Mielie Mailer
Has the excitement of receiving a package ever been overshadowed by the disappointment from all the plastic that comes with it?
We spoke to one of the founding members of Mielie Mailer, Trent Pike, about the shipping mailer that has one sole purpose - to help humans make better choices for themselves and for the planet.
1. Can you share a bit of the background story of Mielie Mailer- how did you start, when did you start?
Mielie Mailer started in September 2019. The journey from idea to execution was actually incredibly fast. It took us around 9-weeks to officially start.
2. Give us some insight into why you started MM?
We began Mielie Mailer to begin a conversation about the stewardship of our planet. Our intentions have been clear from day one, to use nature to help save the world and create a better future.
We started Mielie Mailer because we were tired of business as usual - where profits supersede all else. The world is facing an environmental crisis and we couldn’t, with good conscience, sit back and not do our part.
3. Why Mielies (as opposed to other forms of reusable materials)?
Mielies are the second most abundant crop on the planet, just behind wheat. As a result there is A LOT of waste from the process. Food/agricultural waste is a really big climate change issue. We wanted to make use of this abundance and the contribution to climate change and turn it around for the better.
4. In your opinion, what makes MM so special?
Our focus on local brands and our authentic commitment to do right by the planet and other human-beings.
5. Was MM something that you came up with alone or do you work with a team? If so, can you tell us a bit about your team? How many people work for MM?
The team consists of three founding members - myself (Trent Pike), Renato Marchesini (right) and Ernest Bourlov (left). We’ve tried to develop a culture around real commitment to the planet in our workplace and as we’ve begun making hires, we currently have two employees, we’ve put a big emphasis on only hiring people who believe in our vision of doing our part in safeguarding our environment for future generations.
6. What are the core values and objectives that drive MM and its team?
We measure everything we do at Mielie Mailer by three P’s.
People: How does it or how can it affect the people in our team, the community we operate off and broader society.
Planet: What impact (good or bad) will a decision we make have on the planet and how can we multiply or mitigate that effect.
Profit: How does a decision impact our bottom-line, because we have to be profitable in order to do good.
7. I’m sure, like any business owner, you've learned so much and overcome many challenges along the way. What is a key lesson that stands out for you?
To always be kind- especially when you’re having a bad day or dealing with someone unreasonable.
8. Other than a global pandemic, what has been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome since starting MM?
The old guard of business who still think that profit is the most important thing for a company to strive for. Before this school of thought took over the business world, companies used to operate using the same approach I mentioned earlier - the triple bottom line - people, planet, profit.
So when products are marginally more expensive than plastic-alternatives, even if only by a few cents, we have encountered businesses who will not switch over as they completely ignore the true costs of their purchase decisions.
9. What inspires you to push past such obstacles?
The successes we have with the younger generation of business owners who think on the same wavelength as us. It gives us great hope that a real shift in thinking is on the horizon and with that, a kinder planet.
10. How has social and digital media impacted your business?
It’s been an incredible platform for our business. I would say around 90% of all our business leads come from social media platforms. When we created Mielie Mailer and the marketing strategy behind it, we made sure that our aesthetics and tone encouraged our customers/partners to share and engage with our platforms and products.
11. What advice do you have for other business owners just starting out today?
Don’t follow the old way of doing business. Business isn’t a zero sum game and you don’t have to succeed at someone else's expense.
12. And finally, we love discovering and supporting small local businesses. Can you share 2-3 small local businesses that you love?
We actually have a whole page on our website dedicated to brands that we love. They’re all local and they all use Mielie Mailers which is a sign of their commitment to the planet and the creation of a kinder planet. Click here to see the Brands Making Stands page or read more about what Mielie Mailer has to offer you and the planet by visiting their website.
The Mielie Mailer team is so passionate about being sustainable and supporting local, that they have offered a special discount code to our BLG listings for the remainder of 2020.
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