Lights, Camera, Mushrooms: An Actress’s Journey to Wellness Entrepreneurship

When it comes to wellness supplements, the market is brimming with mushroom-centered products promising everything from boosted energy to radiant skin. With so many options, it can be daunting to figure out which ones are genuinely beneficial. That's why we're thrilled when a personal story brings authenticity to a brand's creation. Enter Maria Camila Giraldo, the Colombian-born actress you've seen in hit shows like "Queen of the South" and Netflix’s “Griselda”.

Maria's journey into wellness led her to create Fungiments, a line of mushroom-centered capsules and gummies designed to address specific health needs. Each supplement is meticulously formulated with functional ingredients and adaptogens, ensuring consumers can maximize their fun feelings—whether it's energy, good sleep, great digestion, or glowing skin.

What sets Fungiments apart is its unwavering commitment to cleanliness and purity, prioritizing top-notch ingredients to support your well-being. We recently had the pleasure of chatting with Maria about how she brought Fungiments to life and the personal story behind these amazing supplements.

Can you walk us through the journey from your initial idea to the launch of Fungiments?

I knew that I knew that from the beginning that I wanted it to feel like a fun brand – not just another wellness brand. I wanted to be able to carry these supplements with me everywhere. And actually we started with these little tiny bottles but now that we're in retail, they just didn't make any sense. So we changed our packaging, we changed everything. And our first slogan was ‘Claim your powers’ because when I was going through this concussion recovery, I realized that the mushroom supplements were allowing me to do exactly that  – they were allowing me to claim my powers. Now our slogan is ‘Life's more fun when you have super powers’. So those are two main changes. And then throughout it all, we've had different kinds of iterations in our label, right? Now I love our label. We added some sparkles, some like stars and, and some fun combinations of colors. They all pop and they're very vibrant. 

Can you share the story behind the name "Fungiments" and what it represents?

It's Fungi + supplements combined. We were looking to get an amazing name and reviewed so many iterations but everything felt cheesy. And then one day I was on the phone with one of my close friends and I was just sharing with her all the fun names and I was just like I wish it could look like something like a middle of a name in the middle of another one because I had a company in Colombia that we did something similar. So she said ‘fung’ and ‘supp’ out loud and Fungiments just clicked. 

How do you balance your acting career with running a supplement brand? Any tips for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Really, it's an integration, not a balance. I have to integrate one into the other. During my days, I block time for both of them because I love both, and I'm not going to stop doing either. They're both my passions and they fill me up every day with so much. So yeah, I wouldn't say it's a balance, it's an integration. That means I block time off when I'm not on set to do both: take some time to read scripts, review projects, and focus on acting, and then the same vice versa. When I'm acting on set, I make time to review emails and other projects. There's usually a lot of downtime on set, which really helps.

How does your background in acting influence your approach to marketing and branding Fungiments?

My background in acting influences our marketing and communication in many ways because I've been on all sides of the camera and various projects. I believe this experience allows me to understand how to innovate and get creative in the way we communicate this brand to the world. That's what we strive to do as much as possible—in the most fun, innovative, and creative ways. For example, right now we're creating a very exciting campaign that I can't discuss much. So please stay tuned, because there's something really cool coming up with some creators.

How do you recommend new users start incorporating Fungiments into their daily routine?

I think everything comes down to individual needs. We're not all the same, and my needs are not the same as someone else's. My needs are mostly in digestion and energy, but some people need a lot of help with sleep. So, I would recommend everyone to ask themselves a question: What do you need the most help with? Based on that, pick your first product, fall in love with it, then start incorporating others. We want to provide everyone with a baseline throughout their day so they can feel great all the time. They can have good sleep, be focused and concentrated, and enjoy good digestion and skin.

What sets Fungiments apart in terms of ingredient sourcing and manufacturing practices?

So overall, a good baseline throughout it all is that our approach is fundamentally different in terms of ingredient sourcing and manufacturing practices. Our ingredients are the most potent, high-quality ingredients. I'm very picky about that because when I was going through my concussion, I found mushroom supplements that my doctor recommended, but the formula was very expensive. So I said, "Okay, I want to look for other alternatives." I went to different pharmacies, grocery stores, and supermarkets, but I couldn't find something that had the same strength and was carefully sourced.

So, when I went out to start my own brand, I committed to making Fungiments’ formulas the best on the market. Yes, our ingredients are just very powerful. Other mushroom brands just have the mushroom by itself, and sure, you can take the mushroom. Mushrooms are beautiful, but you would have to wait at least 20 to 30 days to feel the desired effect with most other formulas. With ours, you feel the effect right away because we combine the best ingredients with the most efficacy, blending mushrooms with other adaptogens to enhance the targeted effects.

Can you explain the unique properties of some key mushrooms used in Fungiments and why they were chosen?

Fungiments has one SKU that we call Super Bouncy. It's a great product for focus, energy, and concentration because it contains Cordyceps mushrooms, ginseng, and green tea extract. Mark my words, there is going to be a rise in people's interest in Cordyceps because they are a magical, fantastic mushroom. They help us produce our own energy by enhancing the production of ATP, which is the way our cells receive energy. They are great for endurance and performance. This mushroom, in particular, is one of my favorites.

Can you tell us about the most surprising benefit you’ve experienced from using your own products?

My productivity with Super Bouncy skyrockets on the days I take it versus the days I don't. I moved Super Bouncy to the top of my desk because I need to take it every day, or I feel like my energy is falling, and I feel off. I take Super Bouncy and then Super Prune as well. I travel a lot and used to struggle with digestion and regularity, but with Super Prune, I don't anymore. I didn't like prunes, but I knew they were really good for helping you stay regular. Super Prune just does that for me—it's not like a harsh laxative. It's natural, it's herbs, and it just helps you stay regular.

How important is sustainability to the Fungiments brand, and how do you communicate this to your customers?

We believe, and this has been true since the beginning of the company, that mushrooms connect everything in the world. The root-like structure of mushrooms, called mycelium, is what connects everything in the world. It allows trees to communicate with each other and carries micronutrients. It is just this structure that connects everything. While we were doing the research and starting the brand, we noticed this and thought, oh, we have to do something for the planet. So for 2025, we have a big project to become net-zero plastic. This means all of our bottles and packaging will be fully recyclable, which is very exciting for us. This is something that we've had in the works for a really long time.

What’s the most unexpected benefit or reaction you’ve heard from someone using Fungiments?

The most unexpected example is a friend of mine who was struggling a lot with her mental health and depression. I do want to make it clear that none of these products can replace actual medications for mental health problems. They do help, but I recommend everyone to ask their doctors about it and find their best solution. But my friend said, "Hey, you know, I told you I've been struggling with a lot of down feelings and feeling very depressed lately, and though I'm not fully feeling better, I do feel that Super Bouncy gives me something that wakes me up and gives me a purpose. It gives me something like a kick in my back so I can have more energy." I thought that was very special.

Oh, I have another one. A girl found Super Bouncy organically—we didn't send it to her or anything. This college student created a video sharing her experience, saying she uses it to both study and party. I thought that was fantastic because that's literally the spirit of this product. I use this product to go out, when I'm feeling tired, or when I have jet lag. I use this product to focus and concentrate whenever I need a boost of energy. So when she said she used it to study and party in the same sentence, I thought it was just hilarious and fantastic.

What’s a fun fact about mushrooms that you think everyone should know?

I’d say there’s an incredible magic to mushrooms that we’re only beginning to uncover. Did you know mushrooms can communicate with each other through a network called mycelium, almost like a natural internet? Plus, each type of mushroom has unique benefits—some boost energy, while others can help with focus or even enhance your mood. It’s fascinating how these little fungi can cater to so many different needs!

The post Lights, Camera, Mushrooms: An Actress’s Journey to Wellness Entrepreneurship appeared first on The Chalkboard.

from The Chalkboard https://ift.tt/iXYZJ39
via IFTTT