We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Slajchert. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.

Hi Jason, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

What does it take to be successful? In a word—relationships.

When we launched Big Prana, our family-run microgreens business, we knew we weren’t inventing anything new. Omaha has seen many try to grow and sell microgreens commercially—but most of them burned out within 2 or 3 years. We had a different plan: build a business that would still be standing after 5.

How? Not by chasing fast profit. Not by flooding shelves with product. But by going slow. Building trust. Showing up. Summer after summer, sweating it out next to our neighbors at the farmers’ market. Week after week, delivering fresh greens with a handshake and a smile. We priced our CSA program affordably—not because it made us rich, but because it made us relational. People felt good knowing the names of their farmers. And we felt good giving our community a direct connection to the freshest, most nutrient-dense food on the planet.

In time, the relationships did what marketing never could. They created momentum. Chefs, shops, and customers started saying, “We trust you. We want what you grow.” That’s when we knew we were successful—not just because we were paying ourselves, but because we were part of something bigger.

Every Sunday at the market, you’ll find all five of us behind the booth—me, my wife, and our three kids—trading goods with other favorite vendors, giving out free samples with a wink, and calling customers by name. Around here, “support local” isn’t a slogan—it’s a handshake economy where generosity goes further than strategy.

Our unofficial motto? “We’re in the business of ruining your food.” Once you’ve topped your salad, pizza, or wrap with our greens, you’ll never want it any other way. Sorry—not sorry!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Jason Slajchert, founder of Big Prana, a family-run microgreens and sprouting operation in Bellevue, Nebraska. After 20 years in the Air Force, I wanted to grow something closer to home—something alive, life-giving, and personal. What started as a humble effort to feed our own family better became a mission to help *everyone* in our region access ultra-fresh, nutrient-dense greens, all year long.

We grow indoors, harvest weekly, and deliver immediately—so customers never have to worry about slimy, half-wilted produce again. Whether through our affordable CSA, restaurant partnerships, or beloved farmers market booth, Big Prana makes it easy to eat better without the guesswork. We solve one big problem: people want to eat clean and local, but they don’t know where to start. We make it fun!

And that’s where our brand universe comes in.

Each of our microgreen varieties has a bold, black label featuring a quirky product name in BIG white letters, the Latin botanical name in tiny type (because hey, we’re nerds), and pink ingredient info along the side. Our pink logo, BIG PRANA, sits next to a yellow “Bellevue, Nebraska” tucked inside an outline of the state. But the real stars are our characters—a full cast of animated weirdos that turn every product into a personality.

Cool Robbie? (kohlrabi) is the lovable try-hard with frosted tips and major “Chad” energy.
Spicy Rad is a punk rock radish with a hot pepper tattoo.
Baby Broc is a baby bodybuilder with tattoo sleeves.
Mighty Kale channels a vintage circus strongman.
Throat Punch (mustard greens) is a kung-fu legend with wasabi fists.
Sex Mex (cilantro) is your Latin Fabio—with a saxophone.
St. Basil is a moody priest with eyeliner and holy herbs.

There’s even a unicorn-themed rainbow radish mix, a spicy BVM (Bellevue Vegan Market–something we created a few years ago but discontinued) Nasty Blend, and our bestselling Market Mix, which combines a few fan favorites into one unforgettable bite.

At the center of it all is our pink gnome mascot, Sprout, who shows up everywhere—from our towering black market tent to our social media stickers—urging folks to “Eat More Plants!” Kids love him. Adults take selfies with him. People spot him from a block away and smile, then tell us how happy they are to find us!

What am I most proud of? That we’ve built something that doesn’t just sell—it connects. Big Prana has become more than a farm. It’s a family, a community hub, and a total vibe. On Sundays at the market, our whole family is behind the booth—me, my wife, and our three boys—handing out samples, trading goods, and calling regulars by name. There’s music, laughter, and a whole lot of “your money’s no good here” energy.

So what do we want people to know about us?

That we’re serious about health, but never too serious to laugh. That our greens will ruin your food—in the best way possible. That when you buy from Big Prana, you’re not just eating fresh—you’re joining a movement that believes food should be joyful, local, and full of “prana” (life force energy!).

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience? For us, it looked like starting a business out of a bedroom in military base housing—with three kids, no land, no greenhouse, and no outside funding. Just a few racks, some grow lights, and a deep belief that food could be better, and that we could be the ones to grow it.

We didn’t have a fancy setup. We didn’t have investors. But what we did have was determination, faith, and a shared family mission to build something that mattered.

Week by week, tray by tray, we learned how to grow nutrient-rich microgreens indoors, even in tight quarters. We tested soil blends, lighting schedules, and harvest techniques. We started bringing samples to local markets and handing them out with big smiles and funny names. People responded—not just to the freshness of the greens, but to the joy and story behind them.

Now, years later, that bedroom grow room has evolved into a full-time operation with dozens of varieties, a loyal customer base, and big plans on the horizon. We’re finally preparing to move out—to expand into a larger space where Big Prana can fully stretch its wings. That includes launching Big Prana Microgreens Academy, a school designed to teach others how to grow food with confidence, creativity, and heart. Additionally, we are planning to achieve USDA organic certification soon which will open up more opportunities for us!

So yes—our origin story is small. But it’s mighty. Because what we lacked in space, we made up for in soul. And the truth is, our bedroom-grown business taught us everything we needed to know about grit, growth, and the power of starting exactly where you are.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One lesson I had to unlearn? That our success would depend on serving only one type of customer—namely, vegan restaurants and plant-based purists.

When I first started Big Prana, I was fully immersed in the world of plant-based nutrition. I genuinely believed our microgreens would end up mostly on the plates of high-end vegan chefs or in cold-pressed juice bars. That’s where I thought we’d thrive. I even imagined our customers would mostly look, eat, and think like I did at the time.

But I’ve come a long way since then—and so has the vision.

What I’ve learned is that success doesn’t come from preaching to a narrow audience. It comes from being radically welcoming. Today, we grow for all kinds of people: chefs who cook every kind of cuisine, meat-eaters who want to level up their nutrition, busy parents trying to feed their kids better, curious first-timers who just like the vibe of our booth. And guess what? They all love our greens.

I’m still vegan, but not in the same dogmatic way I once was. Now, “Eat More Plants” isn’t a judgment—it’s an invitation. I don’t need anyone to eat less meat—I just want them to eat more good food. More micronutrients. More color. More life. And if we can make it fun and accessible, even better.

It’s kind of funny to me now that I ever imagined we’d be a niche brand. Big Prana is for everybody. That shift in mindset didn’t just make me a better entrepreneur—it made me a better human.

Contact Info:

• Website: bigprana.com
• Instagram: bigpranamicrogreens
• Facebook: bigpranamicrogreens

Image Credits
Jason Slajchert