We first crossed paths with Tahli from “Golden Grind” back when Calmer Sutra was distributing to a tiny number of local health food brands across Melbourne. One of the companies that we absolutely loved was Golden Grind; not only because of what they offered to the health community, but also due to the instant connection we experienced with Tahli, her husband Renwick and sister Sage. Their passion and exuberance for what they were offering was incredibly admirable to say the least. Inspired by their zest for life, we decided to reach out and chat over some chai.

Caitlin: Firstly, thanks for agreeing to chat with me! Could you tell us a little bit about who “Golden Grind” is and what customers can expect from your product?

Tahli: We are a small family business that started Golden Grind many moons ago. The intention was to bring turmeric into everybody’s daily lives, with the hope to help people better understand its medicinal significance and effects. We launched with our infamous turmeric latte blend that we are still so proud of today. More recently though, we have launched a number of new products that continue to bring ancient spices, herbs and botanicals to life in a healing and natural way. We pride ourselves in creating innovative products, first-to-market formulas, using natural, wholesome ingredients, all while maintaining a deep desire to help people heal and better their lives. We make the daily grind, golden.

“We make the daily grind, golden.”

Caitlin: We love that! It IS important to make every day special, isn’t it? Not too long after we met, we embarked on our own Calmer Sutra/Golden Grind collaboration, the Golden Chai. In general (not just with us!) what do you enjoy most about collaborating with other businesses? What was the biggest take-away that you have gained from the process?

Tahli: It’s easy when working for yourself (or in a small team) to get consumed with the everyday relentlessness of business. For us, collaborations are fun, inspiring, a chance to connect and at the end of the day, a lot of the “why” we started Golden Grind. We feel so uplifted walking away from meeting with like minded legends!!

Caitlin: Agreed! Collaborations are definitely a way to keep the inspiration flowing. We are both Melbourne-based, woman-led businesses that are pioneers in our field, so it was wonderful to collaborate with you. As far as competitors, I am interested in how it made you feel when new competition emerged into the market? Did this shape or inform the direction of your business?

Tahli: To be honest, in the beginning, we found competition so confronting and energy consuming. We struggled in the early days at being comfortable with people copying, imitating, and so on and so forth that discussions around competitors were happening a lot. I think, like most things in business, it’s not until you step back and try to actually learn from what has happened (rather than just constantly going through the motions) that you realise you can be doing things better. For us, this was to absolutely not look sideways at competition but instead do business as if they were not there. Continue to always have your own inspiration, your own ideas, and be truly entrepreneurial; that’s when true colours always show. Small business can be difficult, so to survive and grow, you need to reserve all the energy and focus for you!

“Continue to always have your own inspiration, your own ideas, and be truly entrepreneurial; that’s when true colours always show.”

Caitlin: Absolutely, which brings me to my next point. Balance! We are both entrepreneurs as well as mothers. For women business owners, balancing these two roles will often go hand in hand. What advice would you give other mums in business that are attempting to balance changing nappies while posting on socials and navigating profit margins?

Tahli: OMG. We talk about this so much!!! I’ve just returned from having my second baby and my co-founder Sage, is in the midst of having her own children. IT’S A LOT!!

We are absolutely pioneers for doing these many roles at once and I don’t think anyone has the answer to this. Some weeks we thrive off adrenaline and the next we can barely move. A few things; business can go quiet for periods of time and that’s okay, you can rebuild and reboot, but children grow so quickly and change so much. Be as present as possible. Meditate and find stillness. Make sure you keep revisiting what makes you happy and what your true priorities are. Health is key so that energy levels are optimum. Balance what you do every day. Do not compare yourself to others. Remember, the daily grind is LIFE so make it fun & enjoyable, no matter how busy you are.

“Make sure you keep revisiting what makes you happy and what your true priorities are.”

Caitlin: Golden Grind recently had a bit of a makeover. What challenges were presented in re-branding after already being well-established?

Tahli: So many. Haha. Probably the need for serious funds for marketing these days. We were really lucky with organic social media when we launched; we found it easier to speak directly with people online and make conversions. Now, we struggle to get any visibility without spending money (and lots of money). So, we are just navigating our way around marketing in this landscape with what dollars we do have. To this day we haven’t had anyone invest in Golden Grind and miraculously, the business is self-funded, although we are now looking at the idea of raising some capital.

Caitlin: Along with providing teas and supplements that aid in healing, you offer a “create your own” product service that hones in on peoples specific needs. Could you tell us how that works?

Tahli: We have spent literally hundreds of hours making our products personable. I am scientifically & nutritionally qualified and therefore lucky enough to be able to listen to people's day-to-day health concerns (book your consultation here). We know that everybody is different, so we take the time to get to know our customers so we can provide the best possible advice and a custom product just for them. You simply go online, answer a few questions and then we go from there! It is super innovative and something we are very proud of.

Caitlin: Golden Grind is a certified B-Corp, which is highly commendable! Tell us why this was important to you and the business.

Tahli: To us, being a token ‘eco’ business just isn’t enough anymore. We truly believe in giving back. Giving back to the environment, people and consciously making business decisions that are always for the greater good and always for the future. Everything we do reflects this and we felt that being a certified B-Corp best represents this on a global level.

“To us, being a token ‘eco’ business just isn’t enough anymore.”

Caitlin: So, you're in business with your partner-in-life? How does this work?

Tahli: Ohhhh it has its moments. Haha. Last year we probably ran that course and decided it was best that our co-founder Ren (my husband) stayed on as founder but moved on in terms of a day-to-day working role outside of Golden Grind. It’s the healthiest outcome for all. Anyone who has specific questions about this – hit me up! Lots of advice 😊

Caitlin: Lastly, what would you tell your younger self if you had 5 minutes with them?

Tahli: Go slow. Don’t stress so much. Life is quick and at the end of the day, the stuff that may have seemed the least important in the moment, looking back will have meant the most.

Thank you so much to Tahli for taking the time over “Chai n’ Chats”. We really enjoyed her insight and the reminder to believe in yourself, have confidence in what you have to offer, and of course, take each daily grind with a little bit of gold.

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