Maura Muhl

March 1, 2022November 26, 2022 Rachelle Henry 0 Comments

ILLUMINATE: Hi Maura and thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us at Illuminate!

You’re the owner of MADE BY MAURA, which sells multiple vegan, planet friendly products. Tell us a little about yourself and how you got interested in starting your own business. What led you to create these healthy, eco-friendly products?

MUHL: Hi, I’m so happy to be here with you; thank you for having me!

I was born in Allentown, PA, and raised in Pacific Palisades, CA with my parents and four siblings. My husband and I moved to Hood River, OR to raise our wonderful son, Connor, who is now in college at Lewis and Clark. I also have a step-son, Chris, who is an amazing artist. We currently have three sweet indoor cats that are our constant, dear companions, and many outdoor squirrel and bird friends that we enjoy spending time with at our country home.

As a child, one of my most cherished memories was making a special family bread with my mom every Christmas. My mom, having grown up in Allentown, PA during the Great Depression, always stressed the importance of being grateful for what was served to us, and how lucky we were to have food on the table. When she was a child, many people were left hungry. Because so many people had their wages cut, her parents struggled as well. But still, she and my grandmother would make this special bread together and they’d leave plates of dinner along with slices of the bread out on their back porch for passersby who were hungry.

My siblings and I carried on the tradition by giving extra loaves of bread away to friends and family as we grew up. I do believe the feelings of joy that filled my heart from making the bread with my mom, especially seeing the dough rise into a big ball and my mom letting me gently punch it down, the aroma of the bread filling the warm kitchen as it baked, and being at the table with all my siblings in absolute glee eating it, to then carefully wrapping each extra loaf in foil and tissue and a soft white yarn ribbon, and giving the loaves to friends at Christmastime, had such a huge imprint on me, along with my deep love of animals, nature, health and exercise, as well as a natural entrepreneurial spirit, all of those things combined led me to doing what I do today.

My earliest entrepreneurial endeavor was when I was 14. I was sitting in the rain trying to sell bread and I actually got 75 orders!

After I graduated college, I decided to start my first company with my own line of fruit juice sweetened cookies. I wanted to help animals, so I always gave part of my proceeds towards animals in need. The line took off and before I knew it, I had reached national distribution. There was nothing more exhilarating to me that being alongside these huge industrial trucks in the wee hours of the morning, all of them and then my little car, dropping off product to stores.

I was honored to be featured in numerous magazines and newspapers, including Bon Appetit and the Los Angeles Times, not only for my healthy products, but also for supporting other young entrepreneurs navigate their way into the business world. I love being transparent about how to get going in the food industry, mentoring, and helping others know they can fulfill their dreams. I still do it today and it is the best!

But, my defining moment, when I knew I wanted to make a 100% plant based line, which happened years later.

ILLUMINATE: One of your first companies was StarrBarks which made treats that were designed to be edible for both humans and dogs. What were some of the lessons you learned with that company, some of the challenges you overcame and did any of your products or prototypes for that company meld over into the new products at MADE BY MAURA?

MUHL: Thank you for asking about Starrbarks. I have a special place in my heart for this line and I’d love to bring it back someday. The line was inspired by my beloved dog, Starr, who passed away just over a year ago. Starr was my best friend, and we went everywhere together. I thought it would be so cool to create a dog treat that people liked too, so I did just that. Starr loved testing all my attempts! Everyone loved the product and so did their dogs, but the competition in the pet store chains was fierce, vegan dog treats were not the norm, and the idea of eating the same thing as your dog…well, it seemed perfectly normal to me. I would love to bring this line back in some capacity someday, because they were super healthy snacks whether you’re enjoying them as a human or as one of our doggie friends!

ILLUMINATE: One of the MADE BY MAURA subsidiaries is BETTER- A BUTTER ALTERNATIVE. What made you decide to create this vegan butter alternative and how long did it take you to get the recipe to be exactly the way it is now?

MUHL: Each of my products mean something special to me for different reasons, but I feel Better – A Butter Alternative is my most important product thus far. I’m passionate about the potential for Better because it’s a way for us, together, to put our food choices where our values are. It’s earth friendly, animal friendly, and sustainable. When we choose Better, we save water, reduce methane, one of the worst of the greenhouse gases, and move away from inhumane and polluting factory dairy farms. It’s better for your health, and easier on the planet.

My inspiration for Better started after I had befriended a cow named Sunshine. This cow changed my life. I met Sunshine when I was in my 30’s, and newly divorced. It was a time of deep contemplation for me. I was living alone, on a tiny farm in Penngrove, CA. Every morning I would come out on my back porch with a hot cup of coffee, and a small, portable boom-box, and I’d play my Bach CD’s. My new cow friend loved the classical music. She’d start bucking and running in from the back fields all the way up to the fence where I would greet her with lots of “good mornings,” caresses, ear rubbing and carrots.

Sunshine and I were buddies. She had the most beautiful, soulful eyes I had ever seen. I loved to watch how happy the music made her. Oftentimes she’d dance around and stare deep into my soul. She was pure kindness. But then it happened; I woke up and walked outside with my coffee and there was no Sunshine. She was gone. I went to my neighbor’s door and asked, what happened to the beautiful, sweet cow that was here? “Oh, they took her away this morning to slaughter,” the man said casually, as if the mailman had just picked up a package.

This was my friend they took away. Tears rolled down my face and my chest got tight. The next morning, there was an emptiness in the fields. I kept thinking maybe she’d come back, maybe somehow something would happen and she’d be back, waiting for me to play the music, waiting for one more chance to prance and jump with joy. But she never came back, and I shuddered to think what her last moments were like and how scared and confused she must have been.

I started researching about cows, factory farming, methane and the environment. It was a real eye opener to say the least. So, in memory of Sunshine, I want to say “thank you” to her for touching my heart and inspiring me to create dairy-free butter.

Even though I never saw my friend Sunshine again in her physical form, she has remained close to me in my heart and spirit. I know she is still with me, and she carries the voice of all cows, these sentient beings, who are suffering.

Today I am honored to be a part of making cows’ lives better as well as people’s health and the health of the environment by offering delicious 100% plant based dairy alternatives, and vegan products that are under the Made by Maura brand. I am also proud that a percentage of our sales always goes towards helping animals.

Most of my recipes take me about two years to develop because I am super picky and I spend a lot of effort sourcing my ingredients and researching them. I only want to ever use the very best ingredients.

ILLUMINATE: Another subsidiary of MADE BY MAURA is MAURA BAR. I’ve tasted multiple of these delicious bars. Could you tell us about the different flavors? Where do you source the ingredients you use and what has it been like building relationships with those vendors?

MUHL: The Maura Bar! This is a fun and exciting line! At the time, Chris was living with us and he was an avid mountain bike rider. Working out and staying fit and healthy was a priority. He often told me how he had yet to find a fantastic tasting, but still healthy plant based protein bar, so I decided I was going to create one for him.

What makes these bars so special? One, Chris thinks they are the best bars he’s ever tasted and he said on his rides they get him all the way through without running out of energy. That meant a lot to me! Also, I use organic, pure maple syrup, which I don’t see in other protein bars. The flavor of the maple syrup I use is so good and it has many health benefits. I also use award winning pea protein powder by Puris. This is an exciting company as they test their soil three times a year! That is impressive. I also use other organic ingredients, like dried dates, Bing cherries, Maca nut butters and Organic Coconut Oil.

All my products are available online, but after doing a season at our local farmer’s market and getting to know many of the people who buy the bars on a regular basis, I kept being asked why they are not called Maura Bars. They told me they wished they were called Maura Bars because I had put every ounce of my being into the recipes with a lot of thought and love, which is all true, so I took the plunge, and changed the name. I think it’s all about my finding my voice and feeling more confident that what I’m offering is special. Also, when I create and bake, my intention is focused on joy, healing, and love for others, all beings, and for oneself.

ILLUMINATE: Where do you source the ingredients you use for your products and what has it been like building relationships with those vendors?

MUHL: In addition to sourcing my ingredients online and through the connections I make daily and have kept over the years, I make a point of trying to find ingredients from local, fellow vendors. My products have no preservatives, so taking the time to develop good relationships with vendors who can supply not only the best ingredients, but the knowledge behind how they are made is vital. We are all in this together.

I am also a part of a fantastic group called the Pacific Northwest Food and Beverage Group. This group has been invaluable not only for sourcing ingredients, but pretty much everything! I love this group and can’t say enough good things about it. Being able to help each of our businesses grow and support each other along the way is what makes it so much fun.

ILLUMINATE: MADE BY MAURA is headquartered in Hood River, Oregon and you sell at multiple local grocery stores and farmers markets. What is it like getting to work with the community and businesses local to you? Do you plan for MADE BY MAURA to expand state-wide, regionally, nationally, even internationally?

MUHL: Working with community is what it is all about. Then reaching out to more communities; it is indeed a small world after all. We are all here trying to help our planet and its creatures, at least that is what I chose to believe most of us are doing. It’s hard when there are terrible things happening in the world, but I hold onto the thought that things always get worse before they get better, and our world is in a transition right now, a big one! Anything I can do, even if it is one stick of Better at a time, or one plant based protein bar at a time, I’m going to do it!

Farmer’s Markets are one big party of good vibes. When you get to talk to your customer friends face to face, laugh with them and hear their stories, it is such a heart to heart connection that it generates a rainbow of good energy.

Local stores are also places I love to visit. There is so much that goes into running these stores; people work so hard to help provide our community with fresh, healthy food. Whenever I can get direct feedback from store owners and people buying my products is very fulfilling.

We currently have interest from national supermarket chains, and that is in the works! I would love to go international because it would mean more plant based options for more people.

ILLUMINATE: What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced as a small business owner? Do you have any advice for any up and coming entrepreneurs?

MUHL: This is a great question. I would say the biggest challenge as a small business owner or in anything in life, is in your own head. I wish growing up, more emphasis in schools was made on understanding how our brains work, how we are influenced, how we get stuck, and how we can reprogram our thought processes. For example, we are so used to going from A to B in our brains, but once someone tells us that you can skip B all together and go straight to C, well, that changes a lot! Also, understanding how to work from soul to soul energy vs. just “working”, that is also huge. I feel the upcoming generations understand this a lot more than mine did, but so much more awareness of these types of roadblocks and how to get past them could help a lot of people.

Other types of issues of course are money and time, and simply not knowing how to get from point A to point B. Again, however, that to me has a lot to do with how one looks at things and what you think you can or can’t achieve. By even starting your day with some good meditation, positive self-talk, deep breaths and intentions of how your day is going to go, (we tend to go on auto pilot and repeat the same thoughts day in and day out), is what is going to make the difference. That and support, taking care of yourself, and a ton of hard work. The thing is, though it is hard work with ease, that is the secret. Lean into it with ease; the work softens and is no longer work, but fun!

Be sure to get in those support groups. Be sure to surround yourself with people who believe in you and lift you up. And be sure to give back! That is your surest way of staying happy, and it’s that mutual good energy that carries us all through even the toughest days.

ILLUMINATE: You’ve been releasing recipes and meal ideas on your MADE BY MAURA social media using your BETTER product. How did you come up with recipe ideas and are you planning on releasing a cookbook? What are your favorite things to cook?

MUHL: Absolutely, YES on planning on releasing a cookbook. We’re a cooking family, and we have developed a fat family recipe book!

I love to pretty much cook everything, but one favorite is a simple dish of beautiful winter vegetables with Better and fresh spices. If you’d like this recipe, just let me know and I’m happy to share it with you!

ILLUMINATE: Do you have any other products that will be released under the MADE BY MAURA umbrella? Anything yummy in the works?

MUHL: We have more flavors to offer, such as garlic and rosemary option. A personal addiction is Better melted over low heat until it is just thick and creamy, and then pouring it on top of air popped popcorn. Add some garlic salt and fresh crushed dried rosemary, and it is sheer heaven. This is a great idea as well on slices from a toasted, sourdough baguette, so I think it would be great to offer it right from the jar.

As far as more products, I’d love to be able to offer more people our plant based cupcakes and donuts, as well as our caramel corn and moose much, and we have an entire line of soups, all ready to go, so yes, I have lots of products in mind.

ILLUMINATE: You have experience in the film industry as an actor and producer. Do you plan on creating commercials and video content for the MADE BY MAURA brand? What marketing tactics are you planning on using to help the brand grow?

MUHL: I have always loved film and all aspects relating to it.

I was thrilled to be able to co-direct this upcoming campaign video with our wonderful DP/Editor, Cozzi DeBonis, who also added a lot of visual effects, and to co-write and co-produce the project with Susan Denser, who I couldn’t have done the project without. We had such a great team. I can’t wait to share the final kick-starter video with everyone soon!

Creating content for the company is something I love to do. Keeping it personal is important to me. As my company grows, I’ll always be a part of what and how we connect with others.

I love the idea of soul to soul reach, and that’s exactly what I like to do. I want to make people feel good when they think of me and my products. I want to offer comfort and a place for people to feel safe and nurtured in our ever-changing world.

ILLUMINATE: You’re set to launch a crowdfunding campaign for your company. Tell us what we can expect from the campaign and ways that our readers can help?

MUHL: Thanks for asking about our campaign! I have a little clip to share with you today, which captures how healthy lifestyle choices go along with making healthier food choices, and shows how you can bake with Better, featuring 100% plant based donuts, as well as a glimpse of our beautiful neighborhood in Hood River! We’ll be using a lot of footage as well for our countdown to the campaign on all social media outlets.

We are very excited about the campaign and have been working hard over the last four months getting ready. Right now, we are reaching out to bloggers, companies, and anyone who can help us get the word out there to people to support or campaign when we launch. So, if you or a company you know of, a blogger or influencer you feel would get excited about our products, and can help spread the word or put a good mention for us during our campaign via social media, radio or TV, please reach out to me at maura@madebymaura.com. We’d be forever grateful!

Our campaign theme is “WHAT IF”. ”What if we could make butter, that’s way better than butter, without cow’s milk? A what if we could make it without highly processed ingredients?”

What if we could help change the world? We feel we can! Our campaign is to raise money for Better – A Butter Alternative, “the plant based butter made from cashews, not cows”.

We will be mentioning the Maura Bars in the written part of the campaign, and including the bars as perks in addition to jars or sticks of Better. People can pre-order or their perks will be shipped directly to their door when they donate. We will have other very cool perks too, so stay tuned!

Choosing to eat in a way that reflects our values is one of the easiest ways to make a difference. With people’s support, we will be able to expand our production by buying better equipment and improving our facilities. And we will be able to get it out to more people with more staff for packaging and fulfilling orders and marketing.

We’ll be using a lot of footage as well for our countdown to the campaign on all social media outlets, such as this one we to share with you today! This clip shows how healthy lifestyle choices go along with making healthier food choices, and shows how you can bake with Better, featuring 100% plant based donuts, as well as a glimpse of our beautiful neighborhood in Hood River!

https://vimeo.com/685278415

Together, by choosing plant based foods, we can make a difference for a better world. So please join us when our campaign starts!

ILLUMINATE: Do you have any dream collaborations with other brands or ideas for new companies you’d like to form in the future?

MUHL: A dream collaboration would be working with any company that can help offer more plant based products to more people. The more we can offer, the faster our world will change and get better. I’d love to see no animals suffer ever again. I’d love to see our world and our planet be a planet of total love. Isn’t that why we are here, to learn how to love each other better?

Ideas for new companies for the future? I sure do! For starters, I’d like to create an animal foundation and nearby sanctuary right here in Hood River in honor of both Sunshine and Starr. I also have a vegan clothing line in mind where all proceeds would go towards helping animals.