We had the good fortune of connecting with Monica Richards, The ecobabe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monica Richards,, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I am the founder and co-founder of two conscious companies: ecobabe and The Collective. ecobabe is an online community, lifestyle brand and blog where people are empowered with the tools and products to live more sustainably. The Collective is where we really get to be of service, as a global community where like-minded individuals come together with one common mission at hand: united action for a regenerative world.

Collective members learn how to be climate leaders, earth activists, humanitarians and change makers by leaning into a new sustainable topic each month; gathering to learn from trusted experts, self educating with provided documentaries and supporting initiatives with impact. We master those eco topics. Then we apply what we’ve learned to our daily lives and while setting foot into our surrounding ecosystems. We make a difference at every touch point: our homes are detoxed, our children are learning to live consciously, we help our neighbors, we take part in global and national campaigns and projects, and we spread eco awareness every step of the way.

In The Collective, members reunite with Mother Earth, they remember how good it feels to protect her – to fight for social and environmental justice – and their fires are LIT to continue to create this much needed change together for a healthier future for all.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
It takes 10 years to be an overnight success. I am only at year three.

Stepping away from work reliability as an interior designer and TV Host was risky. It hasn’t been easy, especially this past year. While many were hunkering down and looking inward, I was hustling and not getting enough sleep. There was no quiet time for me. I was figuring out how to run The Collective and how to expand my brand. I’ve received hundreds of no’s, I’ve gotten pushback at every angle, I’ve switched careers many times, I’ve had people try and try again to dim my light. But you know what remained constant? My drive. I simply didn’t stop. I believe in a person’s evolution and individuality. Besides, I’m a farm girl – we like work 🙂

Most of all, when I needed help, I asked for it. I’ve learned there is so much strength in a good team. And quite honestly, people still don’t understand what I’m doing. People back home think I’m in Los Angeles living the life and ‘modeling’. But I’ve always been a bit misunderstood, so I really don’t care. And that’s one of the best business tips I can give: keep your vision, hold it tight, and do everything in your power to make that vision a reality. (There was a time I worked 7 days a week, and a double every Friday.) Don’t quit. Success comes with risk. RISK IS ALL IN PERSPECTIVE. The world needs you and what you have to give. So launch fast, then adjust and don’t stop.

*Also, lead with kindness.

What sets me apart from other brands, is that I am my brand. My ecobabes are family. Our Collective community is a tight one. I believe that connection, trust and non-judgment is something a lot of brands are still missing. So I’ve taken the time to sincerely cultivate a relationship with my community. They know me, I know them. As it turns out, that special relationship is what motivates me to keep going.

I’m extremely proud of our ecobabes who have made life changes to live more sustainably. I hear daily how these changes have positively impacted their lives and the lives around them. I’m eager to see our community grow, making ecobabe a MOVEMENT – a lifestyle – and taking sustainable living to new realms of normalcy. I’m really excited to see how much collective impact we can create, individually and globally, for planet and for people. Because individual action creates collective change. And we are proving that every single day!

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.
Where do I even start? Gjusta in Venice for breakfast, a hike with the dogs at Mandeville Canyon looking over LA and all her glory, then ginormous burritos at this local food truck that parks nearby. Dinner at Peppone’s in Brentwood – an early 2000’s Madonna fave. In fact, it’s been rumored she’s since been banned. Definitely a beach day in Malibu followed by Spaghetti Squash Lasagna (sounds weird but it’s the best thing ever) and happy hour at Malibu Farm. A wine tour at Malibu Wines – safari included – a chic night at The Edition in West Hollywood, sunset drinks at Elephanté in SaMo, more Italian at Giorgio Baldi (specifically the Agnolotti) and hopefully this friend is staying at The Proper so we can have a proper pool day 🙂 And I can’t forget indulging in whatever new skincare or wellness treatment that has emerged at the moment, in addition to tying things up with a fun night at The Abbey.

But this is all pre and post Covid. For now, it’s margaritas and sweats cuddled up in my backyard.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I hope this isn’t too cliché, but I’d like to shoutout my parents! Don & Jean raised me, along with my sister and brother, on an eco-friendly farm in a tiny Michigan town with one little stop light. From collecting eggs, to gardening and baking, to caring for all animals (even the baby mice we’d find in the house), to being outside from dawn till dusk, my parents provided the most idyllic childhood. And looking back, that childhood on the farm – created solely by my parents’ blood, sweat and tears – one million percent made me who I am today.

In my adulthood, I’ve thought a lot about the decisions my parents had to make on my behalf, and how much I appreciate those decisions now. They made sure I was always safe, emotionally and physically, and that I could take care of myself in all those same ways. They instilled confidence and culture in me. They let me be me. They let me fly. They encouraged me to chase my biggest dreams. And they’ve protected me from a far the whole entire way.

I aspire to parent just like they do. I owe everything – my childhood, my personal evolution and the respect I have for this planet, to Don & Jean Richards and the time and effort they chose to put into their children. It is the best gift I could ever receive (and hopefully pay forward one day.)

Website: www.collectivexaction.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theecobabe/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theecobabe

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ecobabe

Other: The Collective: www.takecollectiveaction.com

Image Credits
Letticia Bissondut and Nikki Mata

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