Q&A with Michelle Allen, CEO, Mother Culture

How long have you been in business or been in your role and what is the thing that gets you out of bed every day?

10 years. The thing that gets me out of bed every day is my children!

When you were younger, did you ever see yourself doing what you do now?

I definitely wouldn’t have imagined yogurt. I definitely did dream about having lots of freedom in my chosen career. I had the hardest time picking a major/minor in college. There were so many things I wanted to do! My interests and skills as a young person were of a wider range than my peers. I was always a hard worker, got good grades, and had different/more mature interests than my middle and high school peers.  An older business woman could have easily picked me out of a crowd. Unfortunately, I never got “discovered” and I picked a major/minor that had little to do with business! It was still all worth it.

What would you tell your younger self if you could spend 1 hour with her?

Everything is actually not going to be alright. Knowing that hardship will come will help you plan better, rather than being naive enough to think you will be spared. Plant your roots now and stay the course so you can keep your feet on the ground when it hits the fan. Find community support to replace support systems you do not have.  You can do it alone, and do it well, but there’s an easier way to do it. Don’t lose faith, not even for a day. Make those hard choices knowing that doing the right thing does count even when nobody is looking.  

It can be difficult to pinpoint one single woman who inspired you in your life and career. When you step back and think about the multitude of women in your life, what would you say to those who have supported you and been a sounding board in your career?

To every single woman who worked for me, especially in the early years, thank you for helping me learn. It wasn’t always easy working for a new entrepreneur, but your support during those formative years grew the company. The women who especially shine in this area have been my wonderful kitchen managers. You heard it all, lived it all, and had my back when I could not see. Thank you!  

To my beloved Grandmother, thank you for giving me the wings to fly. I love you from the bottom of my heart!

Tell us about an ancestor or woman in your family whose story has been passed down to you. 

The lineage in my family tree has been devastated by the premature death of my paternal grandmother and aunt. As I investigate the stories of these women who share my nature, I have come to find out that I come from ambitious women who bravely fed their communities and unapologetically raised their babies without hesitation. I wish I had more of a story to tell, but the facts trickle in like missing puzzle pieces in a jigsaw.  Until I become more fully connected with these ancestors and their detailed stories, I continue to forge on as the matriarch in the lives of my immediate family.

What is your personal mission in life and how do you fold that into the work you do? 

My personal mission in life is to reverse what Dr. Weston A. Price calls “degeneration” and change the tides on my and my family’s health and well-being. This means taking care of my kids’ physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being. It means feeding them nutrient-dense foods that nourish their bodies and free them from modern ailments such as eczema and digestive disorders. They, in turn, will be able to do the same for their children as we reverse the damages done in generations past.  

This ties beautifully into the work that I do because I have created a product that feeds my family and thousands of other families as well. Mother Culture makes it convenient to nourish your own body and those you love by packaging nothing but goodness in every container. The standards used to make the product are the same standards I use to feed my family. No corn syrup, no factory farms, no pesticides, no trans fats, no preservatives, no ultra-pasteurized nor over-processed dairy.  

What is your superpower? 

Multi-tasking! 

From where do you draw your strength, creativity and stamina to keep going? 

I am a woman of faith and I draw strength from above daily. I am also blessed with an amazing husband who tirelessly works with me to make all things move. I attribute my stamina to a healthy diet of traditional foods! Finally, I am most creative when I am shopping! Everywhere I travel, I must see the grocery store, the farmer’s market, the local restaurants, bakeries, creameries, etc. I am such a total foodie, so anywhere there is food, I am in the creative zone!