you heard that one from guys? Yeah. Yeah. Which is great. And I think that what helped me was like hearing these people's stories and I'm like, it took 15 years until this little janky business became the multimillion-dollar one-on-one and learning that like the first five years they failed and they restarted it.
[00:36:45] You know, I think really learning that like, this is the process like this, is it? It takes a long time. You don't have, a success overnight. If you have success overnight, there's something wrong. And it's, it's really just that, like, I think every time I get really down on myself, I, you have to be like, well, look how far I've come.
[00:37:03] Look what I have accomplished and know that like, Success takes time and perseverance. And to just like, keep trying to like, remember what I have done and try to focus on like what I have done and knowing that, like, I'm not, I think the hardest thing is to think like everyone else, I must have done this so well.
[00:37:22] And everybody else, like, cause you obviously compare yourself to people in the industry who have successful businesses and you assume, well, that just happened over. And I think like really hearing like, no, it didn't like they struggled their first, however many years to until it really took off. So I think like having that constant reminder.
[00:37:41] Kind of helps that inner critic a little. 
[00:37:43] Blake: Absolutely. Yeah. There's a reason that the, you know, I take a new meaning to the, you know, the cat on the tree. Just hang in there. If you, if you hang in for a long enough time, you know, I, it, there is some sort of a payoff that can happen and you know, if you're consistent, it's all about, you know, it's all about.
[00:38:05] That those consistent results happening bit by bit incremental, incremental growth, just tiny, tiny growth. It is really, it really does. It really does add up. And have you met a lot of peers kind of in this, in this world now that you've been out there, do you have like groups that you, you talk to and bounce ideas off of and things like that?
[00:38:22] Robin: So that actually was super helpful also like through COVID where you're not really being able to get out and meet people. I really started finding networking. So I joined every networking group I could. And just a lot of it was to get my name out there, but it was also like to find peers who are also going through.
[00:38:41] You know, starting a business. And so I came across a couple of really, really helpful ones. One was this group of like all these women-owned businesses that were all, you know, in similar stages, either just starting or maybe a little bit ahead and really helpful in that, like we would have monthly meetings and they would bring in someone who was, you know, specializes in social media or in legal stuff.
[00:39:03] And, you know, finding that group was like, again, like bouncing ideas off. Really learning that other people are. Knowing that there are other people who are going through the exact same thing and having the exact same struggles was also like really just helpful. And that, you know, because when you're doing it on your own and not having someone else going through it with you or doing it with you were talking about the negatives, all you're going to do is be hard on yourself.
[00:39:27] Like, why am I doing this wrong? Why am I not succeeding? How come I can't figure this out? Like why didn't do so much social media? And then working with this group where like everybody had the same struggles or different struggles, but they had struggles and we can talk about them and help each other out and give each other advice was really, really helpful.
[00:39:46] Blake: That is it's so helpful, especially when you're like, oh, It's so nice even just to realize I'm not alone in this, I'm like pushing through. So as you've done this, I'm sure that whenever you first say it, you're like, it's kind of weird working, doing something on your own because you can think about it.
[00:40:00] Non-stop probably but I guess with work-life balance, have you been able to find a good, a good way to sort of being like, Hey, you know, I can shut off or I can take a vacation or take a breather, or what's your philosophy around that kind of stuff. 
[00:40:14] Robin: Yeah. I mean, I feel very strongly about work-life balance.
[00:40:16] I mean, I think it is super important to have a life and spend time with your friends and your family and, you know, enjoy life because otherwise what's the point. And so I definitely am very strong about that, you know, but being my own business, it's not on my mind. I'm not thinking about it or thinking about what I should be doing or trying to snap, you know, quick Instagram posts so that like I'm making sure the businesses stay present.
[00:40:43] So it's definitely something that's always there. But I'm able to still be present when I'm on vacation. It's not like the whole time or when I'm with my family or with friends, you know, we'll talk about it and people ask about it. And, but it's not like I'm constantly taking pictures or doing things.
[00:40:57] I think just like being able to be present in work when you're in work and then excuse me, and then being able to be present when you are, you know, in life, I think is super important. And just really trying to focus on what you're doing. Instead of trying to do it all at the same time. 
[00:41:14] Blake: Yeah. Yeah, no, I totally agree with that.
[00:41:19] I found that you know, that's kind of the thing now, right? There's the great resignation going on left and right. And people that's the hard thing is, you know, even when you're not working when you get burnt out, it consumes you to the point. You're thinking about it. Non-stop it seems like an unsolvable problem.
[00:41:38] We add another guest on here that mentioned, you know, burnout was, is maybe not even necessarily when you are just like tired of working, but it's, it's when things are, you're like, this is so out of control to the point where I feel like I can't even grasp what's going on right now. So, you know, I, it's interesting.
[00:41:59] I feel like, for you, there are a couple of things. One it's like working for yourself, it is driven by this passion. So it feels like that's obviously a source of energy, but then too, I'm sure you have to do practices. Like, you know, you get to choose what works really well for you with your work-life balance.
[00:42:16] So then you can kind of make sure that your. Feeding yourself, you know, I'll use the feeding and eating analogy since we're doing
[00:42:26] But you know, I, I think that that's something that's so, so important to, to make sure that you're, that you're, you're taking care of. So, you know, something I was thinking about to was with you with what you're doing, everybody's so different. So what was it like, I guess what's your approach to figuring out something that fits well for, you know, whoever you're, you're working with or how do you, how do you kind of specialize to the person or do you specialize to the person?
[00:42:54] Robin: Yeah, so my whole program, everything I do is specialized to each person because I think that with any. Everybody's unique, you know, it doesn't matter what we're talking about. It's whether it's nutrition, it's well, you know, it's fitness, it's marketing, you know, starting a business, any event, like we all work differently.
[00:43:12] We all think differently. We all react differently and therefore there is a new, it's going to be one set outline that works for everyone. So I very much try to do everything I do to be very customizable to people. So when I'm working with one-on-one clients, it's, I send them, you know, questionnaires to really make the program customized to them.
[00:43:31] When it's a corporate presentation, I'm like, okay, what is gonna be most beneficial for your employees doing? And I, you know, they want to hear about this. They wanna give up. What can I talk about that's going to be beneficial and really help them when it's at this school, it's we know. Okay. So what kind of access to these, you know, kids currently have the foods and what, what do they need, what point are they in and understanding foods and kitchen cooking skills.
[00:43:53] And I really just want it to be, you know, it's also something that every way you get something out of it, but I think particularly in the one-on-one, it's so important to make it unique and personalized. I mean, that's the only way we're really going to get the benefit. So personal to you. And that's part of also, I am, you know, a lot of like support and accountability, you know, I'm very big on when I'm working with a client.
[00:44:17] It's like, you can reach out to me. I use this app and I'm like put the type of question in the app and I will get on and I will respond to you because I think that support and that one-on-one really it's important accountability, I think really can also continually help people. Because again, as I said, it's not a quick fix.
[00:44:34] It's going to take some time, you know, habits, take time to be formed and to change. And so having that support and help and that personalized accountability in the program, I think really is the best way to help. 
[00:44:49] Blake: All right. Well, sign me up. I think you need to be my nutrition coach. Now. That sounds, that sounds, that sounds great.
[00:44:59] So I always love to ask this too. I was curious. So the while doing this, obviously there's a lot of different successes, but when did you ever have a point where you were like, oh, I think I've really got something here. Do you know? Did you ever have that kind of Eureka moment? 
[00:45:15] Robin: You know, I think I'm so hard on myself, but I don't know if I ever was fully like, yes, this is it.
[00:45:21] I think though, at the same time, when I. I think honestly, with the cookbook, when I hit like a hundred sales, like, which I know is a lot, there's no idea what they're doing. I was like, oh my God, people are buying this book. It's not just my friends or family. I don't even know half these people. Like that was, that was a big moment.
[00:45:45] And then I think when I got my first. A client that was not a referral from a friend or a family member. Like someone found me on Google and reached out and signed up that very first person, you know, was, I think a moment where I was like, oh my God, this can actually work. Like I'm actually doing, it's like this, isn't just a business for my friends and family.
[00:46:07] Like people are actually signing up. Like, and I think that was a big moment too when I realized like I did some. 
[00:46:16] Blake: That's so cool. Yeah, that's gotta be so, so thrilling when you're like, I mean, I would be through the roof if I sold a hundred cookbooks that I that's so neat. And, and, you know, reaching somebody, that's not a family and friend, that's such an indicator of like, oh my gosh, I, I have something that.
[00:46:34] Really showing some like tangible results to where even strangers or somebody that I'm, you know, somebody that I I'm not familiar with is reaching out and signing up for it. That's so cool. Yeah, I think I think that's, that's incredible for you. I, you know, what do you think is, is your cause obviously I know I keep talking about, you have a bunch of different things that you do, but what do you think is the favorite part of what you do?
[00:46:59] Robin: I think. That's hard, but I like a lot of it, but I think the favorite part is honestly parting information to people that help them. Like, I, I love teaching the cooking classes, but what I really love is when I teach the classes, but I also talk to them about nutrition and what I love as I come back the next week and I'd be like, okay, so who can tell me, like, what are the benefits of.
[00:47:21] And when I hear the kids say like, it builds muscle, like there is something inside of me. That's like, oh my God, I just imparted knowledge. Like, it makes me feel so good in the same vein of like working with one-on-one clients. When I see them making the changes in their diets or in what they're doing, based on what I said, I'm like, oh my God, like, I'm actually like helping someone.
[00:47:41] So I think it's mostly like the imparting some sort of knowledge information that has been retained. No matter what the topic is. You know, pull apart is whether it's in the cookbook or a class or at a client like that, I think is the big thing for me, that's real impact.
[00:47:56] Blake: Yeah. You know, that's something that will change somebody.
[00:48:05] It could change somebody's life. It could set somebody up to live. 20 more years or something, you know? Yeah. That's incredible. And that's something that I think is so special is at the end of all of it, it's always I don't know. So important to feel like you are finding something that helps people no matter, no matter what you do.
[00:48:29] So what would you say, I guess, to people that are. I just love your story so much. You, you just went out and made it happen for yourself and you know, you've you even, I think what I liked particularly about your story is you had a pretty long career in marketing, and then you were just like driven to you're like, you know what, I've got to go for this.
[00:48:51] And you know, you kind of beat people to the, to the trend. Cause people didn't really start leaving until like 20, 21, or 2020 ish, you know, you're 2019. So you've got a little. You know, a little, a little age on him for that. But I guess what kind of you know, w what would, what would you maybe say to somebody who's on the cusp of investing in themselves and are a little afraid to take that leap?
[00:49:15] Robin: I mean, I would say do it, I mean, honestly, like it's worth it. If it is your passion if it is something that makes you happy. It is worth trying. It is worth doing. And I think for like what helped me really make that leap? And I think for anyone is you can always go pick another career. You can always go back to what you were doing.
[00:49:33] You can always make a change. This isn't the only chance you get to make a change. But for your own happiness and for your own passion, it is worth it. Do it, take the leap, and just have faith. 
[00:49:45] Blake: Absolutely. Absolutely agree. You know, and I think people know it, but hearing it from multiple different sources, you know, that might be that little extra push.
[00:49:54] So somebody might be listening and say, you know what? That was the 14th push that I got, that I need to go ahead and do this so that always gets me so excited. Well, Hey, thank you so much for this super insightful conversation. I really, it was an absolute pleasure. I feel like I got to learn a lot, from doing this.
[00:50:14] So thanks for, thanks for coming on. I guess the, to close out, I'd love to hear. Is there anything that, you know, you want to announce or a place where people can end also a place where people can kind of locate you online and things like 
[00:50:26] Robin: that? Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So my website is Robin Goldberg, nutrition.com, and that's where you can also find my cookbooks or contact me to find more information about me and my programs.
[00:50:36] My cookbook books are also sold on Amazon. They're called hidden veggies and then hidden veggies to
[00:50:44] hidden eddies. It's actually hidden. Recipes, that even the pickiest theaters will love, and then hidden veggies to a snack attack. So yeah, so find my name is on or on my website. Again, Robin Goldberg, nutrition.com, but thank you so much for having me. And this was really a pleasure and I really everybody got. 
[00:51:03] Blake: Absolutely. Absolutely not the pleasure's all mine. Yeah, I'm really looking forward to seeing everything that you do and everybody, you know, follow Robin and you know, I'll, I'll be sure to share anything that I try out of yours as well.
[00:51:15] So 
[00:51:18] Robin: thanks Robyn.
[00:51:25] Blake: Thank you for joining us on this episode of the G.E.M series, the podcast for anybody dedicated to investing in themselves. If you'd like to see the resources mentioned in this episode, learn more about what we're up to at rocket level, or come over and join our team. Just click on the links below until next time.
[00:51:41] This is Blake Chapman, and remember to be awesome and do awesome things.