Kickass Entrepreneur: Beaming
Lisa Odenweller’s passion for changing peoples lives through healthy eating is a huge reason she’s a leader in the world of cleansing and raw food. Her entrepreneur story started when Odenweller realized her diet was contributing to a number of her own health issues, including chronic fatigue, weight gain and digestive issues. She decided to make a change in her diet and continued to educate herself while using a “food as medicine” approach. Excited to share this information with others, Odenweller decided to launch a raw food cleansing program called Beaming in September 2011. The program was so successful that her team was soon delivering to more than 150 people daily throughout San Diego County. With the success of the cleanse program, Odenweller opened her first Beaming cafe in December 2012 in Del Mar. In the past 10 months she has opened four more locations, including three in Los Angeles (Brentood), Santa Monica and West Hollywood, as well as the newest location in La Jolla.
Q: Describe your perfect day in San Diego?
A: Assuming the day doesn’t involve working (although I do love my work), a perfect day in San Diego for me would be starting the morning with a short meditation or early morning yoga class followed by coffee and maybe even the poached egg breakfast at Lofty Coffee. Then, a beach run or hike up Torrey Pines with a friend, followed by a Beaming smoothie that I either make at home or stop by Beaming Del Mar. In the afternoon I would take a bike ride with my three kids or play at Del Mar beach followed by playing games in our backyard or anything that is outdoors and active. For dinner I would pick up some yummy stuff at Seaside Market and have several family friends over for a BBQ with great wine and food. I love to cook and entertain with good friends while the kids run around having a blast.
Q: The misconception that people have about juice cleanses?
A: I am not a fan of juice cleanses as I think there is a great misconception about what these are and what they are really doing for you. Nearly all juice cleanses have about 125 to 175 grams of sugar because they are loaded with fruit. I somewhat joke, but not really, that you are actually better off enjoying Frappuccinos and Snickers all day, because at least you have some protein and it tastes good. The truth is that green juice is good for you, but there is tremendous confusion around this.
In addition to most juice cleanses being loaded with fruit sugar, there isn’t any fiber, protein or fat in a juice, which are necessary nutrients your body needs to thrive. I know that’s a pretty strong opinion, but because it is much of the inspiration behind how I started Beaming, and the integrity of what I wanted to offer in our product mix, it is something that I would love people to better understand as they make choices about their health.
We approach cleansing from the perspective of focusing on long-term health as opposed to short term weight loss, which is why we do food-based cleansing instead of juice-only fasts.
Q: Your favorite thing to eat and drink from the Beaming collection?
A: I am such a creature of habit and while I truly love everything we make , probably my favorite items are our gluten- and dairy-free baked goods, because they are not only delicious, but made with high protein, omega rich flours like chia, hemp, flax and almond instead of tapioca and potato starch like most gluten free items. Our superfood almond butter chocolate chip cookie may be the best cookie on earth and with 9 grams of protein, I at least feel good about splurging for both myself and my kids.
Q: If you could be a superhero who would it be and why?
A: Wonderwoman or Batwoman. Maybe because I loved Wonderwoman underoos when I was 10-ish and was obsessed with her because she is bad ass. Although Batwoman is stealth, fiery, sexy and powerful, so I may have to go with her.
Q: CEO or company you admire and why?
A: I have many but two that stand out are Kristin Richmand and Kirsten Tobey, founders of Revolution Foods based in Oakland. They are tremendous inspirations as two moms who came together with a mission to bring healthier lunches to schools across the country. What they have created is truly phenomenal and they now are able to offer their meals in many cities around the US.
Q: Favorite quote or motto you try to live by everyday?
A: “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” - Albert Einstein. Also, “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” - Albert Einstein
Q: Best part about doing business in San Diego?
A: The community. San Diego embraced me and Beaming from the beginning. I have felt an incredible amount of support from the community since long before I opened, and an incredible passion for what we do. As a single mom with three kids, I would not have been able to do this had I not had the support and enthusiasm from San Diego and the incredible people here.
Source: DiscoverSD
