Meet Taylor Tanner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor Tanner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I always envisioned owning my own business from the time I was little. My grandparents owned a few businesses manufacturing Safety Identification Products, which they first started in their garage. I grew up going to “work” with my grandma and I loved every bit of it. At some point or another, everyone in our family worked for their business. It was my first job as a teenager and I remember feeling so proud to work there, knowing this was something my family had created.
At 30 years old, my mom went back to school, after having my sister and I, to become a registered dietitian, follow her passion, and start her own nutrition business that she has now had for over 19 years. Being an entrepreneur is truly in my blood. I had the best role models and I just knew that one day I would own my own business as well. I saw the work it took, but I also saw the freedom it provided and the ability it gave someone to follow their heart.
After graduating college, I started working in the fitness industry when I was 21 and fell in love with being a coach. My background as a collegiate athlete playing soccer shaped my love for fitness and movement, while my degree in psychology helped me work with people and understand how to motivate them, ask the right questions, and help people reach their goals. Being a coach combined everything I loved to do.

When I was 22, my mom, Tami Broderick (Registered Dietitian), approached her sister, Jody Pesapane (Clinical Aromatherapist and Herbalist), and I with an idea to start a wellness blog. The idea was to join together and share everything we knew about health and wellness. We all loved to teach and coach and so we felt this was bringing all our skill sets together. At the time, Jody was making essential oil blends for our family. They were incredible products for sleep, pain relief, mood, cold/flu, and overall body care. We decided we would sell a few products here and there and then have our blog, so we started Mindful Mixtures in 2015. For me, this was a chance to work with two of my favorite people in my life and share my love for health and fitness at the same time.

We were all inspired to start our company after the passing of my grandfather, Tami and Jody’s dad. He suffered from heart and lung failure for many years and tried all the traditional medicine, but nothing helped him. It wasn’t until the very end that he was introduced to essential oils. This was the first time in years, that he felt any sort of relief. Unfortunately, his discovery came too late for he passed away in 2012, but this was truly the catalyst for our company. We saw firsthand how powerful plants are, and as health professionals, we wanted to share this knowledge with the world. Our original company motto was “Bringing Nature Back to Health”, educating people on the power of plants and giving people the power to take control of their own health.

After owning Mindful Mixtures for four years, I continued to work as a personal trainer. During this time period, I got married and became a mom. Becoming a mom was truly a transformative experience for me. My pregnancy was very mentally challenging for me and as a health and fitness professional, I had a hard time understanding what my body was actually capable of during my pregnancy because it went against all the standard “rules”. After my experience, I was so passionate about learning all there is to know about pregnancy and fitness so I became certified in Pre and Postnatal coaching and decided to start my own coaching business called Mindful Mommy Coaching. I wanted to help other moms navigate this incredible time and not feel so alone. Thinking of my own daughter gave me so much strength to go after what I was passionate about, even though there was the fear of going out on my own. My mom did the same at my age, so I knew I could do it too.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I shared in the beginning that we started Mindful Mixtures in 2015. We have now been in business for 10 years and over the last 5 years our company and brand has shifted. Most people today know us as Charley, after our top-selling product.
Charley was developed with the same passion that started our company. This topical magnesium formula is designed to stop muscle cramps on contact, reduce inflammation, and accelerate recovery, all without synthetic chemicals or questionable ingredients. Our commitment to quality ingredients and sustainability truly sets us apart from our competitors. Infused with powerful plant botanicals and essential oils, Charley works to improve circulation, ease pain, and support overall muscle health — Charley is a clean, natural alternative to traditional pain relief.
Ever since we created Charley, I envisioned this product changing the world. I grew up playing soccer from age 4 through my D1 soccer career in college. I suffered two ACL tears in college, stress fractures, and muscle pulls. I took Advil daily like it was candy, I put toxic chemicals all over my body, and at age 19, I suffered a lot of unexplained health issues. I was told I was premenopausal at 19. This started my own personal journey to better health and made me rethink what I was putting on my body. Charley is the product I wish I had during my soccer career.
As a mom, coach, and owner of a wellness brand, it is my mission to help other people live healthier lives. Our health is everything and without it, we have nothing. I am so proud to be the owner of Charley because I have been able to witness firsthand how it has impacted people and made their lives better. We started our ambassador program this year and I am so excited to continue to build this incredible community of people who inspire people daily to move their bodies and prioritize their health.
We got to where we are today as a business by never giving up. It sounds cliche but that has been the key. Over 10 years, at one point or another, one of us has wanted to quit. The feeling has always been brief, but I won’t deny that it has been a long, hard journey. Knowing the difference we are making in people’s lives by providing products that not only work, but also support someone’s journey towards a healthier lifestyle has always pushed us through the hard times. Every event we go to, every race, someone comes up and tells us how our products are making a difference in their life and there is truly no better feeling than that. Our mission, bringing nature back to health, is so powerful and has been our north star since day 1. Honoring my grandpa and his life has also propelled us forward and is the reason we do what we do. Our “why” is so strong and is what gets us through the challenges.
I want the world to know that our thoughts, actions, and our mindsets shape our reality. What started as an idea, has become a 10 year business because we took the first step. We have stayed strong and remained in business because we didn’t quit and now after 10 years, I can finally say that we are seeing our hard work pay off. Charley is making its way into homes across America, which has always been my dream, because it means we are helping more and more people.

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.
I only moved to Colorado a year and a half ago, so I feel like I have only scratched the surface of what this gorgeous state has to offer. One of my fav spots right now is Rocky Mountain National Park. We just took my two daughters up there (ages 3 and 5) and explored the park and I am in love. The kids loved Bear Lake and being able to sit out on the rocks, while the lake was frozen. Our favorite place to eat is at Acreage in Lafayette. It has the best view of the mountains, incredible ciders on tap, amazing food, and a playground for the kiddos. It is literally the perfect place.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am dedicating my shoutout to my mom, Tami Broderick. She has paved the way for me to be who I am today. She has shown me that you can start over, chase your dreams, follow your passion and go after whatever you set your mind to. I have always had this internal belief that I could do anything I wanted or be whoever I wanted to be and that is because I saw my mom do it firsthand. She always told me to follow my heart and do what I love and that has always stuck with me. Today I get to work alongside her and it is so incredibly special.

Website: https://www.charleygel.com

Instagram: @charley.sport @coach.tay