Carly de Castro: Co-founder of Pressed Juicery

Growing up, Carly was unsure of how she wanted to spend her life. After graduating from college, she became an entertainment publicist in New York City where she found it challenging to manage her hectic schedule and balance her priorities. She enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in order to pursue her interest in health and wellness.  She returned home to help her mom, who was not feeling well, and Carly realized the importance of getting proper nutrients for her mom.  She was also shocked by the lack of convenient healthy foods available in the market. After losing her mom and learning about the power of fresh juice, she decided to launch Pressed Juicery, a company with the mission of making high-nutrition a viable option for all, with her two close friends. Currently, Pressed Juicery has over 100 locations across the country. 

When was a time you wanted to give up, and what made you preserve through the situation?

A few months into starting the business, there were a lot more hurdles than we had originally anticipated. My partners and I were really unsure of what to do, and we thought we were not seasoned enough to launch this business. We were not equipped for what we were building and we did not know what we did not know. As result, the health department shut us down and we had to redesign our store and the process was really overwhelming. We had to have certain shelves and certain requirements in our store that we were not aware of. We felt like we could not make it through this. However, we truly wanted to keep going and make our vision a reality.  So, we decided to just keep working. 

What is the greatest risk you have ever taken?

The year we started our business, I had barely any money and almost zero business experience. I was also expecting a baby that year. That entire year was a huge risk. I really had to believe that everything was going to work out and I kept putting out good energy.

When was a time you failed, and what did you gain from that experience?

Every time I fail, I try to turn it into a win. We had a lot of trouble in the beginning with competition and not knowing what we did not know. There were lots of different failures that happened during the first year. There were several jobs that I applied for before I started Pressed Juicery and that helped me realize that not everything you think you want is actually meant to be. Sometimes, things do not work out for a reason and those reasons take space for other opportunities. At the moment, it is really hard but it is something that everyone has to go through. It is a part of life. Eventually, everything works out. It will never feel like that at the moment, but it always will at the end. When I lost my mom, I was twenty-five, and it was really hard for me. When you come out of these challenging times, there are so many lessons that you have learned

What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?

Talk to as many people as possible. Find “expanders'' who are people you really look up to and can expand your idea of what is really possible and reach out to them. More often than not, people will be really excited and willing to talk. For example, I do not know you [Reva], but I really liked your enthusiasm and I was more than happy to talk to you. The more you put yourself out there and reach out to people, the more insight you will gain. Always be kind as you never know who you are talking to and who could be helpful to you in the future. I needed connections in all several different industries like bottles, labels, and manufacturing. I just thought I was starting a health and wellness company, I didn't think about the other aspects. But, I had to know about the world of manufacturing and marketing. As result, I had to reach out to people who I had met along the way and ask for many favors. The more people you can talk to and gain feedback from, the more beneficial it will end up being for you. Also, it is so important to understand that you can do anything you wish to do. Clearly, you can start a business with no business experience. All it takes is hard work and passion. However, beyond that, anything is possible. Do not feel forced to raise money; there are several ways to start a business from the ground up. 

How do you define the word “success”?

Success is measured by how I am feeling every single day. Reaching out for help and asking for support is so necessary to reach that. You want to make sure you are open and truthful. The more that we are willing to ask for the support we need, the more often you will receive those things, You just need to ask. I try to be as upfront as possible about things that I need to work on. 

When you were growing up, what was an assumption you had that ended up being incorrect? 

I had this understanding that you had to have a background in finance to start a business. But, running a business relies on grit, hard work, and vision.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Everything will work out. We live in a time where there is a lot of pressure on youth. Giving yourself time to figure out what you will work hard for and really enjoy is really important. You should not rush into things. If you don't know what you want, do not force yourself to figure things out. You only have this time being young once in your life. You will not be young forever. I had to lose my mother to realize that health was something that was really important to me. Life happens. We need to believe that everything is temporary and that everything is changing. If you don't like where you are, you can still be hustling on the side and make it happen. Worrying is bad for our health and it does not bring us anything. 

What was a small change you made that had a large impact?

I meditate every single day, and it has really enhanced my life. It has made me calmer and left recursive and more attuned to being in the present moment. I used a couple of apps, but I tend to meditate on my own. It is about finding time to quiet down every single day.