It would not surprise me if most of your health-conscious choices went out the window during the past two months. I know for me, I’ve struggled with staying away from the foods I know my body doesn’t appreciate, simply because they give me a brief bit of comfort. Sometimes forgotten in our hectic day-to-day routine is that there have continued to be healthy alternatives at our disposal at this time, and one of them is New Moon Market in College Park.

New Moon juices are delicious, as are her salads, wraps, and other food items. Her juices rotate, and the seasonal drinks allow us to enjoy locally sourced fruits and vegetables in nutrient-rich gulps. I’m also especially fond of her pad Thai salad (which is all veggies). Jennifer Moon and her husband celebrated three years in business last year and additionally opened up their second location in downtown Orlando. What has struck me about Jenn in the time that I’ve known her, is that in our conversations, she is optimistic, positive, and grateful, regardless of what issue she is currently facing. I interviewed her last week via email so that the community beyond College Park could get to know her.

LH: What is your professional background? Has it always been related to health-conscious consumption of foods?

JM: My first professional job was as a sales rep at ADP cold calling and building relationships with small businesses for six years. I moved into the pharmaceutical industry selling EpiPens and asthma meds, but I felt more like a glorified caterer. My favorite career was getting to work in the operating room selling medical equipment for ear, nose, and throat surgeons, that was cool! I also sold nutraceuticals, which introduced me to the holistic world. I have 13 years of sales experience. Not related to health-conscious consumption of food; however, my interest in health awareness started when I sold supplements and met alternative doctors.

LH: What is one thing you wish people understood about juicing?

JM: I would say the number one thing we hear from passersby is they love our juice or smoothies, but it’s too expensive. I want to say compared to what? Compared to large smoothie chains? Yes we are more expensive, but we are not the same. We have a premium product. What are you willing to compromise value, service, or price? This is what goes through my head, but I don’t say it. If you knew the story behind the story, you would see the juice businesses in our community work very hard for a small profit, and I mean small. We built our business around an industrial juicer, and the price tag is like purchasing a car. We use only organic ingredients or local whenever possible; we package in glass bottles and have our logo flashed on the label, all of which has a premium cost. We run our juicer every day, creating smaller batches for the freshest juice. We rarely have an overage, but again we are always juicing- so there is a payoff. The times when we receive great reviews from our customers of how much they love our juice selection and how it makes them feel makes my heart explode with joy. I earned a good living in medical sales, but I was not skipping out of the operating room with joy like I feel today.

LH: What personal habits keep you grounded and successful as a business owner juggling two locations?

JM: My definition of success has changed. Staying out of my head as much as possible is a successful day. On the good days, it looks something like this: I wake up a good hour or two before my household and make coffee or tea. My system needs warm drinks first thing, and then I drink Green-Eyed Lady, our greenest juice. I read the selected books I have next to my bed, and I might light a candle and set good intentions. Going for a walk first thing, and catching the sunrise is the ultimate gift to myself. You’ll know the days when I do not give this time to myself, and it is very apparent. Ultimately my husband, my partner, is a massive support. He deserves a trophy.

LH: How has utilizing social media impacted your business in a positive way? Do you have a preferred method of communicating with locals where you've seen the greatest return?

JM: I do believe that social media, particularly Instagram, has helped our business grow and connect with locals. It's a service I feel is important, especially in times like this, to be able to instantly connect with our customers and let them know in real-time what we are doing. Moving forward, I believe that our business model will be more of an online ordering presence.

LH: What is your favorite piece of business advice you pass on to others?

JM: Imagination is part of the process, so write it down. Owning a business is the hardest I’ve ever worked in my entire life, and there are many sacrifices that come with the job. If you have that burning desire to start something, don’t wait. Start now.

LH: How have you shifted your business to deal with the current health crisis and what valuable information have you learned thus far?

JM: What we do at New Moon Market is provide a product for our community that helps maintain a strong immune system- that’s our business. We create tasty and healthy juices, smoothies, wellness shots, and food conveniently ready to pick up. Once this all happened, I had to have that difficult conversation with myself. The “what if”, what if we close? I will be ok and life will be ok. Phew! Allowing myself to say that felt like the universe just swooped in and gave me a huge hug. We closed the downtown location and have College Park open with reduced hours offering curbside pickup or free local delivery. No one has entered the shop, and our team wears gloves and masks. Look out for Online ordering coming soon. Mon-Fri 10-3p Sat 10-2 407-440-8147

LH: How can the community best support you now?

JM: We are thankful for the support we have received. The best practice for today is calling your order in and allowing us to take payment over the phone and bring it to your car. Help spread the word and tell your friends and family about us or write a review.

Follow New Moon on Instagram for continued updates on their business.

All images are property of LemonHearted Creative.