Meet Ali O’Grady | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ali O’Grady and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ali, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

I’ve been on a complex journey with grief since losing my favorite human to colon cancer in 2011. I was 22 at the time and surrounded by many well-meaning loved ones, but felt totally isolated and disconnected as everyone tiptoed around conversations about my dad and the grief that was consuming me.

At the same time, I reflected on the ways I had done this very thing to my dad throughout his journey with cancer – unable to touch the subject of death — and was continuing to repeat this pattern – in the face of addiction, loss, and other uncomfortable subjects within my family and community. We were all simply at a loss for words or ways to show up in the midst of crisis and ongoing suffering.

I created Thoughtful Human in hopes that it would provide a vehicle to help others navigate these kinds of conversations. To help people understand the long-lasting nature of many of these circumstances, and offer tools to let people gently acknowledge and sit with their loved ones in their pain — today, tomorrow, and over the years.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am really proud of our commitment to sustainability over the years. Our products are plantable (they grow wildflowers), plastic-free, and made from recycled materials in North America. We definitely pay a premium to operate in this way, but with cellophane and overseas production as the industry standard, I am really proud of our commitment to keeping our products and supply chain as green as possible.

I am also particularly proud of our partnership with Success Stories Program. It has been an honor to bring awareness to the work they are doing to build safer communities with transformational workshops for men who’ve caused harm. I can’t recommend them enough for people of all gender identities and walks of life — their documentary (The Feminist on Cellblock Y) and coaches offer real, upstream solutions to some of our greatest social challenges. Their work has had a profound impact on my life and relationships, and I love being able to share it with others in our retail spaces.

How did I get where I am today business-wise?
A lot of privilege, luck, and perseverance!

Was it easy?
Bringing Thoughtful Human to life was a ton of work, but many parts of it felt easy because it was so authentic to my experience and something I was so passionate about creating. I was really hungry and determined to build something of my own. I had a clear target and, for me, that makes things easier. Growing, optimizing, and evolving the brand – that part is really really hard. There have been a lot of setbacks — from bad debts to COVID closures, supply chain issues, and the everyday risks and challenges of a small business playing in big retail spaces. It takes a lot of emotional wherewithal, and has been a challenge as my work has become more focused on streamlining the operation and less connected to the people I created it for.

Lessons Along the Way:
1. Ideas are fragile – protect them! Allow yourself the time to ideate and really develop your ideas before opening them up to outside opinions. Feedback and criticism is healthy and helpful, but I think a lot of people end up discouraged, overwhelmed, and even paralyzed by early negativity or the inability to field questions that just don’t have answers yet. It’s definitely not one-size-fits-all (sometimes early feedback and testing is necessary!), but this was critical in my process and I’d encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to give themselves that time and space to really flush things out and build confidence in their concept.
2. Everything is negotiable. It is very difficult as a little startup to feel like you have any leverage or room to push back on bigger companies and opportunities, but time has taught me that if you lead with your passion and purpose, people can be surprisingly flexible.
3. Be your own advocate, and be f*cking aggressive. I had this lesson drilled into me before I started Thoughtful Human, but I cannot overstate the importance of it. Nothing I have achieved with this brand would have come to fruition without tireless follow ups, aggressive drop ins, and taking the initiative/going the extra mile for every potential opportunity. No one cares about your success or failure when you are small, so you just have to keep yourself on the radar and advocate for yourself every step of the way.
4. It’s a long-term play, and often a lonely one. I read an article a while back that said it’s less about your ability to actually build the company, and more about having “the emotional fortitude to see it through.” You obviously have to have both, but having the emotional support (mentors, family, friends, therapy, exercise, meditation, etc.) to help move you through the inevitable ruts and existential crises along the way has been a super important part of the process.
5. The pie is infinite! I am a competitive person by nature, but learning and really internalizing the fact that someone else’s program or success has nothing to do with my own has been so liberating. It’s allowed me to be more supportive of others, and allowed me to create from a place of intention versus a place of fear or competition., or desperation.

What I Want the World to Know:
It’s ok if people don’t know what to do or say in hard moments, but don’t let the potential of an awkward moment prevent the opportunity to uplift someone who is struggling. You don’t have to have the answers or perfect words (spoiler alert: there are none) – just be honest and keep showing up anyway. Small and big efforts can make such a huge impact on someone in a moment of pain.

I also want people to know that they don’t have to navigate these moments alone – Thoughtful Human is here to help with just that! 

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Coffee and cards at The Local in Alameda
A bike ride around the island
Alameda Antique Faire on Sunday
Beers at Faction Brewing
A sunset walk/run at Alameda Beach or Lake Merritt
Take the ferry from Alameda to San Francisco
Once in SF –
Stroll, shop, taste test at the Ferry Building
Have happy Hour at Sens
Grab burritos from La Fonda, sammies from Lou’s, or any dish from Rose Indian
Go to a comedy show at the Punchline or Cobbs
Hike at Lands End or Mt. Tam
Get some fish and chips at The Trident
Catch a Giant’s game

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So many people deserve credit within my story. First and foremost my mom — she has persevered through so much hardship in her life, but has managed to stay soft and poured her whole heart into raising me, prioritizing my education, and making sure I felt like my ideas mattered. My little sister Jenni and her steadfast, honest opinions that have helped shape the brand, and whose physical and emotional support has helped move me through every high and low of this business. My former bosses, Alex and Nikhil at Back to the Roots, who graciously invited me to learn and grow alongside them — how to build a brand, how to tell a story that resonates + activates, how to be bold and audacious enough to shake up a stale category. And, of course, our amazing designer Summer, who has taken a lot of heavy words and ideas and brought our cards to life with just the right balance of sincerity and playfulness that has resonated with and connected so many!

Website: thoguhtfulhuman.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtfulhuman/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-o-grady-b4659337/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thoughtfulhumn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtfulhumn/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb2h9iH-L_c

Image Credits
Emilie Bers Photography