Behind The Brand: Rebecca Greeley of The Ripe Stuff

Super excited to start a new series here on Boston Chic Party- Behind The Brand. Since I started blogging, I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many amazing entrepreneurs, creators, #girlbosses and all around awesome people. The Behind The Brand series will be doing just that- going behind the brand to get to know these individuals, what drives them and how and why they created their brand. Hopefully we’ll all be a little more inspired after reading to make our own dreams come true, whatever they may be!

For the first post in the Behind The Brand series, I couldn’t think of anyone better to feature than Rebecca Greeley of The Ripe Stuff. You’ve heard of The Ripe Stuff on BCP before as I did a three-day juice cleanse earlier this year. What I didn’t mention in my post is that I’ve known Rebecca, the founder and owner, for several years as we were in the same graduating class at Holy Cross together. Being the small town that Boston is, Rebecca and I ran into each other about five years post-grad when we (and our hubbys-to-be) were all in the same Pre-Cana marriage prep class. I love how Boston is like that :).  As the owner and creator of The Ripe Stuff, Rebecca literally brought juices to Boston- and thank goodness because her juices are delish!

Without further adieu, let’s go Behind The Brand with Rebecca…

When did you start The Ripe Stuff?

RG: The concept of The Ripe Stuff started early on in 2011. My boyfriend (now husband) was living in Boston and I was in New York City. I was looking to make the move to Boston and was amazed that there was no juice! After working hard for six months finding kitchen space, building a website and securing our permitting; I launched in January of 2012.

What inspired you to start The Ripe Stuff?

RG: Right after I graduated college in 2008, I had an emergency surgery on my stomach.  The surgery put me out of commission for months! I then started a new job in advertising down in NYC. Just a few months later I had to have another emergency surgery.  The rehabilitation was terrible, I couldn’t digest most (healthy) foods so I found myself eating mashed potatoes, yogurt, bread, chicken and fish! Note, not many vegetables at all. My sister actually recommended I start adding juices in to my diet get some nutrients that were easy to digest. From there I got really into nutrition and studied to get my holistic nutrition certification. With juice being a large part of my diet and nutrition being a huge focus of mine, the idea of The Ripe Stuff was born.

What’s your favorite Ripe Stuff juice flavor?

RG: I absolutely love beets, so those flavors really taste the best to me.  That being said, nothing tops how nutritious the green juices are! Drinking them, you just know you’re doing something wonderful for your body.

You’re obviously into healthy living. What’s your favorite workout in Boston?

RG: I’ve always been into running, nothing beats getting a dose of Vitamin D while simultaneously getting in a calorie burn.  However, I definitely do not last long outside during the Boston winters.  That’s when I head inside to my favorite spin studio, Recycle Studio. 

The Ripe Stuff sells both individual juices and juice cleanses for one to three days. How frequently do you do juice cleanses yourself throughout the year?

RG: I typically do a 3-Day cleanse 3-4 times a year (usually as the seasons change). I’ll do a 1-day cleanse here and there if I feel like my diet has gotten to lenient and I want to get back on a healthy track.

What personality trait of yours has helped to make you most successful in running your business?

RG: My passion for our product. I really do love juicing and we put a lot of hardwork into coming up with recipes and developing a quality product.

What is your favorite thing about having your own business?

RG: I guess I would say making your own hours.  While that is not entirely true because we do have to accommodate our customers, I  have definitely played around with our schedule. And if I can’t make it to the kitchen, someone else can!

What was the hardest thing about starting your business, The Ripe Stuff?

RG:  When I first had the idea of starting my own company, it sounded foolproof to me. “Of course this would work! Everyone will love it!” Which is easier said than done. There are so many roadblocks and learning curves to starting your own business! You really do have fight to just get open.  Then you’ve got to fight to stay alive by strategizing, marketing and selling! I guess that goes for most businesses, but when it’s your own business that passion has to come from you 100% of the time.

I’m a big believer in balance- and having a sweet tooth, it’s hard not to indulge in a few sweet treats here and there. What is your favorite indulgence?

RG: Ice cream, specifically from the Juice Bar in Nantucket…in a waffle cone.

Can you give us any hints at what seasonal flavors will be available this spring and summer?

RG: In the Spring we like to include flavors like Strawberry, Coconut, Lime & Pineapple.  In the Summer you can expect to see Watermelon & Lemon.

Where do you see The Ripe Stuff in five years?

RG: We’ve explored the brick & mortar route and I just don’t think it is in the cards for us. I really like that we are so accessible to our clients through delivery. So, I would say just working on perfecting what we are doing now 😉

If you could go back in time to the moment you decided to start your brand and give yourself advice, what would you say?

RG: I meet people looking to start their own businesses quite often and I’m always glad that they came to me. I would say talking to small business owners, whether it’s the same industry or different, is a great way to get a glimpse into what it will be like. Do these people still love what they do? What roadblocks did they hit? What else do I need to learn more about?

A BIG thank you to Rebecca for letting us go Behind The Brand- and being our first feature 🙂 Her passion for juice and The Ripe Stuff is so obvious to anyone who talks to her.  I feel lucky to know such a total #girlboss !

Keep up with The Ripe stuff on their site, or give them a follow on Facebook and Instagram for lots more deliciousness !

xoxo, Jenna