John Ellison is on a mission to do good business in every sense of the word. The founder of Norwich-based online grocery store Goodery wants to help people live healthier, happier and more meaningful lives across the UK, if not beyond
The fact that both The Good Host and Goodery have the word ‘good’ in the title give you an idea of what makes tech start-up entrepreneur John Ellison tick.
The ‘American guy’ founded both businesses since settling in Norfolk. He came to the UK in 2015, and a year later he and his wife came to the county. ‘My wife’s family have got roots here and we thought we might as well be close to them.’
Plus, they realised, it was the perfect place to ‘live the good life, grow some fruit and veg and have a small holding. I had the opportunity to redesign my life in many ways,’ he said.
As an American, John had grown up with a distorted perception of food, and had never really appreciated fresh fruit and veg. But when his wife got typhoid and subsequently struggled with chronic illness for many years, food became a highly valued part of everyday life, and the couple invested time in sourcing, cooking and eating.
John founded The Good Host, an ethical property management company in Norwich, in March 2019. What happened a year later, of course, was ‘a business owner’s worst nightmare. I had spent a year building the business.’
But he soon learnt how to pivot in the pandemic: ‘We focused on hosting key workers.’ However, something soon became obvious. ‘They needed fruit and veg delivered.’
‘I had the right methodology, from working in Silicon Valley, to test various business ideas in a short amount of time.’
Goodery was launched in April, after an ‘intense’ two weeks. But, as John says: ‘I had the right methodology, from working in Silicon Valley, to test various business ideas in a short amount of time.’
The idea was to deliver organic food and everyday essentials with zero emissions, in and around Norwich, as a way of supporting local independent businesses, connecting with communities and protecting the planet.
It’s been quite the team effort (there are almost too many members to mention), but the team includes zero emissions transport expert and renewable energy engineer Leon Davies, founder of Zero Taxis. After all, as John says: ‘In the middle of lockdown we had taxi drivers who were sitting around with nothing to do.’
Tony Park of Arthur’s Organics has also been involved since the beginning. ‘He was our primary partner. I’ve been a customer for a very long time – ever since I moved to Norfolk.’
In the beginning, people could donate a box to the NHS, with Goodery matching the first 12 fresh food boxes donated to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital staff over Easter. ‘We wanted to say thank you to the NHS,’ says John.
I remember getting a phone call from a woman in her mid-70s who was living on her own and tired of relying on her daughter
With everyone scrambling around for essential boxes to be delivered to their homes, the Goodery idea ‘got traction,’ recalls John. ‘We delivered 37 boxes in the first week. Then I remember getting a phone call from a woman in her mid-70s who was living on her own and tired of relying on her daughter going to the supermarket.’
What she really needed was a guaranteed delivery every week. John told her ‘I’ll get you a box every week.’
It’s fair to say that Goodery has grown since that first week. By May the team had launched Europe’s first zero waste speciality coffee subscription with reusable containers, and by August 200 trees had been planted. John says: ‘It’s only been five months since we started and we’ve got 300/350 customers who buy from us every week,’ says John. ‘We’ve got a warehouse and we’ve got two electric vehicles.’
He has big plans for the hyperlocal marketplace and supply chain concept to be rolled out across the UK, if not the world. John explains: ‘You set up a hyperlocal marketplace in each region.’ This month, John adds: ‘We are on-boarding 15 different vendors. We are really excited.’
John is used to adapting quickly in business but this year there has been an ‘unprecedented rate of change.’ How was lockdown for him? ‘It was the most challenging period of my life by far. It was hard on every level: psychologically, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It has been a real stress and challenge and test to me as a human being.’ Says John, who is a big fan of meditation as a way of taking care of himself.
‘I’ve grown more than I ever have in any other period
Although the 29-year-old father of one adds: ‘I’ve grown more than I ever have in any other period – but not without some serious challenges.’
So what is it about doing good, caring for people and the planet, that makes him tick? ‘I just think every moment is a choice. You can choose to preserve your life and your own wellbeing or you choose to emanate a sense of wellness to the world around you. That’s what I aspire to do.’
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