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

Hi Andrew, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
In my 20s, passion wasn’t a driving factor in finding my first couple of jobs after college. I was more interested in resume building and didn’t think much of giving 40+ hours to a company with a mission I wasn’t over the moon for. In 2015 I started working for a real estate marketing firm with only one other employee and quickly found out just how unbalanced work and life can really be. I was basically working seven days a week to keep the business moving; weekends constantly punctuated with stressful interruptions.

By the time I left in 2020, I was unrecognizable to myself.

That experience taught me to prioritize my mental well-being over the salary, which meant re-evaluating what I wanted my life to look like and how I wanted to live– starting with a healthy work-life balance. Some weeks I still work seven days, others I work four, but I always use my mental state as a barometer to tell me when to take a rest. Respecting that balance has been a guiding light for me and has led me to start a company with a mission I care deeply about. Creativity is flowing, and life is exciting again.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
GreenSpot Urban is the first grocery delivery company where the offerings are sourced entirely from local farmers markets, or small local businesses. It seemed a shame to me that farmers markets are only held once a week and I wanted to make it more realistic to shop for local produce, so I created a way to access the local markets anytime from wherever you happen to be. There are so many wonderful and unique products grown and made locally by small farmers and artisans that most people won’t ever see because they won’t make it onto big-box retailer’s shelves. I’m most excited to see the positive impact on small businesses, and subsequently the communities they operate in as we expand access to local food and products.

I went from a set career track in Customer Success at a rapidly growing company, to a fledgling entrepreneur in a single day. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done because it meant completely upending the life and future rewards I had spent the last five years working for and starting from scratch without so much as an idea of what was next. I let the fear of losing that comfort control my life, and I put limits on what I thought I was capable of. GreenSpot Urban started as a way for apartment dwellers to access garden space, and a year and a half later we’ve evolved into a sort of DoorDash for the farmers market. If I were to pick one word to sum up how I overcome the ongoing challenges of starting this business, it would be hope. We’re by no means a success story, yet; but the thought of missing out on an opportunity to see just how big life can be, and the chance to make a world-changing impact is what makes it easy to carry on.

In just the past year of this journey, there have been more lessons than I can count. Little, cliche mantras such as, “Just do it!” And, “put one foot in front of the other” has shown me that just getting started with small actions does, in fact, lead to big results over time. I’ve also found that thinking non-traditionally has served me well throughout this process. Just because something has always been done one way, doesn’t mean it can’t be done another way. Probably the biggest lesson from this experience has been to stop comparing myself to others. When I stopped asking what someone else would do in a situation and looked to my intuition, my confidence grew and the answers I found were more in line with my unique business needs.

We want the world to know we’re open for business. Even if it’s just San Diego for now, we hope to change the way people grocery shop by providing convenient access to the freshest local food. I see this as an incredible opportunity to help small farmers and artisans have a wider reach in their local markets.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Coastal bluffs, beaches, bays, canyons, mountains, and mesas; San Diego is a picturesque city with a laid-back small-town vibe. I love itineraries that let you explore a city’s geography and all the local places off the beaten path. For a week-long adventure, head to Little Italy for an upscale evening out. This area has great energy and a ton going on. Start at the Wine House for red wine sangria in a quaint old cottage before dining at Monello for Italian around the corner. Grab a table inside if you can, and order the cheese wheel pasta.

One of the best things about San Diego is its dog-friendliness. Whether you have a pup or not, you can make a full day of Coronado beach, with beautiful views of Tijuana to the south. The north side of the beach is an off-leash dog lover’s paradise. For some delicious Mexican food don’t miss Mole Friday at Cantina Mayahuel (also served Tuesday but much more fun Friday). The chicken mole sauce has 28 ingredients. Need I say more? They also likely have the best tequila selection in San Diego and a damn good hibiscus margarita.

La Jolla is like a vacation within a vacation. Plan on spending a night at one of the hotels perched above the ocean in this seaside town after an afternoon kayaking in La Jolla cove. For a lunch with some great beach vibes head to Shorerider for their Day Boat Burger and one of their rotating boozy slushies.

Finally, for some amazing scenery, head a little further north along 1 Hwy which hugs the coast up to Encinitas. Eat at Goodonya for fresh local organic fare, and be sure to stop at the Del Mar dog beach to let your pups run around before you head back to town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my husband, Jonathan Everett. For the past 10 years, he’s believed in me and my business ideas and stood by my side to help pitch my first idea at the 2014 University of California, Santa Cruz Entrepreneurship Showcase. Last year was an incredibly difficult time for us both as my transition to full-time entrepreneur, meant some serious reworking of not only my life but inevitably my husband’s also. I can’t thank him enough for embracing risk with me, and can’t wait to see where it takes us.

One other shoutout I’d like to make is to Gideon Shaanan. Since the UC Santa Cruz Entrepreneurship Showcase in 2014, he has provided mentoring through several business ideas. Thank you for years of optimism and guidance.

Website: www.greenspoturban.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenspoturban

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewleverett/

Image Credits
Jonathan Everett, Jonathan Everett Photography

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