Meet Jordan Wenck | Rice Love co-owner & Operator + future centenarian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jordan Wenck and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordan, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important aspect of Rice Love (to our customers and to me) is the love behind our mission. I say love behind the mission because what makes us unique and special goes far beyond the mission. The materials we use help us love the earth, the manufacturers we partner with help us respect the workers, and the type of people that buy from mission based companies close the loop and help spread the love of our message.

Rice Love’s mission is to help end global hunger. Every bag produced donates one kilo of rice to families in India, and each bag comes with a unique number that allows you to look up the family’s photo and story that that bag is connected to. We use ecofriendly materials like REAL burlap form authentic Indian rice bags that we purchase from local sources to reduce waste in landfills in India. All bags are handmade in workplaces that respect the environment, have safe working conditions, no child labor, and at a minimum pay the local living wages. And every bag is one of a kind. Because we use authentic burlap bags, there will be variations and even slight imperfections in every bag, we love the imperfections.  So between the fabric, the seamstress who made it, the family who receives the rice, and our ultimate customer who wears the bag, each one has a different story. That, to me, is so cool.

What should our readers know about your business?
When I was getting my undergraduate degree, as an IT major, the college of information and communication merged and created a new degree that combined the best of IT and the best of communications, designed for those that understood technology but were also creative and people oriented. I knew it was for me, so I signed up immediately. As fate would have it, I was the first person to receive it and graduated in a class of one. I guess you could say I’ve never fully been afraid of risks, asking for what I wanted, or paving my own way. After finishing my Master’s in marketing by 22, I worked for Coca-Cola, Bridgestone and PUMA in the digital marketing and social media space. But something was always missing for me in the corporate environment. Then I worked for a small, e-commerce company while getting a second Master’s degree in Human Nutrition and fell in love with small business. I guess you could also say I’m not afraid of a challenge.

I remember reading a line in Gary Vaynerchuk’s Crushing It years ago that some people having a burning desire to build something. That line always stuck with me, because that’s always existed for me. There is also a Chinese Proverb that I am re-wording here but, “The best time to start a business was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” So here is where my entrepreneurial journey started. Making the decision to leave the comfort of a thriving business was very difficult and I said no to quite a few opportunities until the perfect one came along. I have a passion for sustainability, giving back, quality products, and FOOD! So really, there was no way I could say no to Rice Love. As I was preparing to leave, I asked all of my friends and colleagues that had experience with entrepreneurship for advice for a new entrepreneur. I used this advice to take a deep look at my habits and decided intentionally what do I want to leave behind and what to I which ones do I want to build moving forward. Unlearning the 9-5 mentality with no boss is no easy task and the first few weeks with Rice Love were quite honestly terrifying. I sat with the fear of it all, and asked myself what I was afraid of? I let myself feel it and once I was able to process it and let it go, I felt on top of the world. I am having so much fun and I feel more empowered than ever before. I am so proud of this company and what we’re building. One thing I would absolutely love the world to be more knowledgeable about is to support small businesses, especially those that are working on sustainability or that are mission based. Some products may be more expensive, but supporting people in such an intimate way is so worth it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love this so much! I’m a Carlsbad girl so most of my top spots are in North County San Diego!

First stop, off the plane, we have to hike! Cabrillo National Park is a hidden gem and is my #1 happy place in San Diego. It’s close to the airport and has the best views of the city. I’ve even seen whales there!

Second happy place in San Diego is Breathe Degrees. They do breathework, cold plunges, and sauna. There is no place like it. I invite almost everyone I meet. Whoever is reading this, I’d love to bring you as a guest! Send me a DM @jordanwenck

Coffee: Cafe Elysa is walking distance to my place. It’s so reasonably priced, such a great atmosphere and everything is so tasty!

Lunch: Nectarine Grove. Actually, I could eat every meal there.

Tacos: Taco Stand, If you know, you know.

Torrey Pines Gliderport is impossible to beat.

Wednesday: Carlsbad Farmer’s Market are my people!

I almost always take my visitors whale watching. Another hidden gem! I love the ocean and whales can be seen all year round.

If the Padres are playing, we take the train down!

If my visitor wants to be pampered, Yu Spa or a bit of a drive up to Glen Ivey are the most incredible experiences.

Finally, I come from a huge golf family, so when my family visits and wants to play, there is no place on earth like Goat Hill.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My business partner Ethan Alexander, who also happens to be my roommate. Ethan is wise beyond his years and is one of the most grounded, hard working, organized, dedicated and brilliant people I know. I have never once seen him even consider making a decision that wasn’t the right thing to do. He considers everything he does and has practiced discipline for so long that he makes what he does and how he lives simple and effortlessly. I am so grateful to be working alongside him and learning from him.

Instagram: @jordanwenck

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-wenck-3ba05741/