Meet Leslie Woodward

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Leslie Woodward. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Leslie below.

Hi Leslie, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?

My childhood played a pivotal role in the creation of Edenesque. As a child, I faced significant challenges in a difficult and turbulent home environment, which affected me both physically and mentally. I experienced various health issues, including anorexia, I struggled with low self-esteem. There were moments when I didn’t know if I was going to make it and questioned the desire to persevere.

Amidst this adversity, I had the love and nourishment from my grandmother and a visiting minister to our church, Bishop Jackie McCullough. That love and nourishment saved my life. As an adult, that love provided me with the tools to overcome and through extensive inner work, transcend the challenges I faced.

Those individuals, along with my church community inspired me to contribute. I wanted to give and be that bright light to someone else so they could overcome their adversities. Through my love of food, I became a Le Cordon bleu-trained chef, which gave me a vehicle to nourish. Now with Edenesque, I am leveraging my company to create a broader and more significant impact in nourishing and uplifting others.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am proud to say that we are a LGBTQ, BIPOC, Woman-owned and led company that makes outrageously delicious plant-based milks. Through our mission to nourish good by nourishing people, we provide delicious and nutritious food products and act as an engine for social change.

As a chef-crafted business, Edenesque uses high quality and thoughtfully sourced ingredients by working with local farmers as much as possible and delivering high nutritional values. Our high-density formulation of our main ingredient and our processing technique allows us to provide beautiful flavor.

Edenesque’s values run through all the tenants our business and we do everything we can to reduce our carbon footprint, from sourcing all the way to packaging.

We believe that love is actionable and we are here to prove that when compassion meets purpose, transformation is possible. That earth-friendly nutrition, crafted with intention, can be outrageously delicious and regenerative not just for individuals, but also the community and our world. People, communities, the environment, the local economy – these elements are inextricably linked in a cycle, and Edenesque supports every part of this cycle.

It starts before the milk is even made, by hiring people with disabilities and justice-involved team members and sourcing ingredients from local, sustainable farmers in New York State who are building soil health and supporting biodiversity in their landscapes. Our plant milks are then carefully crafted to deliver maximum flavor, nutrition, and performance with minimal waste. We use whole ingredients without any fillers, gums, preservatives, or additives – and the highest concentration of oats and nuts on the market today.

Product Details
Edenesque’s product line up includes a diverse range of oat and pistachio milks, with additional products set to launch in 2025. The current product line up includes:

Unsweetened Oat Milk: delicious, nutritious, simple ingredients with flavor first, this plant milk has 5 grams of protein per serving and is an excellent source of Vitamins A & D, and calcium. With no additives and less than 1% sugar, this milk is delicious by the glass, in smoothies, in cereal and baked goods.

Barista Blend Oat Milk: lightly sweetened with coconut nectar, a natural sweetener derived from the sap of coconut palm blossoms, this milk is creamy, full of flavor and creates fantastic foam that’s perfect for coffee or tea latte art. It’s barista approved, and is also delicious by the glass!

Honey Cardamom Pistachio Milk: lovingly crafted with the distinct flavors of dates and cardamom, and a higher concentration of pistachios and cashews for beautiful, rich flavor. Lightly sweetened with wildflower honey and pure Madagascar vanilla, this delicious blend is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, and calcium, has 4g of protein per serving and is a good source of fiber.

Barista Blend Pistachio Milk: made with coconut nectar, and a higher concentration of pistachios and cashews compared to other plant milks on the market. Edensque’s Barista Blend Pistachio Milk is deliciously rich flavor and is extra creamy, frothy and barista approved. Great in coffee and tea, and is also delicious by the glass!

Edenesque Food Insecurity Initiative™
To empower individuals and families in Columbia County, NY, to achieve food security and socioeconomic advancement, we will unite various agencies to synergize and maximize resources. Through a pilot initiative, we aim to develop a comprehensive model that is both scalable and transferable across New York State.

To further our impact, we created the Edenesque Food Insecurity Initiative™ to help reduce food insecurity. We are committed to expanding across New York State with a replicable and scalable program in partnership with Greater Hudson Promise, Columbia County Recovery Kitchen, Long Table Harvest, Big Dream Farm and Sweet Freedom Farm.

Edenesque is dedicated to upholding the principles of a triple bottom line company. For us, this entails a commitment to sustainability by offering genuine, nutritious, and delightful products; ethically and responsibly sourcing from local suppliers who share our values; and actively contributing to the empowerment and growth of individuals within our community.

The Edenesque Food Insecurity Initiative™ encompasses a comprehensive strategy for addressing food insecurity within our community. Recognizing the diverse and complex nature of individual circumstances, we reject a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we are dedicated to meeting people where they are, respecting their dignity and autonomy, and refraining from oversimplified narratives that promote a singular solution.

Expansion
Edenesque will be available in Whole Foods Markets statewide in New York on November of 2024 and will be available nationwide via e-commerce in October of 2024.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

My journey has uniquely qualified me for my role, providing me with vision, tenacity, and fortitude. As a child, I would stare out my bedroom window and dream, fantasizing about different possibilities. Little did I know that this ability to daydream, to envision something beyond the ordinary, and the capacity to create—whether through music, writing, or poetry—would be so valuable today.

As a founder and CEO, the experience can be lonely and often isolating. The ability to think and see beyond your present circumstances is critical to move forward and transcend obstacles. Not only in being an entrepreneur, but for me this is a life skill. I continue to be amazed at how all my experiences have prepared me to create Edenesque. It feels as though I was destined for this, and I truly believe this is my purpose.

Not only were the above skills gained important for me but evolving emotionally is critical and being curious about my behavior patterns and developing self-awareness has been crucial for me. This journey is full of twists and turns, and it’s transformational. During these transitions, I’ve found that it’s essential to stay grounded and open to growth.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

During this growth phase of my business, I often feel overwhelmed. It sometimes feels like I can’t keep up, with my to-do list getting longer and the pressure of making decisions, avoiding mistakes, staying innovative, and battling perfectionism. When my mind is racing and cluttered with thoughts, I turn to meditation.

I’m fortunate to have a large dog named Pepper, and we both love to hike. Every day, we spend time in nature—whether it’s hiking trails, walking through a park, or visiting a lake. Because Pepper needs exercise, I’m forced to pause and take her for a walk, which helps me reset. In addition to hiking and meditation, I do CrossFit four days a week, attend performances, spend time with friends, and garden. These activities help me recenter, quiet the noise, and avoid coping or numbing behaviors.

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