From a small-town girl in the US, to a retail pioneer in the UK – Renée Elliott, founder of Planet Organic, shared her inspiring journey with Seven Hills this morning for the latest Academy Session.
Renée was disheartened by the lack of organic presence in the UK and decided to take matters into her own hands: thus came Planet Organic in 1995. After battling through unexpected financial and legal turmoil, she achieved her goal of promoting healthy eating in the community. Today, Planet Organic is the UK’s largest fully certified organic supermarket.
To Renée, health is the foundation of a person’s wellbeing and everything they value: “The most important person in your life is not your mother, your partner, your kid – it’s yourself,” emphasising that in order to be an excellent person for others, “you have to feel excellent and be in an excellent place yourself.”
Renée’s vision of well-being grew along with her entrepreneurial efforts. In 2017 she launched Beluga Bean, a life-skills academy for women. “It teaches women how to start a business, how to transition from businesswoman to mother, and how to cook delicious, nutritious food,” she explains.
The most important lesson she learned after two business ventures, three kids, and over 30 years of marriage? “Whenever you’re not sure about something, trust your gut. Or flip a coin – whichever face you hope for is what you should do.”
Learn more about the Beluga Bean Academy here.