We recently connected with Robin Moore and have shared our conversation below.
Robin, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I found purpose when I realized that growing food, especially mushrooms, could be more than just a business. It became a way to connect people to their food, support local farmers, and build something sustainable for my community. I truly enjoyed growing mushrooms, and along the way, I discovered that following my passion brought me genuine happiness and fulfillment. Every harvest, every market, every conversation with a curious customer reminds me why I do this: to make good food accessible and to show that small farms can make a big impact. Finding purpose for me meant choosing a career that I love and building a life around it.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
At MyCo Planet, we grow gourmet and medicinal mushrooms right here in Kansas City. We’re a woman-owned, organic and GAP-certified farm, and what makes our work so exciting is that mushrooms are endlessly fascinating, they’re nutritious, sustainable, and full of potential to change how we think about food. Every variety we grow has its own personality, from the delicate texture of Lion’s Mane to the rich, earthy flavor of Shiitake, and I love being able to share that with our community.
What’s special about MyCo Planet is that we’re not just growing food, we’re building a stronger local food system. We supply restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers markets, but we also create value-added products like our Lion’s Mane coffee and seasoning blends, and we support home growers with kits and education.
Right now, we’re expanding our production and launching new products to meet rising demand, including more medicinal mushroom offerings and collaborations with local businesses. We’ve got some exciting events coming up too, like special dinners and community festivals, and we love meeting people who are curious about mushrooms. At the heart of it all, our brand is about passion, quality, and connection, growing something meaningful, not just mushrooms.
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?
Looking back, I’d say the three qualities that made the biggest difference in my journey were resilience, curiosity, and a strong sense of community-building.
Resilience was essential because farming, especially mushrooms, comes with plenty of challenges. Contamination, equipment breakdowns, market shifts… there’s always something. Learning to adapt, keep going, and see obstacles as part of the process was key. My advice to others is: don’t expect the road to be smooth, but build systems, habits, and a mindset that help you keep moving forward when things get tough.
Curiosity drove me to keep learning and experimenting. Mushrooms are complex and fascinating, and I never stop exploring better ways to grow, package, and share them. Early on, I dove into research, networked with other growers, took classes, and wasn’t afraid to make mistakes. For anyone just starting, stay curious, keep asking questions, and treat learning as a daily practice.
Finally, community-building has been at the heart of everything. MyCo Planet grew not just because of mushrooms, but because of the relationships we’ve built with local farmers, chefs, markets, educators, and customers. My advice is to reach out, collaborate, and get involved in your community early, those connections will support you in ways you can’t always predict.
These three qualities have shaped every stage of our growth, and I think they’re just as important as any technical skill.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Right now, our biggest challenge is growing mushrooms in a space that wasn’t originally designed for agriculture. Like many urban farms, we’ve had to retrofit a commercial building to create the right environment for mushroom cultivation. That means carefully controlling humidity, temperature, and airflow in a structure that wasn’t built with those needs in mind. It’s a constant puzzle, making adjustments, improving systems, and finding creative solutions to keep production consistent.
On top of that, working with landlords can be tricky when your vision doesn’t quite fit the conventional mold. We’ve had to navigate building limitations, lease restrictions, and slow timelines for approvals or improvements. Instead of letting that hold us back, we’ve gotten resourceful: building modular grow rooms, designing around existing infrastructure, and prioritizing upgrades that give us the most impact for the least cost.
It’s not always easy, but this challenge has pushed us to be innovative and flexible. In a way, it’s made our farm stronger, we’ve learned how to adapt quickly and maximize what we have, and that’s a skill that will serve us well as we continue to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mycoplanetkc.com
- Instagram: myco.planet
- Facebook: MyCo Planet
- Youtube: MyCo Planet
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