Meet Wendy Golding | Community Maven

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

Hi Wendy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was stuck in Florida during the beginning of the pandemic with family. My nephew and I had a harebrained idea to start a vegan friendly ice cream popsicle business. There were a few initial thoughts that drove the business. One, I wanted to show my 11 year old nephew that whatever he put his mind to he could do. Stay focused, drive forward, and stay the course. Second, I wasn’t really impressed with what options we had in Atlanta for vegan ice cream. I’ve always felt like being plant-based was a deterrent for folks for fear of losing some of their favorite items. Last, I wanted to have a direct impact on my community and how I influenced change. We only source local black owned and minority farms for all of our fruit. Often times we have great intentions but our follow-through isn’t always aligned. So this is a way for GOAP to help our local farms and put good plant-based options into our community.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
By day I am a marketing automation technologist for a large tech company that is globally-based. So at my core I would think that I’ve always been a creative of some sort. I’ve always had a passion for food and yummy things coupled with social responsibility and change. While it is not easy to run a start up business and work full-time I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s almost like I’m leading a double life. I have my professional 9 to 5, then I’m able to completely control the creative process with GOAP. I get to make others happy and educate the community and that is my sole responsibility. I have a huge desire to make a change in my community and this gives me creative freedom and fulfills that desire.

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.
Whenever my friends visit Atlanta the food scene is always what they come for. We have got the most wide range of amazing plant base mobile food vendors. I have been so immersed in the community that the majority of my friend Circle is all plant base friendly chefs. So upon arrival we would definitely have to hit up a few of my favorite food trucks… Sometimeatarian, 7sons2moons, Mi Abeulas (just to name a few). We definitely could not skip dessert. We would make it out to grab some cookies from Jamie’s Cooke Dough. Now that we got food covered hopefully Atlanta Vegan Food Truck Tours, Georgia Vintage Goods or AfroSocaLove would be having some sort of event that we could go to and shop, eat some more, and have an awesome time. From there we would definitely stop in the west end. Between Boxcar and Best and Brewing Company there’s always fun to be had in the West End.

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?
First my business partner and nephew Khalil! Also friend and family tribe have continued to believe and encourage us. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my community. I have always done majority of my pop-ups in the west end and in particular Cory and the whole crew at Best and Brewing Company has been extremely supportive and always made me feel at home.

Website: greatestofallpops.com

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