Today we’d like to introduce you to Journii Walker and Jackie Robinson.
Journii and Jackie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Journii Walker: About eight years ago I developed a severe case of acid reflux and I was experiencing complications from being overweight ( 260+ pounds) and doctors were trying to get me to take a lot of over the counter drugs but I decided to research and find a way to shed the pounds and acid reflux naturally. While researching I discovered juices and natural cures so I started juicing. I used juice fasting and a vegan lifestyle to shed over 100 pounds and reversed my acid reflux. After I healed myself I set out on a mission to help others with my story and juicing.
Jackie Robinson: I was already into fitness because I am an athlete. I have played sports all of my life. I also pursued and played professional football. I watched Journii (who is my sister) transform her life with juicing, holistic nutrition and a vegan lifestyle. One day I called her and told her that I wanted to start a company that sells protein powder, she told me that she wanted to start a holistic wellness and cold press juice company so we decided that day to combine our visions and love for wellness, community building and helping others together and created Ra Roots.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road to get us to where we are today hasn’t been smooth at all but it has been worth it. One of the biggest obstacles we have faced is financial constraint. We started Ra Roots with our own money. We don’t come from wealthy families. When we first started Ra Roots we decided that we would only bring in investors who really care about the vision we have for making a difference in the lives of our others first before profit. Many investors are only focused solely on making a profit by any means necessary. We refuse to cut corners for profit if it is going to hurt our customers and the environment.
We have had to find ways to grow our business using our own money and the money that we generated from juice orders. It has been great over all but sometimes we haven’t been able to expand as rapidly as we wanted to because the funds weren’t always there for us to do so.
We also have had to find new ways to stay positive and motivated when things weren’t always happening as fast as we may have wanted them to happen. All of these challenges have made us better, sharper and wiser…we are grateful for it all!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ra Roots – what should we know?
Ra Roots is a holistic wellness and cold press juice company that is on a mission to help eradicate disease and improve community health… mind, body, and soul. We specialize in holistic wellness and cold press juices. Unlike store brand juices Ra Roots Juices are 100% raw and cold pressed…
We don’t use any harsh synthetic ingredients because they are harmful to your body. Most juices that are in stores are pasteurized which means all of the enzymes; minerals and vitamins are killed during the heating up processed. Cold pressed juices are made with a hydraulic press that uses thousands of pounds of pressure to extract the maximum amount of liquid from fresh fruits and vegetables no heat of oxygen is used in the process instead valuable enzymes, and vitamins are preserves. Cold pressed juices are a convenient and delicious way to get your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Our juices are freshly made when ordered and we only use fresh fruits and vegetables.
The thing that we are most proud of as a company is that we started with love in our hearts and a desire to really help people live well everyday and although we didn’t have a large sum of money to start our business we have managed to organically attract some of the most loving, kind and loyal customers around. Thanks to social media and word of mouth praise from our customers, our juice sales are rising daily and that makes us so proud. Another thing that makes us proud is that we get to help improve the quality of our customer’s lives daily.
What sets apart from others is we are community and customer focused. We are not solely profit driven. Of course we have to make money to keep our doors open but we aren’t willing to hurt people or the planet to do so. We also don’t view other businesses as competition; we are always open to partner with other businesses with similar missions for the greater good of all.
We are also focused on the health and wellness of children, that’s another thing that sets us apart from others. We believe that if we get kids juicing and making healthy decisions at a young age, they will grow up to continue that lifestyle and also inspire their family and friends to do the same. This is crucial to our mission.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Jackie Robinson: My mother Candance played a big role in my success. She taught me so much about working hard for the things that you want to accomplish in life. She also supported me in everything and pushed me to be better each day.
My Wife Meredith Robinson has by far been one of my biggest cheerleaders. She continues to support us during this entire process of growing Ra Roots. Her love, encourage and support has helped me to keep me pushing forward even when times get rough.
Also my mentor Jeff, he is an amazing friend and attorney. He is always willing to offer advice to help make sure that Ra Roots is protected. My brother- Corwin Robinson he has been played a role in keeping me sharp and also he is always willing to help us with Ra Roots when he can.
Airto (the owner of Night Rider Coffee) he is one of my best friends. We appreciate him so much. He has supported Ra Roots from the start. He goes everywhere telling everyone he knows about our juice and how much he loves it. He also volunteers his time whenever we need an extra help.
Cody Myler (Owner of Nxt Rep Fitness) he has been a big supporter of Ra Roots. From the beginning, when we were just starting out, he allowed us to use his company to allow our juice customers to pick up their juices from his gym and today he continues to do whatever he can to help us spread the word about Ra Roots.
Corey Walker- He is my friend and an amazing fitness trainer located in Dallas. He is also a brand ambassador for Ra Roots. We appreciate him for helping to spread the word about our company.
Journii Walker: My mother, Elaine Walker, she passed away right after we launched Ra Roots but before she died she was everything to me. She taught me the value of loving others and doing right by others no matter what. She taught me to work hard and that we are on this planet to love and assist each other. My mother carried love everywhere she went and she did all that she could to help the world be a better place for all. When we told her about Ra Roots she was so excited. She encouraged us and also invested money into the company to help us move forward. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her and I know Ra Roots wouldn’t be what it is today without her love support and seed money.
My grandma, Hazel Gage, she introduced me to business entrepreneurship from a young age. She owned her own catering company and we would help at times so I was able to really learn about business from her. I am also thankful for her love and support!
My dad, Charlie McElroy, taught me the value of fresh food. We had a garden up until he passed away in 2012. When I was a kid we grew our own fruits and vegetables and he taught me about gardening. We also fed the community with his garden as well. I wouldn’t know what I know about holistic health and wellness if it weren’t for him.
Some of my biggest cheerleaders have also been my sisters Lacresta McElroy, Antoinette Crabbe, they have supported me in everything and also helped to make me better. I appreciate their love and support and know I wouldn’t be here without them. They are always willing to help the company out as well.
Additional supporters and cheerleaders:
JJ, Tena Jones , Joye Germany, Roberta Tidwell, Christol Horton, Cy Jackson, Faith Griffin, Calisha Germany, Tiffany Kelly, James McGill, Amber Burks, Khristal Latimer, Kristal Bailey, Bri Hightower, Monee Williams, John & Melanie Williams, Chris Thomas, Bk, Auntie Net, Aunt V, Shaddiy Heru, Catina, Sarah, Darryl Swann, Bruce Hawes, Shamar Willis, Bridgette Berry, Jag, Lauren Johnson Seven Bailey, Sheri & Dean, Andrae Alexander, Tracy Swearingen, Joshua Hopkins, King Robinson, Cassandra Anderson, Tanya Anderson, Russell Dennis, and Michael Fields
It really takes a village to make a company or dream flourish and all of the people listed above have donated time, money, emotional support, and love to me and to Ra Roots. I want you all to know that you are cherished and that I wouldn’t be here without you! Thank you for keeping me strong and helping me get to where I am today.
Last but not least we want to thank our juicers! Anyone who has ever purchased a juice from us we are talking to you! We love you all so much! Thank you for believing in us and purchasing our cold press juices. We are so happy to serve you all everyday. Thank you for choosing us as your cold press juice provider. We have so many great things in store but none of it would be possible without your love and support! There is no Ra Roots without you! =)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.raroots.com
- Email: info@raroots.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rarootsjuice
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rarootsjuice
- Twitter: twitter.com/rarootsjuice
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