Creative burnout is real. It’s safe to say that the struggle to maintain a work-life balance is a common one in the entrpreneurshial community, and it’s a tough challenge many are forced to face alone. Easier said than done, prioritzing time for wellness, self-care, and mental reset almost feels guilty when we have emails to tend to, customer orders to fill, and a business to manage. We forget that our best work comes from a well rested, nourished, and fueled mind, which starts with ourselves. This month, we spoke to Liza Martinenko, founder and CEO of Mood Milk, to address these much needed conversations of mental health within the entrepreneurial community.

IBU: Hello Liza, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to our January issue of IBU Links! This month we’re touching on self-care and mental health in entrepreneurship. Before we begin, tell us about your business, Mood Milk?

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Liza Martinenko: Mood Milk is a beverage brand that sells nourishing and colorful coffee alternatives that we call superfood lattes. Our focus is to offer a delicious and health-promoting substitute for those who choose to reduce or eliminate coffee from their daily routine.

All of Mood Milk’s superfood blends are organic and serve a functional purpose to support our body. As our modern lifestyles challenge our body, their plant based and  naturally made blends are infused with botanicals and herbal ingredients to support our immue system and mitigate body stress.

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IBU: What was the inspiration behind Mood Milk?

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Liza Martinenko: I believe that a successful life starts when we truly prioritize ourselves, our needs and well being. Prior to starting Mood Milk, I found myself putting my own health on the back burner just to try and get ahead - something that is often praised in today's culture. I had to learn the hard way that my physical and mental health must stay my top priority while moving through life. This is why I created Mood Milk: to help others like myself prioritize their wellbeing and nourish their bodies in a simple, delicious and nutritious way. Mood Milk superfood blends are the perfect addition to a meaningful self-care ritual. By invigorating the senses, providing powerful nutrition and relaxing the body and mind, Mood Milk blends elevate daily “me time” to a healing practice. Whether you have it while meditating, doing yoga, reading, taking a bath, or walking in nature, Mood Milk is the perfect companion to anyone looking to reconnect with themselves.

Liza gave us meaningful insights on the highly praised “productivity” culture today where focusing on yourself, working hard, and having productive, task, filled schedules to “get ahead” are notoriously encouraged. We forget that a true, healthy, lifestyle also includes rest, reset, and relaxation.

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IBU: How are you committed to set Mood Milk apart in the industry through ethical and sustainable practices?  

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Liza Martinenko: We are also conscious of our environmental footprint and do our best to reduce it daily. For us this means supporting organic and regenerative farming through our ingredient sourcing and reducing our plastic waste by using recyclable shipping packaging. We are also working on compostable packaging for our product. Stay tuned!

Mood Milk is also a committed mental health advocate within the community: they donate to various local organizations and even run monthly workshops that focus on mental wellness.

IBU: What is the creative process like behind designing your superfood blends?

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Liza Martinenko:  Mood Milk is all about taking care of yourself while also enjoying the process. Each product that is created must therefore be pleasant to our senses. Once we establish function, we then work on creating a tasty and unique flavor profile and infuse it with colorful superfoods. The result: a superfood latte that is beautiful to look at, delicious and full of powerful ingredients.

IBU: It must be challenging to manage your business as a solopreneur, not to imagine the stress! How has it been since starting this business, any tips for overcoming rough patches?

Liza Martinenko: Starting Mood Milk required me to prioritize my physical and mental health more than ever before. Long, stressful and unpredictable days are normal for entrepreneurs. At the beginning of this journey, I was so focused on the business that my health deteriorated. My stress levels were at an all time high and I was not taking time for myself. This affected my performance as a business owner and the way I showed up in my personal life. Learning to pace myself, creating a supportive daily routine, taking time to rest and to have fun have all become crucial parts of a healthy entrepreneurial journey. This may look different for each person. In my case, what helped the most was adhering to a daily schedule that had set working hours and time frames for self-care (exercise, a walk, meditation or time with loved ones). It also involved stepping away from my business and taking regular days off where I could do the things that I enjoy and spend quality time with the people that I love. As a solopreneur, you are an extension of our business. If you burn out, so does your company. Find what fills your cup and make time for it as often as possible!

Another lesson that I encountered early on was learning to ask for help. In the first year of business, I tried to do everything myself and that made things difficult for me. It cost me money, time and energy that could have been much better invested. Whether it is finding support from other entrepreneurs, an industry specific community or a mentor, this skill will dramatically increase your chances of building a successful business. Learning what you are good at and delegating the rest is another form of asking for help and will also speed up your business development. We cannot be good at everything and it is important to know where to invest our time and what to hire out for.

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‍IBU: How do you manage the balance between your personal life and Mood Milk then?

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Liza Martinenko: As an entrepreneur, it can be challenging to have proper work/life balance. There are no set hours and most of us spend our waking hours thinking about our business regardless of what we are doing. I think it is important to set boundaries with ourselves in regards to our working hours and to learn to step away from our work. Learning about what we value is also a great way to ensure that we make time for it. Since I value my health and my relationships, I ensure to schedule in self-care practices and time with the people I love on a daily basis.

Liza reminded us that “entrepreneurship can be challenging, yet rewarding, if we take good care of ourselves. It does not have to be an all or nothing situation”. Having time for fun, sustainable health, and balanced relationships need not to be compromised- as much as we may feel the need to! Rather, we should approach it through a long term lens, and consider how our performance as leaders will reflect into our businesses success. If your company can burn out, won’t you also?

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IBU:What do you hope to gain from being a part of the IBU community?

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Liza Martinenko: I hope to gain a community of local creators and entrepreneurs who support and encourage each other. Community is so important!

Our conversation with Liza was insightful and personally relatable, it reminded us of how vital a community of support is with in entrepreneurship. We all experience long nights and early mornings, and it’s reassuring to know that you aren’t alone. Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a race, and we need to prioritize our mental and physical well-being to make it to the end.