THINK BIGGER, MANIFEST FASTER

What happened when I set bigger, not safer goals.

Eleven. That’s how old my business is turning this month. If it were a child, it’d be making sarcastic comments and asking for an iPhone. But as a business? It’s growing up and so am I.

Over the past few months, I’ve been doing some serious behind-the-scenes work. Not just in the business, but in my mindset. Think: less spreadsheets (although there were actually a lot of those!) and more honest conversations with myself about where I’ve been and where I actually want to go next.

I realized something big: for the past couple of years, I’d been setting goals that were just about getting by. “Make ends meet.” “Cover costs.” “Hope things don’t dip too much.” I wasn’t dreaming bigger, I was bracing for impact.

And when I got real with myself, I saw it clearly: playing small wasn’t keeping me safe, it was keeping me stuck. So I cracked it open. I got honest. I forgave myself for past mistakes and for playing small. And I started asking bigger questions.

And let me tell you - something lit up. The energy shifted. Suddenly, new product ideas started flowing. Exciting collabs landed in my inbox. A new sister company built to support women in business is in the works. I’ve got visions for new flavours, new branches of the brand and new goals.

I wanted to share a little of what’s been working. The mindset shifts that cracked things open and then give you a sneak peek at the big, juicy things I’m calling in this year.

RECOGNIZING MY FEARFUL PATTERNS

Spoiler alert: fear doesn’t always show up as panic or chaos. Sometimes it’s you, being the responsible business owner, trimming the budget, cutting the fluff and telling yourself, “Let’s just aim to make a little more than last year.”

For me, fear looked a lot like practicality. I was laser-focused on safety and making sure we could cover costs, avoid debt and keep things steady. And honestly, that made sense for a while. But eventually I realized my version of “safe” had turned into “stuck.”

I wasn’t dreaming bigger. I was trying to control the risk, not create the vision. I kept my goals just within reach, not because they lit me up, but because they felt manageable. And deep down, I was scared. “What if this doesn’t work out? What if I lose inspiration? What if it starts to feel too hard?”

Those questions were running the show, quietly shaping every decision. And once I saw that clearly, I knew it was time to rewrite the script.

2. REALIZING I WAS PLAYING SMALL (without even knowing it)

For the first seven years of running this business, I was fuelled by growth, creativity and that wide-open, anything-is-possible kind of energy. I was dreaming big, launching boldly and saying yes to things that scared me . . . in the best way.

And then… the world shifted. Covid hit. The economy tightened. Consumer habits changed. And like so many small businesses, we had to adjust. Pivot. Get lean. Survive.

But somewhere in that survival mode, I stopped aiming high. Without even realizing it, I traded in my visionary mindset for a play-it-safe one. I told myself I was being smart. staying nimble, keeping overhead low, planning conservatively. And hey, that was smart . . . for a while.

But then it became my new normal.

I wasn’t launching with the same fire. I wasn’t making decisions from inspiration, I was making them from caution. My goals weren’t exciting anymore, they were . . . fine. They were “keep things going” goals. “Don’t lose momentum” goals. And slowly, the business I built out of passion started to feel a little too practical.

That’s when I realized: I hadn’t lost my drive. I’d just started playing not to lose, instead of playing to win.

3. FORGIVING MYSELF

Along with playing it safe, I realized I still hadn’t forgiven myself for some bad decisions that lead to that place of scarcity . . . And because of that and the fear I had created, it all started to really dim me down. That spark I used to chase had started dimming.

And here’s the thing - I was tired. Tired from the rollercoaster of the last few years. Tired from being the one holding it all together. And when you’re in that space, playing small can feel like self-protection. Like wisdom. Like the grown-up thing to do.

So instead of beating myself up any more, I decided to give myself some serious compassion. I survived. I moved on. And now, I get to choose something different. First I am practicing FORGIVENESS, and second I’m trying to view it radically different. I started to set BIG goals, not getting by goals.

And from that space I found my fire again.

4. ASKING BIGGER QUESTIONS, SETTING BIGGER GOALS

I started asking myself: “If anything were possible . . . and it was guaranteed to happen . . . what do I actually want for my business? For my life as a founder?” The answers came in fast and clear.

And almost instantly, things started shifting.

Ideas turned into plans. Emails landed in my inbox. The right conversations found me. It felt like the world was responding to this new energy I was putting out, like it had just been waiting for me to show up with a bigger ask.

Because mindset isn’t fluff. It’s the invitation.
When you start thinking and speaking from a place of belief, in yourself and in what’s possible, the universe listens. People notice. Momentum builds.

And suddenly those “maybe someday” goals?
They start looking a lot like . . . let’s gooooooo!

6. MAKING ROOM FOR MAGIC (& what’s coming next)

Once I started shifting how I thought, talked and dreamed about the business, things began to click into place. So here’s a little peek at what’ I’m working on:

New flavours - Delicious, hydrating, beautiful blends I’ve been dreaming up for months and finally feel ready to bring to life in June.

Expansion collaborations - Some are still forming and too soon to talk about, but I fully trust that within the next year, one (or more!) will come to life in a really exciting way.

A sister brand - This one is focused on helping women entrepreneurs in Nanaimo rise, grow and feel supported in a way that fosters collaboration. My passion for events is coming back and I can’t wait to share what’s coming in the fall!

A consulting project taking me back to Beijing - A dream opportunity in the fall and one I can’t wait to work on.

Fresh ways for how you experience GLJ - We’re looking at ways to make your juice routine even more joyful, easy and rewarding.

Consulting opportunities - Including one that’s taking me all the way back to Beijing. I can’t wait to share what I’ll be working on there . . . I’m brushing up on my mandarin and dreaming of the adventure of it all.

More than anything, I’m building with a new intention.
To create from inspiration.
To grow from alignment. To keep setting BIG goals.
And to lead with the belief that good things are always on their way.

Thanks for being here. For sipping, supporting, cheering and growing with me through all the seasons. I can’t wait to show you what’s next!

XO,

Andrea

Think Bigger, Manifest Faster: My Plan for GLJ’s 11th year