VBT 054: Interview with Tracye McQuirter

In this episode I interview Tracye McQuirter, a public health nutritionist and plant-based educator in Washington DC. Tracye is a real trailblazer. A vegan of 30 years, she co-created the first vegan website by and for African Americans nearly 20 years ago with her sister, historian Marya McQuirter. She directed the country’s first federally funded and community-based vegan nutrition program, the Vegetarian Society of DC Eat Smart Program, launched with funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services. The course taught low-income DC residents about the health benefits of plant-based foods, and how to shop for and prepare healthy vegan meals. It was so popular that it became a national model. Tracye, who has a master’s degree in public health nutrition and is a popular international speaker, is the bestselling author of By Any Greens Necessary: A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat and she’s been featured in more than 150 media outlets including Fox News, CBS News, The Washington Post and USA Today. In September 2016 Tracye released the first African American Vegan Starter Guide in partnership with Farm Sanctuary. This is a free digital ebook containing 40 pages of information and inspiration from African American vegan experts on how to transition to a plant-based diet, along with vegan recipes from renowned black vegan chefs. As well as consulting with organizations, Tracye offers one-to-one nutritional counseling appointments and online programs in plant-based eating. In this interview Tracye discusses: • The importance of having multiple streams of income, particularly if you’re a service provider • How zoning in on a highly niche market helps you to grow your business • How hiring a publicist independently of her publishing house helped her gain national bestseller status for her book within six months of its release • The business benefits of collaborating with a non-profit on a project • The need for mentors and a community, especially at the beginning of your business • And much more Visit Tracye McQuirter’s website Check out Tracye's book By Any Greens Necessary: A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat Download the free African American Vegan Starter Guide Brands mentioned in vegan business news roundup: Temple of Seitan Club Mexicana Pamela Trader Joe’s Seamore RESOURCES: My Online PR Course for Vegan Business Owners & Entrepreneurs: Vegans in the Limelight My book Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow an Ethical Business Follow Vegan Business Media on: Facebook Twitter Instagram Connect with me personally at: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn