E35: A 22-year-old entrepreneur builds a thriving zero waste food delivery business in rural Canada | Celeste Lopreiato of Conscious Kitchen in West Grey, Ontario

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Celeste Lopreiato. Celeste, and her partner Simone Weinstein, operate Conscious Kitchen and Slow Growing Business Coaching. Conscious Kitchen is a vegan, zero-waste food delivery service based in Ontario, Canada. After completing an environmental studies degree at university, Celeste applied for over 100 jobs in the environmental non-profit sector. She found that most positions, although paying close to minimum wage, required a masters degree. She eventually got a job working for a non-profit but found the work to be uninspiring and frustrating. Instead of settling into a 9-5 routine she opted to try and find other ways to make a living. She started preparing meals for one family and, as word of mouth spread, that quickly expanded into more clients. She didn’t have formal training as a chef or a degree in business. She taught herself through research, books, online workshops, and trial and error. At 22, she envisioned where she wanted to be and what she needed to build in order to get there. She also saw a need in her community for a business like hers - one that was affordable, yet shared in her values of zero-waste, plant-based, local and organic. Celeste has a unique perspective as someone who started working for themselves nearly right out of college. She completely defied expectations of someone her age. Instead working for years in building someone else's dreams, she chose to take a leap of faith and invest in herself and her future, which is something that most young people aren't encouraged or taught how to do. In our conversation we speak about learning through doing, overcoming fears of risk, starting small, and setting yourself up for success in the long term. We also speak about diversity in rural areas, the effects of the rural influx on local economies, and how to build bridges instead of walls when moving to a small community.  I am so inspired by Celeste and the incredible business she has built at such a young age. I hope her story inspires anyone contemplating entrepreneurship. This is a story about the power of believing in yourself and your ideas, learning through failing, perseverance, and hard work. I hope you enjoy it!For more episodes and features, visit: www.urbanexodus.comSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book