Women in Wellness: Nicole Berrie
We sat down with one of our favorite wellness entrepreneurs, Nicole Berrie, founder of Bonberi Mart, a cult-favorite wellness destination in NYC. We love her genuine approach to a healthy vegan lifestyle as well as her Korean-inspired recipes!
What inspired you to create your own business? Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
I never knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, in fact writing was always my first passion. But as I grew older my passion in focusing on my wellbeing and nourishment began to take over my life (in the best way), and I started to see holes in where things could be better or “disrupted” if you will, like convenience store culture or making healthy options more accessible, casual and fun. My father was a born and bred entrepreneur so watching him build his business and make a life doing what he loved seeped into my DNA somehow.
How can the wellness industry become more supportive of diverse, female entrepreneurs?
There is a misperception that the wellness world is by and large white and Western. Much of the alternative world’s practices, remedies, approaches is Eastern, Indian, Native American, Caribbean and more. It’s existed for centuries in all parts of the world and is nothing new. I think it’s amazing that more Western cultures are adapting and celebrating Eastern holistic lifestyles, it’s just important to give credit to where they’ve learned these practices and celebrate the cultures from which they originated.
You carry Qi Alchemy herbal pearls at your store, what has your experience been like with the pearls?
They’re a daily essential! You can put them in water, dissolve in tea or chew them. I grew up with Korean herbal pearls like this that my mom would feed me straight up if I had a stomach ache, was getting a cold, really anything. I was surprised to see how popular they are since they’re not well known or as trendy as adaptogens or CBD what have you. It was a pleasant surprise!
What are some of your favorite wellness tips and tricks?
My go-to's are always green juice/fruit first thing in the AM, sweating & movement to ground down and cleanse, and daily meditation to keep myself centered and feeling my best so I can show up as my best self!
What other Asian-American founded brands do you love?
Ply-knits
Mustache Munchies
Matriark in Sag Harbor
Prabal Gurung
Comme Si