Last night was NutriFit’s 25th anniversary party. Here’s the speech I read about how NutriFit began…
About 35 years ago, I was a teenager studying at home one night with friends when the phone rang. It was a phone call that changed my life. My mom was calling from Israel to say that my father had died of a heart attack in the airport, waiting for the plane to bring them home from vacation.
I didn’t know it then, but the course of my life was forged – although it wandered for the next 10 years or so, as I went through the process of discovering what I really did NOT want to do. I had gone to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France at age 17 to pursue my passion of cooking – I had graduated from USC to pursue my interest in business – I had worked as part of a management team in major hotels to pursue my preference for customer service. And I taught group exercise classes and did personal training to pursue my interest in health. But throughout those years there was one thing that all of my bosses told me: ‘Jackie, you do great work, but you make a lousy employee. You really should work for yourself.’
So, one day, I quit. I decided that there was no better time to start my own business than that moment. But I didn’t want to do it alone, so I asked my best friend if he would be an official partner with me. I just didn’t want to be the only one on the business license! He said yes, as long as he didn’t have to quit his job or put any time into it. NutriFit was born! There were, to say the least, several problems.
First, what to do. I wanted to help as many people as possible so no one would get phone calls like I did – preventable, lifestyle chronic diseases don’t have to kill people. Second, how to do it without capital. I had no debt, but also no money. Third, who to do it for. How can one or two people help many? Well, you get the picture. Twenty-five years later, we’ve figured a few things out:
1. We know what NOT do to
2. We got creative. We BARTERED! And did a lot of schlepping, fetching, cooking and cleaning ourselves. And luckily survived two financial meltdowns in the US economy without ever missing a payroll or laying off an employee
3. This one was easy – we wanted to do it for EVERYONE. That means you. Our goal has always been to help people live a healthier life.
Have we succeeded yet?
The results have been amazing. From our first meal delivery service client, Lynda, who brought her cholesterol down from over 300 to under 160, to Dian, who is here tonight, just one of our wonderful clients from other states/counties who has lost over 100lbs with coaching, we have and continue to fulfill the mission – improving the quality of health through better nutrition and healthier lifestyles.
We also have another agenda, and that is to leave our planet in better condition than we inhabit it for future generations – we want to be good stewards. Our sustainable growing practices on The Mesa, our company farm, our use of local vendors and locally grown ingredients and materials, and the reuse – renew – recycle philosophy that governs our business says that we are doing our best.
Thank you for allowing NutriFit to be in existence today. We could not have done it without you.