We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chrislyn Pettus a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Chrislyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
1) Tell us the story of how you came up with the idea for your business? Paint the picture for us so we really understand the context, circumstances, the emotions etc.
Before the pandemic, my world revolves around being a college student and living the campus life at Lamar University, although with my primary focus beyond academics being my health. Our campus gym became my sanctuary. As an introvert, those gym sessions, went from at least 3 times a week to a solid 5 days and I enjoyed it nonetheless, because my gym experiences were more than just workouts; they were now a crucial part of my wellness routine.
However, when the pandemic struck, it felt like my world crumbled. With the shift to remote learning, I faced the challenge of maintaining my health and fitness journey outside the familiar gym environment. Determined not to let go of the progress I’d made, I embarked on a quest to find alternative ways to stay healthy.
The idea for Meaux Juice & Co. was born in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic during a heartfelt conversation in my living room with my mom and cousin. Juicing initially started as a personal hobby to support my wellness goals while away from campus. My mom had purchased a
juicer that sat untouched on a shelf for months until that pivotal conversation!
As I shared my juicing journey on my personal Instagram, inquiries flooded in. People were eager to learn about the benefits, recipes, and the juice I used. The demand grew, and the concept of Meaux Juice & Co. began to take shape. The brand, with its French twist symbolized by ‘Meaux Juice,’ encapsulates the essence of ‘More Juice’ and the historical richness of French culture. It all started as a commitment to my well-being and evolved into a meaningful venture inspired by community demand and a shared passion for a healthier lifestyle.
2) Walk us through how you knew this was a worthwhile endeavor – talk to us about the logic of why you felt this would work?
Not being a coffee drinker, I found myself seeking alternative pick-me-ups during my college days, especially for those early morning classes and moments throughout the day. Living on campus, I often turned to cold-pressed juices, herbal teas, and smoothies from various brands. It was during these moments that I noticed the positive impact they had on my energy levels and overall well being.
The real conviction about the potential of juicing and its benefits came to light during the conversation in my living room with my mother and cousin. Everything seemed to fall into place and align seamlessly. My cousin, with her experience in the meal prepping industry and her personal juicing practices, shared valuable insights that inspired me to give it a try myself. Their support and guidance became the confirmation I needed to embark on this worthwhile endeavor. I’m forever grateful for their encouragement in shaping the path that led to the creation of Meaux Juice & Co.
3) Were you solving a problem that no one else was solving?
Yes! I noticed I had a problem that needed solving when the pandemic forced us to leave campus. Gyms closed, and the usual outdoor activities had to adhere to social distancing measures. As someone considered a high health risk, I couldn’t afford to take any chances. The challenge of maintaining my health and weight loss journey in these circumstances spurred the need for alternative solutions. Meaux Juice emerged as a response to this personal struggle, aiming to provide a healthier option during a time when traditional avenues for well-being were limited.
4) Were you offering a unique approach or what about this idea got you most excited?
Yes, when I established my business, cold-pressed juicing wasn’t as mainstream, especially in minority communities. This uniqueness fueled my enthusiasm to break new ground and spread awareness. What sets my business apart is its foundation in holistic practices passed down through my family lineage. Drawing on the wisdom of my family, who practiced holistic medicine and farming, my business approach is rooted in these time-tested practices. Growing up with great-grandparents, great-aunts and uncles, and a few great cousins who embodied holistic living, I gained valuable insights. Many of my juices are named after them and our cherished landmarks in St. Martinsville, Louisiana, creating a unique and meaningful connection that you can explore on my website through our shared story and pictures.
Meaux Juice offers a diverse range of products. Our products appeal to individuals who are looking for ways to improve their overall health and wellbeing. In 2020, My first set of products were ten different cold pressed juices with their own individual benefits. In 2024, I now have over thirteen juices, four refreshers, five herbal teas, a respiratory herbal steam, Meaux Aroma Incense, Meaux Healing blog and a plethora of Bayou Juice Bundles ranging from overall Wellness to One-to-five day cleanses.
Also I take pride in helping my customers find a solution. Solving their problems involves a collaborative approach, where I’m always ready to research and weather the storm alongside them! When customers express uncertainty, I guide them based on their preferences, goals, and holistic needs, creating personalized solutions. When customers approach me and they say “ I don’t know where to start” I usually ask them what their favorite fruit is or do they have a particular goal for themselves. Like is there something you’re trying to heal holistically, are you trying to gain energy, is there something you need or would like l to detox from? Then I start guiding them to what would benefit them.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
So for starters, I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I consider myself a vibrant, dedicated, and creative soul, driven by the joy of keeping life exciting through my inner child’s lens. As an ever growing herbalist, I established Meaux Juice with a mission to share fun and fresh ways for others to embrace health, making wellness an enjoyable journey. I broke into the Holistic and Juice industry stemming from authentic experiences, combining intriguing research and trial-and-error on my own wellness journey… in layman’s terms, by being authentically me!
I learned early that discipline has always been a key aspect of my approach, a true skill I picked up from those around me. Emphasizing on trusting in the long-term process and the importance of showing up for oneself daily. I genuinely believe that trusting the process and showing up for yourself every day no matter how it may look or seem in the moment…because you will eventually get to the places that you once dreamt of being in.
What sets me apart is the rich tapestry of family traditions, recipes, and life lessons woven into Meaux Juice, originating from Houston, Texas, and Saint Martinsville, Louisiana. Family wisdom, passed down through generations, forms the foundation of the brand, with names of key family members adorning the products. Countless information from Great-Grandparents, Great-Aunts/ Uncles, Grandparents, Parents and many more key family members.
One of my proudest accomplishments is the consistent growth of Meaux Juice, driven by my dedication as a one-woman entrepreneur. This journey has taught me valuable lessons about myself and the world, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and networking. You technically can’t be an introvert and entrepreneur! You learn so much by just going and growing through the pains… figuring out what works for you and what doesn’t work. I’m proud of my brand’s progress and growth.
The heart of Meaux Juice lies in the legacy of my great-grandparents, Camille (Bull) Landry and Gertie Mae Landry, who instilled in me the traditions of growing produce and holistic healing. Their influence is evident in the products and the brand’s ethos.
As a young child, my late great-grandfather Camille (Bull) Landry would have us, his great grandchildren, help him pick oranges and many other fruits and veggies from his garden surrounding his home. He would bring us so many good fruits, yet my personal favorites were his lemons because they made amazing lemonade and tea!! In addition, he would also bring us bags of sugar cane to Houston during the summer, which made for yummy sweet snacks! His late wife, my MawMaw (Gertie Mae Landry), would fill us all with knowledge every visit. She always said,
“Teach them young, and they’ll never forget it.”
“You need to learn that…”
“__ was a healer, farmer, owned this and that, etc.”
She ALWAYS made sure we knew who our family was, where they may have resided, and what they looked like. Like I mentioned they are the foundation of my whole brand, and I am forever grateful
for what they’ve instilled in our families lineage, allowing me to share parts and pieces with you all through Meaux Juice.
To my potential customers and clients, I emphasize that the wellness journey isn’t linear—show yourself grace and patience. Always remember to keep it fun, fresh, and cold-pressed with Meaux Juice, where we boost life with a touch of Meaux flair.
Meaux Juice | Meaux Boost | Meaux Life.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Within my niche it would be PopUp Shops and to promote promote promote! Record and take pictures of everything business related because everything can be turned into content. Also, always bet on yourself and if you don’t know where to start it never hurts to ask someone you may look up to or someone who inspires you. Like every other sport, you have to study the greats within your niche. Google, Books, and TikTok are your best friends…research. Lastly, Make sure you’re posting daily on your story and your page because the world we live in now has a lot to do with being aesthetically pleasing and also being authentically pleasing…so always be yourself and don’t think too much about it! Some of my best content happens when I just turn on the camera and record myself talking about my products.
Any fun sales or marketing stories?
A fun sales story… Within the last quarter of 2023 I had a consistent customer messaged me that she told someone else about my business and that they would be contacting me soon. I had no idea who the person was because my customer never said anything else. The woman indeed did reach out to me for a five day detox and she needed it within forty eight hours. That order consisted of over forty eight juices and a combination of nine to ten flavors…on top of me already juicing, the current orders that had to be processed for that weekly period I didn’t know how I was going to pull this off. With faith and long hours I was able to get her order to her in time which was in alignment with her 14 day social media detox fast and cleanse. She actually ended up being an author and during that fast she completed a journal! By me getting that order done allowed me to be featured in her now released 14-Day fasting detox journal, which led to multiple other women finding my business and interested in similar detox cleanses…plus she vlogged her progress! It brought me so much joy to see her health and wellness success, as well as now helping many others achieve their detox goals too.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MeauxJuiceAndCo.com
- Instagram: @MeauxJuiceandCo // https://www.instagram.com/meauxjuiceandco/
- Facebook: Meaux Juice & Co. // https://m.facebook.com/MeauxJuiceAndCo?locale=sr_RS
- Twitter: @MeauxJuiceAndCo
Image Credits
Cowboy hat photo by Jeremiah Kelly | Photographer/Videographer | Instagram: @jkelly_visuals