{"id":18546,"date":"2024-02-26T10:00:06","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T08:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/joburg-north\/?p=18546"},"modified":"2024-02-22T12:24:26","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T10:24:26","slug":"authentic-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/joburg-north\/blog\/2024\/02\/26\/authentic-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Authentic journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tanya van Rees turned her back on corporate life so that she could do what she loves most … have a positive impact on others.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Most entrepreneurs wear several hats. They\u2019re responsible for everything in their business, from HR and marketing to finance. Tanya plays even more roles … her business, Authentic Roots, is a platform that allows her to fulfil all her passions, so that she\u2019s not only a self-published author and educator, she\u2019s also a yoga instructor and nutritionist advisor.<\/p>\n

Her most recent venture sees her sharing her knowledge about plant-based lifestyles through a series of workshops, aiming to make people more excited about accessing and cooking with veg. \u201cAlthough more and more people are going plant-based, many of us still feel like we don\u2019t really know how to start. Or why we should.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tanya\u2019s own plant-based journey was a gradual one, that started when she embarked on research for one of her very first products … a range of luxury items (think makeup bags, journals and other stylish accessories) all crafted from pineapple leather. She was the first to introduce this versatile plant-based alternative to South Africa, establishing a pattern that would see her become a pioneer in other areas, too.<\/p>\n

Take her children\u2019s books, for example. Her first two titles, Tommy the Tomato<\/em> and Lily the Lettuce<\/em>, were the first plantable books in South Africa \u2013 so, not only do the charming stories teach children about growing their own food, they also give them the wherewithal to do so.<\/p>\n

She explains that growing food has been a part of her life since living in Italy in her early twenties. The owner of the villa where she lived was a passionate food grower . \u201cI\u2019ve had a veggie patch in every place I\u2019ve lived ever since,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The idea to combine growing food with children\u2019s education came about when she found a similar product based in the UK. \u201cCreating something for the South African context spoke to everything that is important to me. I\u2019ve always been a voracious reader. As a child, I used to transform our lounge into a library every weekend. I\u2019ve also always been a strong proponent of education.\u201d<\/p>\n

The newest member of the garden gang, Sipho the Spinach<\/em>, joined Tanya\u2019s existing characters after Tanya collaborated with an NPO and their CSI client, reaching out to children in rural areas. \u201cWe found that the schools in these areas required something more sustainable than lettuce,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s the beauty of the business, and of being a creative … I carefully consider all the feedback I receive, then pivot or adjust my current offering to ensure it consistently delivers authentic value.\u201d<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t stop there, though. \u201cSustainability is a really big thing for me. It\u2019s one thing to teach these kids about how to grow food from seed, but most of the schools have nutrient-poor sand rather than rich soil.\u201d This insight led to her next project – teaching ECD (Early Childhood Development) centres how to repurpose their food waste into compost, then establish and maintain their own food garden. Tanya also shows the kids how they can use ordinary household items in their gardens \u2013 think of turning a plastic milk bottle into a watering can, for instance.<\/p>\n

Although Authentic Roots\u2019 services have evolved as Tanya responds to a perceived need, she loves the flexibility and creativity of her undertaking. It\u2019s been like this since the company\u2019s inception, she says. When she resigned from her corporate job, she didn\u2019t have a solid plan in place \u2013 she was simply reacting to a deeply felt understanding that this was not the life for her. \u201cI really wanted to find my niche \u2013 and I have.\u201d As different as her undertakings are, they\u2019re all joined by the golden thread of making an impact and living more authentically.<\/p>\n

The willingness to go with the flow speaks to her free spirit, Tanya continues. It also gives her the room to think of new ideas \u2013 and she has plenty! \u201cMy mind is always working. I love being creative, and I love thinking of sustainable solutions that might help people.\u201d She also relishes growing her knowledge base, then sharing her newly acquired information.<\/p>\n

All of this means that she\u2019s poised to introduce even more exciting products under the Authentic Roots banner. Right now, she\u2019s looking forward to seeing her plant-based workshops gain momentum, and introducing them to the corporate sphere or as a consulting service. But after that, who knows? \u201cIt\u2019s not always easy, because I create, design, develop and deliver everything I do, but I\u2019d love to see Authentic Roots grow and ultimately reach a place where we are able to provide employment for others,\u201d Tanya says.<\/p>\n

Details: Follow @authenticrootssa on social media.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Progressing to plant-based<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adopting a plant-based lifestyle needn\u2019t be daunting. Tanya says that it helps to think of the transformation as a way of introducing more nutrition and vibrancy into your life, rather than denying yourself the goodies you\u2019re used to. \u201cAnd remember, it\u2019s all about flavour. Just as a prawn is tasteless on its own, so is a lettuce leaf!\u201d<\/p>\n