Juice Society founder Danielle Sobel has a healthy potion for motion.
By Gretchen M. Sanders, Photo by Chelsea Bucklew
How about hefting produce for your next arm-toning workout? Just imagine slinging carrots, oranges and berries into a juicer all day.
Good-looking biceps and triceps were a perk of the trade when, in 2015, Danielle Sobel started Juice Society, a modern wellness brand that makes cold-pressed juices and other beverages using organic fruits, vegetables and herbs.
“Our goal is to introduce superfoods to people in an approachable way,” says Sobel, who studied health and wellness at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York.
Mixing drinks keeps the 27-year-old entrepreneur in surprising shape. In the beginning, she made all the juice by herself, testing recipes she concocted alone in her apartment.
“I spent months on my feet, operating my juicer, lifting buckets of juice and hoisting vegetable crates,” she says. “It made me dead tired.”
When Sobel took to social media to market her product to retailers, athletes and health enthusiasts, sales took off.
In 2016, she opened a café on South Lamar Boulevard that serves as many as 18 different juices, depending on the season, as well as matcha coffee, smoothies and some food. She also purchased a small farm outside Austin to grow ingredients.
Sobel, who grew up in New York and has a degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, says Juice Society jives well with Austin’s health culture.
“Customers can come into the café and explain how they’re feeling,” she says. “[From there], we will curate a meal or a coffee potion based on what they tell us.”
Here’s how this juicing champ stays fit for business.
The A.M.:
“The first thing I do in the morning is check my email. I’m trying to break that habit. Then I let out my three dogs and make coffee. I usually add a little medium-chain triglyceride oil, cinnamon and collagen to it. The collagen helps plump up my skin.”
The Workout:
“Lately, I’m obsessed with Lagree, a type of reformer Pilates. I try to make three to four classes a week at Twitch Fitness. I’m not a huge fan of running and I really don’t like cardio, so I love that Lagree is only 45 minutes. We get a lot done in that time, working every muscle. On days that I don’t workout, I walk the dogs and do chores around [Juice Society]. It’s a lot of heavy lifting, and it makes me so tired. I sleep like a baby.”
The Diet:
“I’m 95 percent plant-based, which means I eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I do love pizza, though! I don’t restrict myself because I think it creates negative, unhealthy associations with food. The mental part of health is as important as the physical part. Coconut oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, fish and eggs also make up a big part of my diet. But I love wine and pastries too. I also drink one of my juices every day. Quite often, it’s Golden Girl, my favorite. Beta-carotene and turmeric give this juice a nice anti-inflammatory effect. I drink it and I think my skin glows for days.”
The Gear:
“I like doing workouts that don’t require shoes. I wear socks for Lagree. I only wear sports bras and leggings from Lululemon or Outdoor Voices, and the leggings must go all the way down to my ankle. I can’t stand it if they don’t! For sneakers, I prefer APL, an awesome brand that I especially love from a fashion perspective. I order them online. I order everything online. Making juice requires gear too. When I first got into juicing, I played around with different recipes using my Breville Juicer at home. When I opened the business, I bought a Norwalk Juicer and gave the Breville to my brother. We use a big commercial juicer in the store today.”
The Motivation:
“I started juicing to heal myself from migraines and chronic eczema. I saw big changes in the way that I felt after changing my diet, and I realized I could prevent health problems with healthy food. I never want to feel as bad as I once did. I need to function and be on point at work and in life. I can’t afford to spend 12 hours in bed with a migraine.”
The Mindset:
“Do everything with a positive attitude. See the big picture. Don’t get caught up in the details, the small things that won’t matter next week or next year.”
The P.M.:
“Right now, I’m reading Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek. It focuses on helping businesses connect with consumers. I also try to spend some time with my fiance every evening, and with all three of my dogs, who sleep in my bed.”