#117: The Evolution of Vegan with VegNews Magazine Co-Founder Colleen Holland
Gain inspiration and insight as Colleen Holland, co-founder of VegNews Magazine, shares how by putting her energy into her passion, she was able to reach the world, and watch it change, and now tell the story today of how the vegan scene has evolved over the past three decades.
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Have you ever wondered how the vegan movement got to where it is today and what it's taken? In just the past decade or two, the vegan scene went from a niche kindness-based ideology often associated with hippie culture with very limited culinary options, to the flourishing vegan culture that exists today.Â
Not only can people now pronounce the word "vegan" (yes— it's vee-gan—not veh-gen), but now there is widespread awareness about what a vegan is, why millions of people have gone vegan, and a flood of accessible food options and brands covering every category—from dairy-free cheese, to vegan meat, to clean cruelty-free beauty.Â
One major force in the vegan movement is media, and at the forefront of that is the momentous VegNews Magazine that has covered the vegan world for 20 years.Â
Co-founder Colleen has been vegan for nearly 3 decades and witnessed the vegan movement closer up than anyone else we know.
Since starting VegNews in 2000, Colleen has grown the media company into an award-winning international brand complete with a flagship magazine, digital properties, podcast, events, books, and even global vacations. A graduate of UCLA, Colleen has been named one of the country's top women in media. Through that she’s amassed a lot of wisdom, perspective, and wild stories, and joins us today to share her perspective on this fast evolving plant-based movement.
From starting as a newspaper, to reinventing as a magazine, and eventually as a digital publication, Colleen shares how VegNews has served as a major player in rebranding veganism. She tells her inspiring story of following her passion even without formal training, bootstrapping 100% to grow the publication organically, and transitioning through many pivotal moments in a changing world all while maintaining a steadfast mission.
Colleen gives the extraordinary journey of being there every step of the way as veganism grew, and highlights some game changers that paved the way to modern veganism, from exposĂ©s on factory farming to legislation, and documentaries to the profound role of social media to accelerate veganism and give a space for community.Â
This episode is not just a fascinating glimpse into vegan history and a trajectory of the vegan movement, but a motivating story of how contagious kindness is, and how finding your passion and using your gifts matters so much, regardless of your training or background.
With love and BIG dreams, Â
♡ Toni & Michelle
EPISODE SHOW NOTESÂ
- How VegNews started in order to tell a different side of the story
- How finding your passions and using your gifts doesn’t necessarily depend on a specific background or education
- What the vegan landscape was like 3 decades ago
- Where VegNews magazine started and how it helped rebrand the vegan movement
- How VegNews was able to bootstrap and grow organically
- How VegNews drew in readers to help spread the mission of veganism
- How design and marketing served as driving forces
- How the evolution of VegNews has influenced readership and content
- The extraordinary journey of being there every step of the way as veganism grew
- Highlights and game changers that paved the way to modern veganism
- The most impactful movements in our food system over the past few decades
- How social media has accelerated the vegan movement and given a space for community
- The role documentaries have played in awakening the “why” of kind food choices
- Why it matters so much to follow your passion and do what you’re gifted in
- Colleen’s advice for those just starting out
- Colleen’s journey to circle back to health and some of her favorite recipes she’s created
RESOURCESÂ
Resources Mentions in the Episode:
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LET'S BE FRIENDS!
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CONNECT WITH TONI OKAMOTO:
WEBSITEÂ |Â YOUTUBEÂ |Â INSTAGRAMÂ | TIKTOKÂ |Â FACEBOOKÂ
CONNECT WITH MICHELLE CEHN:
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