My plan for the next 10 years? Well it's gonna be a long 10 years. I'm my own worst enemy.
Can you trust life is no yoke?
You should know that we've been doing this for a decade. 10 years
of indie Vitamix content creators. But I have to tell you the story of how this began
and more than anything I wish the story was: I got a Vitamix, it helped me level-up my smoothie game,
and then I joined the affiliate program. The reality is I bought a Vitamix only because
it was a requirement for being a part of the affiliate program.
So why would I buy a vitamix just so I could maybe earn a commission doing Vitamix referrals?
Well it was my ticket to freedom. I was a traveling consultant working for big consulting.
Physically and mentally I was very unwell, despite what it may have appeared. And I was so
run down by the long hours and the travel and, well, just the demands of working for
big consulting, that my doctor prescribed me Adderall. And I think a lot of us were on it,
although we never really talked about it. By the way, that's the first time I've ever told people
about this outside of you know maybe Shalva I don't think my parents even knew that so...
hi! 40 extra pounds eating terribly dealing with addiction the sleep deprivation everything.
I wanted to turn my life around. It was killing me.
Lucy, it was killing me.
Was it killing me? Yes. This is not a part of the script, but I got you two weeks after I quit.
So this has nothing to do with healthy eating but this is about loving yourself.
Maybe adopt a dog? So I quit! Well, I worked one last year to, sort of, rebrand myself as a health
and wellness guru: lose the weight, deal with the addiction, and just turn my life around. I wasn't
sure how but my plan was to share my story of doing this total 180 and make a career out of
health and wellness. And i remember like it was yesterday I was in the Denver airport and I had
just finished another exhausting week at a client site and I was on the phone with Vitamix it was
Diana at the time I said I'm going to be your best Vitamix affiliate. I think I cried a little bit.
Maybe. And I said that with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder because the guys
at my consulting firm never let me sell. They'd say sales isn't a good fit for you.
You know too much. And I think from their perspective if you know too much and I think
they thought that was bad for sales. So my plan was to sell the Vitamix machine.
This was going to be my means to an end. And since 2012 when I went full-time doing this,
it has! My former life was done. I, now we, Shalva and I and with the help of our brother and a
handful of other helpers, developers, and stuff, we're full-time Vitamix affiliate partners. This
is what we do. So what does that mean? We're like online Vitamix demonstrators. We earn commission
when people buy from us. But since we're just affiliates, we get to do this work from our home.
Hello! So we hold no inventory. And people, well, it's link-based. When you use our links to make
purchases direct from Vitamix, we'll earn credit for the referral. So we're affiliates and
technically we're independent contractors for Vitamix and that means a few things. From a
not-so-great perspective, we don't get employee benefits. We we pay our own health insurance.
We rely on you dependent on your clicky click. Independent contractors we self-insure in case
we're sick. We're also kept at arm's length for almost everything. So pricing, strategy,
marketing, new products-- they they don't tell us much. And when they do, we have to sign an
NDA. But this independence has some benefits for us and you. We are not sponsored content. That,
if you ever see it, this is sponsored content, is you say these words and we will pay you x. We say
what we want. For example when people ask us about Explorian models: if you're concerned at all about
noise about the output of a Vitamix that you're gonna get, I would stay away from that tier three,
so the Explorian series. And if you do get one you should get some protective ear wear. Earmuffs.
And this type of guidance, for people wondering which Vitamix to buy, is good for everyone, and
it follows our number one principle which is be the most helpful. We we could easily sell everyone
the best machine with the most accessories. We're good at this. Shalva: The first thing I'm doing
is putting my hand roasted beets into the food processor, the new Vitamix food processor.
Ready ready? Shred some beets. Lenny: But that's not what's right for everyone. We aim for a
minimalist approach to getting the right Vitamix at the right time even if it's not best for our
business in the short run. We're playing the long game. Look, like, our business has slowly grown
over the last decade because of word of mouth. People are are very satisfied when they get a
Vitamix through us. They're getting the right one and they're using our methods. In fact, that's one
of the big reasons that the folks at Vitamix like us so much. People are generally satisfied Vitamix
owners. But people that buy their Vitamix through us are very satisfied because they get the right
machine and they're using it the right way they're getting the most out of it. And so that's really
good for Vitamix's business. And ours! So does LifeIsNoYoke work for Vitamix? Technically no.
But kind of. We're definitely partners. And that's only now something that we've, kind of,
come to terms with. And that's clear in a couple of our older videos. In our
infamous Ninja versus Vitamix video, I said something like I do not work for Ninja
and I do not work for Vitamix I work for you. For you. Got all dramatic with it. That was all true.
But some of the information were brought to my attention from a meeting we had as affiliates
at Vitamix headquarters. They showed us some of the science behind why Vitamix machines work as
well as they do for the long haul compared to other products. Same thing with the
Nutribullet video. And while I stand by those demonstrations and the facts presented in them,
I don't stand by the tone.Now let's get to the fun stuff. Let's take the Vitamix and
the Nutribullet in the kitchen, and show the 10 things... Yeah and just sort of the
bravado in them, you know? It was dismissive and divisive and just kind of elitist and...
Only now do I realize that most people come to us looking for a Vitamix having come from
a Nutribullet or a Ninja one of those Vitamix alternatives. And then it's not about convincing
people to avoid the mistake of getting one of those Vitamix alternatives it's about showing
love for them. Because eventually if they're into this lifestyle, something that we can
impart on them no matter what blender they have, their lives are going to be better, we'll have
achieved our goals, and hopefully they'll be ready to level-up someday. Because we're
not going anywhere. It's the same thing with the vegan stuff. I'm a strict vegan 99% of the year.
And I truly believe that 100% plant-based diet is the best thing for you and for animals and for
the planet. But feelings aren't helpful even if it comes with zero judgment for people in
achieving their goals and getting a little better, eating a little better. And it's realizing that
most people do in fact want to eat less meat. And that I can get more of what I want by helping
people get what they want. So with the food stuff going forward, we're going to do a better job. And
we're going to try and remind people three things: One, I was a meat cheese and egg-eating fanatic
for my first 30 years, and where I'm at today is not necessarily the destination that's right for
everyone and that that destination has been a journey. It's been like five years
kind of figuring all this out for myself. Two, we want to remind you that Shalva is a never-vegan
vegetarian, proud. I found it to be helpful when you're living with a vegan and you're not a vegan
is a little self-loathing. And third thing, we want to just keep reminding you is that we we just
want you to eat a little better. Because all this Vitamix stuff is really what it was when I began:
just a means to an end. It's a way to help people feel as good as I felt when I transformed
my life, let go of all these bad habits, and lifestyles and, you know, really learn to
love myself and take care of myself. Guys we're going to keep growing and evolving. You know,
maybe even offer a diet plan or something. Because we want to do more for you. It's kind
of scary having all of our eggs in one Vitamix container. This is all we do, kind of to a fault.
Guys we're so grateful for this opportunity to do this work and connect and look forward
to the next 10 years with you. Thanks, thanks so much, see you in the next one. Bye, guys.