How can you encourage people to go vegan for life? That’s what Sarah Taylor, author of Vegan in 30 Days and owner of The Vegan Next Door website, has been working at. Taylor recently took time out for Vegan Mainstream to discuss her passion for animals and how she is making a difference in the world.
Vegan Mainstream: Tell me about yourself and why you started The Vegan Next Door website.
Sarah Taylor: I went vegan in 2002, and at that time, very few people seemed to know the actual definition of vegan — they often thought it included fish or even chicken! Additionally, many people believed that vegans were all extremists. I wanted to show that every day, average people are going vegan, and that it is not only a healthy way to eat, it is also the smartest thing for our planet, and the kindest thing for animals. That is where the idea for the name “The Vegan Next Door” came from.
VM: Why was John Robbin’s Diet for a New America so inspirational and life changing for you?
ST: I went vegan after I gained 10 pounds in my first year of marriage. I bought Diet for a New America thinking that it was a diet book and would give me advice on how to lose weight! Ironically, while I don’t believe weight loss is ever mentioned in the book, after reading about the health effects of eating meat and dairy, how the animals are treated in factory farms, and the implications of a meat and dairy diet on our environment, I not only went vegan overnight, but I also lost the 10 pounds in about 6 weeks. I find it fascinating that, in a vain effort to lose weight and look better, Diet for a New America helped me to find my spirituality instead — compassion and kindness to others.
VM: In your book Vegan in 30 Days, you include practical tips on how to make the transition to a non-meat diet. What do you think is the most challenging part of the transition for people?
ST: Interestingly, I think the biggest challenge to being successful at adopting the vegan diet is simply learning how to be prepared — especially early on while people are still in the process of committing themselves to the diet. For example, if you’re really hungry and go to a cocktail party where there is nothing vegan, you’re likely to compromise and eat vegetarian. Similarly, if you’re invited to dinner and the hostess says, “Oh! I made you a vegetarian lasagna!” and you didn’t take the time to call her and explain how a vegan diet differentiates from a vegetarian diet, you might feel compelled to eat her meal. People have to learn how to be prepared for all of these situations that come up. I spend a lot of time in my book on this — eating out at restaurants, eating at dinner parties, hosting dinner parties, traveling, etc…
Check out Taylor’s book here.
VM: You currently have a website called TheVeganNextDoor.com. What other ways do you plan to spread your word and sell products?
ST: In the near future, I hope to do a “Vegan in 30 Days” phone application, and also plan some podcasts and videos that will be downloadable from the Internet. However, I believe my forte is motivating people in person, so my long-term goal is to hold motivational weekend seminars encouraging people to eat a plant-based diet for their health, the animals and the environment.
VM: Do you think these online methods of reaching people help to make veganism/vegetarianism more mainstream?
ST: I think it’s amazing how people instantly turn to the Internet for everything these days. I believe the more that vegan entrepreneurs can spread the word online, the more people will find the specific resources that they personally need to be successful. The more that people are successful at going and staying vegan, the more that restaurants and grocery stores will cater to the vegan diet, and the more mainstream it will become. One of the very best things in life for me is to remember how hard it was to find anything vegan in 2002 — and how I find vegan items in the most amazing places now! The Chicago Airport, for example, has dozens of options! That was not the case a few years ago.
VM: What is your favorite way to spread the word about veganism?
ST: My favorite way is to simply set an example. I find that if I ask the waiter to leave the cheese off my pizza because I’m vegan, the person behind me in line will lean in and ask me about it. They are curious! I never proselytize, but always have my answers ready to go (I talk about that in my book too!)
VM: How do you reach out to people who have never considered veganism before? What approach do you take when confronted with people who think veganism is either too extreme, or unnecessary?
ST: Once a person learns about the atrocities of factory farms and the effects of meat and dairy on our health and environment, it’s tempting to go on a rant when you get the opportunity. However, I think it’s important to remember that we all (probably) ate meat and dairy at some point too, and to thus have compassion for those that are still doing it. They probably haven’t been exposed to the same information that we have, or maybe not at a time when they were ready to hear it. I always aim to be inspiring, respectful and honest. I am happy and healthy, and while my family and friends may dig at me about my diet from time to time, they will usually throw in a comment like, “Yeah, well, I guess her freaky diet is what keeps her so thin and healthy.” I know, then, that they are noticing the benefits, and that their minds are slowly opening.
VM: How do you stay motivated to work on your business?
ST: I am very conscientious about the fact that every time I inspire someone to eat a few less meat meals a year, it adds up! Even if people don’t go 100% vegan or even vegetarian, I can still make such a big difference if I can convince them to cut back. It gets me really excited when I think about it, and when someone tells me that I’ve inspired them to give up meat altogether or go fully vegan, I do toe-touches and jumping jacks!
VM: You have done several lectures and interviews in 2010, but do you also include social media into your business plan?
ST: I plan to set up a page on Facebook for TheVeganNextDoor. I think it’s a great way to reach people that you know have an interest in hearing your message and helping you to spread the word. I have also just set up a blog on Blogspot.com, and will be launching it shortly.
VM: Do you have any upcoming presentations or events?
ST: Several! My two next events will be speaking at the Portland VegFest on September 19th and the Compassionate Cuisine Event at World Vegetarian Day in LA on October 1st.
VM: For your book, how challenging was the writing process? Did you always envision yourself being a published author?
ST: The writing process is not hard if you are organized and you know what you want to say. The hard part comes in if you are a procrastinator! You must set aside time to write or it is unlikely that you will ever get your book done.
VM: How was the publishing process? Any advice for aspiring authors?
ST: New authors either need to choose between self-publishing or finding a traditional publisher. Both can be long and tedious processes, but both have their advantages. A quick Google search on how to self-publish or how to find a publisher will reveal many sites that give you step-by-step instructions for either route. I originally self-published Vegan in 30 Days, because I already knew how to self-publish. I sold it on Amazon and in some local health food stores, but it was very hard to get a wide audience without a strong PR network or a large marketing budget. Luckily, The Book Publishing Company, which specializes in vegetarian books among other things, found my title pretty soon after it went on the market and bought the rights from me. They have been instrumental in marketing my book and getting a lot of press for it. They have also been very successful at getting me on all kinds of radio stations around the country, including big names like NPR and PBS, as well as getting me many speaking opportunities around the country. I am very grateful for their help.
Having said that, many publishing companies decide that your title is one that they do not want to spend their marketing budget on, in which case, they only really provide distribution. So, it’s probably best to consult with a book-publishing consultant to see what they think the best route is for your particular book if you are unsure yourself.
Along with developing a website and promoting her book, Taylor continues to provide inspiration and motivation to individuals in an effort to help make veganism more mainstream, because it’s her passion. Stay tuned and watch TheVeganNextDoor.com grow!
