Why Working at the Green Moustache is Better Than You Think
January 3, 2019 | Nicole Nauss
More than just a job
In the fall of 2014 I had just finished school at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in Vancouver and needed to get the heck out of town. I decided to head north to Whistler to escape the big city, which was saturated, by relentless rainfall, and hundreds of new nutrition grads vying for meaningful employment in the field.
When I got to town and secured housing I needed to get a job. I was determined to stay away from my classic defaults of working in bars but was willing to work part-time in a restaurant if it meant that I could spend the rest of my time focusing on being a professional nutritionist.
When I first stumbled upon The Green Moustache I could have cried with gratitude. Finally, a place that served meals and treats that boasted nutritional density, flavour, AND a price tag that my jobless self could handle.
I asked a staff member if a manager was around and lo and behold, Nicolette Richer, the founder herself was sitting at a table, sipping a juice, typing away on her laptop.
Now if you know anything about Nicky what happened next won’t surprise you, but it sure caught me off guard. At the mention of my interest in her business she gave me her 100% full attention despite the fact that I was clearly interrupting her work.
What was surprising was not that she tuned in because I was looking for a job; it was because I was interested in health and being of service.
Nicky has time for anyone with curiosity, drive and a little spark. I can honestly say that I wasn’t exactly interested in giving up my waitress wages to start work at 7 am at a juice bar, but Nicky convinced me that I was. And let me tell you, she definitely had my best interests at heart.
I’m not sure what you think you are going to get by working at The Green Moustache but I’m here to let you know that my time there was priceless. This is why:
Community
“The Green Mo’ is a place that brings people together and nourishes them along the way”.
Whether you are like I was back in 2014 and are an emerging nutrition superstar, or you are just interested in learning a little more about healthy living, The Green Moustache provides. The storeowners, your fellow employees and your regular customers all show up for a reason. They are interested in high vibration living. Whether they know exactly why organic food makes them feel amazing or not isn’t really important. What matters is that it’s a place that brings people together and nourishes them along the way.
Each storefront is a community hub. People come in for a quick juice, a takeaway treat or a sit-down meal. Sometimes customers come in alone, other times they come in as a group. Regardless, the vibe is real. When you are a part of that magic, you get to meet some pretty cool people and some legitimate movers and shakers in your area. You also get to learn all about interesting offerings that are happening in your store and in your community.
Real People
When you work at The Green Mo’, you meet real people who have real health stories. As a new nutritionist this was absolutely invaluable.
Every day you come face to face with individuals who you might not know have anything going on. Then bam! One day you find out that a woman you see every day has overcome infertility by changing her diet, or that another is battling cancer. You may not know every person’s story but you get an insight into what it is like working with real people, in real bodies with real health concerns.
It is also your responsibility to provide value with both food and information. This is an amazing way to get practice explaining health concepts to your average Joe and Jane and to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s hot in the fad-heavy land of health food.
If you play your cards right you can even turn these customers you see every shift into your clients, workshop attendees or your new friends.
“I still use the prepping and cooking skills I learned at The Green Moustache all the time!”
The Power of Prep
Aside from the odd holiday dinner how often do you cook for more than a few people?
I’m going to wager that most people aren’t used to prepping a day’s worth of food for a very busy café. In order to do so you have to follow recipes and sometimes do a little math. You have to be organized, efficient and be ready to provide service with a smile and a side of science-based health knowledge.
You may not even realize how valuable these skills are until you need them. I certainly had no idea! But what I can tell you is that I still use the prepping and cooking skills I learned at The Green Moustache all the time!
In fact, the skills I learned allowed me to create – and made me confident enough to pull off – a 7-day meal plan for 40 people… in the desert! And the cherry on top was that a few of those people told me they ate better that week than they did in their day-to-day lives!
This job teaches you how to use basic tools and techniques to prepare and store food, to feed any number of people. Whether you’ve prepped food for a lot of people before or not, what you learn on the front lines of the café teaches you to do it healthily, efficiently and enjoyably.
Entrepreneurship
“Nicolette let me know that if I had any ideas I wanted to bring into the space then she was more than happy to entertain them.”
When I first approached Nicolette on that cold fall day in 2014 I asked her for an opportunity to learn. I actually didn’t get the job right away. It was the slow season and there wouldn’t be any shifts available for months. In the meantime Nicky let me know that if I had any ideas I wanted to bring into the space then she was more than happy to entertain them.
I came back about a week later with the idea of teaching a raw chocolate advent calendar workshop which if successful could become a Valentine’s Day workshop a couple of months later. These workshops ended up being so successful that I have continued to teach them annually at multiple Green Moustache locations ever since.
And I’m not the only entrepreneurial success story that grew from that café! Coworkers from my time at the flagship location alone have:
Launched a wildly successful health food business that caters to markets and retreats on the east coast of Australia
Opened the first Green Moustache franchise
Had careers take off in photography and graphic design (they both used their talents in the café!)
Whether or not you have a burning desire in your heart to be an entrepreneur, joining the team at your local Green Moustache can give you access to open minds and potential mentors that can help you turn your brilliant ideas into beautiful realities.
Don’t forget the discounts
Let’s not forget the value of incredible food, smoothies and juice at a discounted price. Having access to the best of the best might just inspire your healthiest habits yet!
I think they’re hiring!
During my time at The Green Mo’, I worked with nutritionists, artists, carpenters and other people who honestly couldn’t have even told you what maca or goji berries were when they were first hired. Even though everyone came from different backgrounds what everyone had in common was a desire to be around good people in an uplifting environment. Everyone was curious and wanted to make a few bucks while doing something interesting and satisfying for the soul.
If you are looking for a new job this season, pop by your local Green Moustache location and get a feel for the joint. Ask yourself what your goals are for your health, your work and your heart. Whether you are looking to work at a cool job, launch your career or enjoy quality food with inspired people, working at The Green Moustache might be exactly what you need.
Head over to this page to apply now.
Author Bio
Kailey Seabrooke is an adventure loving health nut and freelance writer for hire.
She draws on her expertise in the fields of holistic health, lifestyle design and adventure travel to infuse character and credibility into content for digital spaces and print pieces. When she’s not playing with words you can usually find her getting creative in the kitchen or surfing in tropical waters.
To learn more about Kailey or hire her for your next creative project, head over to her website.