Go with Your Gut
When Taylor Chapman was ‘Waking up the Neighbours’ on Mix 101 FM’s morning show, the idea of one day owning and operating one of Regina’s first local kombucha companies was nowhere near her radar.
The Radio and Television Broadcasting grad was bright-eyed and ready to begin a career in the broadcasting industry. As seems to be the case with many things in life however, reality diverged from expectation, and Taylor found herself questioning her purpose.
Life has a funny way of correcting itself when we begin heading down a wrong path. There’s that visceral gut check that tells you “Hey, that’s not what you’re supposed to be doing!” As Taylor puts it, “I really believed I was capable of more…”.
So, a year into her new career, Taylor handed in her resignation and decided to go back to school. A decision which would put her on a new path towards the beautiful, messy beast that is entrepreneurship.
Trust your gut
Around the same time Taylor was beginning this new chapter, her friend Kale Baiton was beginning to experiment with home brewing Kombucha. The recipe became wildly popular among friends and family, and Taylor began to feel that same gut check again. This time it was telling her to go all in on and make Good Spirit Kombucha a reality. A year after Kale had begun small brewing on a small scale, Taylor got on board as a full partner in the business, managing the operations and marketing.
In the three years since opening, Good Spirit has exploded in popularity. In addition to sales online and through wholesale distribution, the company now supplies kegs of kombucha to a variety of other local businesses like Dandy’s Ice Cream and Pile O’ Bones Brewing. Good Spirit prides itself in being a leader in Regina’s bar and restaurant industry, providing a functional alternative to alcoholic beverages.
“I really believed I was capable of more…” – Taylor Chapman
Everything is Different
The contrast between Taylor’s old life as a radio personality and the new entrepreneurial journey she’s chosen to pursue is striking. “When I was working my nine to five, I showed up, did my work, and turned my brain off at the end of the day,” says Taylor. “Now everything is different. I think about the business and what I can do next, what creative aspects I want to bring to the product. These things are constantly running through my mind. I’m always thinking of new ways to improve and to grow, and to reach a wider audience.”
Often, it’s easy for us to try and think our way around undesirable situations. We are endlessly skilled at justifying things that seem to “make sense”, or at convincing ourselves that an idea is crazy or unrealistic. It’s harder to trust your gut, to go with your instincts and let the universe take over. If Taylor’s story can teach us anything, it’s that your gut probably deserves more of your attention than you’re giving it.
“When I was working my nine to five, I showed up, did my work, and turned my brain off at the end of the day…Now everything is different.” – Taylor Chapman
