Braeden Ralla was always inspired by his late mother Devi Ralla’s determination, drive and amazing zest for life. “My mother ran marathons, she was a run leader and educational assistant, who helped hundreds of people achieve their health goals,” says Braeden. When his mother was diagnosed with cancer, her naturopath suggested she take some health supplements in pill form. Braeden decided his mother could handle them better if he put them in a smoothie.
Little did Braeden know that this was the beginning of Purpose Smoothie Co. Before long, he was researching how he could create nutritious, yet delicious smoothies for his mother. “Smoothies were a way for my mom to get all of the nutrients she needed quickly and in a tasty drink,” says the young entrepreneur.
Soon, family members were asking him to make them smoothies. “When we were on a family vacation in December 2015, that’s when I began to put a business plan together,” he notes. In 2016, after his mother passed away, Braeden’s father encouraged him to open a smoothie bar. He spent time developing and refining recipes, with lots of input from his family, before opening Purpose Smoothie Co. in June 2017. “The name Purpose comes from the inspiration my mom was to me … the way she lived a purpose-driven life,” he says.
