We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsay Goodstein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsay, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I firmly believe that some of the greatest experiences in life are waiting for us on the other side of fear. Before starting alice, I held a secure but very unfulfilling 9-5 job in big pharma. It wasn’t until I challenged myself to step out of my comfort zone, let go of the golden handcuffs of a steady paycheck, and pursue my mycological passion that I discovered a level of success that would have been unattainable had I continued working for a large corporation. In my opinion, feeling a bit uncomfortable and taking a real risk is an integral part of making changes. Without fear, there is no fire and passion drives action.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

At Alice our motto is “indulge, don’t endure.” My goal is to change our mindset from forcing ourselves to take a supplement, (swallowing a pill, or putting some unpleasant tincture in our mouths) to getting to take a supplement. Wellness doesn’t need to be uncomfortable. If we are taking something that is beneficial for our long term health, we should celebrate it and enjoy it. That’s why deliciousness is one of the most important attributes of alice — I wanted to leave you with the feeling that you are treating yourself.

We launched in October with two products: Brainstorm for focus/energy and Nightcap for sleep. Each bite of our chocolate contains a medicinal dose of functional mushrooms alongside fast-acting nootropics and herbal supplements. This allows us to deliver the long-term benefits of mushrooms with the immediate effects of the nootropics — it’s a wellness routine that only gets better with time.

We’ve overcome a lot of challenges while building this brand…taste, efficacy, and sourcing to name a few. But we never settled for anything less than perfect and I’m incredibly proud of that. I worked on alice for 2 years before we came to market and that was because we refused to leave any stone unturned. Our chocolates taste delicious, they work, and they only use the highest quality ingredients. This meticulous attention to detail has definitely paid off and I think has been one of the greatest lessons we’ve learned.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whenever a friend comes to visit, I like to incorporate them into my daily routine and offer them a glimpse into my little world before venturing out. Being close to the beach, I make it a habit to walk with my dog along the waterline at the beginning and end of each day. I hike up Mandeville Canyon or Temescal in the Palisades twice a week for the sake of my mental health; it helps me balance my thoughts and clear my head. For delicious food and a great atmosphere, I simply walk down the street to Dudley Market. They serve arguably the best burger in town and their vinyl DJ plays every night of the week. The neighborhood vibes there are like a warm hug every time I walk in, and I’m incredibly grateful to live so close to this gem. At night, my favorite combo is the original room at the Laugh Factory in WeHo for some solid belly laughs, followed by the perfect martini at the Sunset Tower Hotel. It is an iconic old school Hollywood joint that everyone loves to check out. 

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Without a doubt, I wouldn’t be the entrepreneur I am today without Dick Costolo, the former CEO of Twitter. I met him and his wife at a dinner party I crashed in 2018, and I was fortunate enough to be seated next to him. I mustered up the courage to pitch my idea for a tampon company called Dollar Girls Club, which I was building at the time. I am grateful that he believed in me and took me under his wing, mentoring me, and most importantly, empowering me to keep pushing forward.

One valuable lesson he taught me early on was the power of simplicity and not overthinking things. I used to get overwhelmed with how many directions I could take my business, but he emphasized the importance of trusting my instincts and going with it.  Leaning into this mentality helped me boost my self confidence and improve my decisiveness greatly.

Website: www.alicemushrooms.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/alice.mushrooms || https://www.instagram.com/lindsayrose/

Image Credits
Liz Barclay, Leslie Kirchoff

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.