Looking for a simple way to support the health of our planet? At Just Toledo, their aim is to keep waste out of landfills and waterways by making small batch products with as many local and sustainable ingredients as possible. Owned and operated by Courtney Fillion & Anna Bennett, they pride themselves on their clean ingredients, local service and equitable pricing. For more information on their products and services, visit www.justtoledo.net. Be sure to mention HerHub for 10% off Just Toledo products!
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Tell us about yourself! What makes you, “you”?
Our team is comprised of three women (one of whom prefers to remain anonymous). We all make our own products for the business, but meet and talk daily to make decisions and divide up responsibilities. We have a lot of fun working together and feel really lucky to have a team to rely on.
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Describe your business/services and then tell us about what brought you to creating this business and why you’re passionate about it.
We are a zero waste, community endeavor. We make small batch snacks and biodegradable, all natural cleaning and self care products. Upon return, all our containers hold a $3 refundable value. Our aim is to divert waste from landfills and waterways while bringing safe products to anyone interested in natural products and/or a zero waste lifestyle. There are three ways you can buy into our network. If you prefer ordering online, or don’t have transportation, you can order our products though our website at justtoledo.net. We ask that you place your order before midnight on Wednesday and we will deliver to you the following Saturday. Simply leave your empty containers on your porch and we will refund you $3 for each one. Don’t worry about cleaning them; we will do that for you. We travel in a loop, thereby reducing environmental impact. If you prefer the experience of shopping, you can find us at the Downtown Toledo Farmers’ Market every Saturday. You can return containers, buy products, sample our snacks or lotions and learn more about our mission. Finally, we are opening a refill store in Downtown Toledo on April 22 of 2023. Our address is 909 Jefferson. You can bring your own clean containers in for refill (or buy one of ours), buy by the ounce and choose your own scents. In addition to our products, you will find locally sourced jams, teas, kombucha, coffee, soaps, jewelry, houseplants and more. We will also have a rotating local art exhibition. It is our aim to partner with other local makers to create a sustainable network for Toledo and her surrounding communities. Lastly, it is important to note that we offer equitable pricing (only on the products we make) because it is our deepest held belief that everyone deserves clean products and a healthy planet.
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What goals do you have for your business in the future?
We would like to expand our inventory by offering local bulk foods (right now, we are only able to offer food that is pre-packaged with a container buy back) and would like to find more and better ways to reach underserved communities.
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What is your proudest achievement?
The three of us spent the better part of 20 hours drafting our operating agreement. We had to anticipate nearly every possible terrible end to our business and project a resolution. We laughed, debated, compromised and in the end, held a document we all feel really proud of.
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What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a business owner and how did you overcome it?
When we began this endeavor, we said we would run the business, instead of “it running us.” That adage has been tested daily. 3am is often the time for “epiphanies” and we’ve all had sleepless nights worrying over some mundane detail.
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What advice would you give to a woman looking to start a business or get into a leadership role? Is there one thing that has helped you specifically?
Be sure to schedule time for rest and play into your schedule. Running your own business has no boundaries unless you create them.
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What made you want to join HerHub?
We greatly appreciate the community for support, guidance & feed back.
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Why do you feel it’s important to collaborate and empower other women?
Just 50 years ago, women were not allowed access to a line of credit. We are thrilled to claim this right and collaborate with other women in more ethical and sustainable ways.
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If you could recommend one resource (book, podcast, quote, class, website, etc.), that has helped you in life or in business, what would it be and why?
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver One family spends a year eating locally.
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We love spreading love to other woman-owned businesses and we bet you do too. Give a shout out here to your favorite, local, woman-owned business (besides your own)!
