For Fresh and Pressed Juice founder Kiara Smith, the road to entrepreneurship did not begin with a business plan. It began at home, with a mother trying to make healthier choices for her family.
As Smith started paying closer attention to what her family was eating, she began looking for foods that were nourishing, energizing and made with cleaner ingredients. Along the way, she discovered that wellness did not have to mean changing everything at once.
“That experience taught me that food can be a powerful tool for supporting our health,” Smith said. “I started choosing foods that loved us back — things that nourished, energized and fueled my family. I also learned that wellness doesn’t have to happen overnight. Small, intentional changes and baby steps can make a big difference.”
But as she explored gluten-free, dairy-free and no-added-sugar options, Smith noticed a gap. Healthier choices were possible at home, but convenient options were not always easy to find when her family was on the go.
So she began creating what she could not easily find.
“I decided to create what I wished we had: a place where my family and other families could enjoy delicious, convenient food made with quality ingredients without feeling like eating healthy had to be complicated,” she said. “And that’s really how Fresh and Pressed Juice came to life.”
What started in her kitchen quickly became something bigger. Smith began sharing her wellness journey online, including the juices she was making, and people started asking if they could order them.
Before long, she was spending five to six hours a day making juice from home. It was her husband who eventually pushed her to recognize that what she had created had the potential to become a business.
“He sat me down and said, ‘We have to turn this into a business,’” Smith said. “And honestly, I knew it was bigger than me.”
Smith had been a stay-at-home mother for years, making the transition into entrepreneurship and eventually opening a brick-and-mortar location intimidating. She remembers feeling nervous and uncertain about taking that step, but her husband’s encouragement helped her move forward.
At the center of the business was something she already understood personally: parents trying to make healthier choices for their families but unsure where to begin.
Fresh and Pressed Juice approaches wellness with that same understanding. Smith said the goal is not perfection or an overnight transformation, but giving customers simple, realistic ways to make better choices.
The company sources organic fruits and vegetables, presses its juices fresh and bottles them in glass. Customers can return bottles for a credit, creating a more sustainable routine. The menu also includes smoothies, açaí bowls and other options designed to make healthier eating more convenient throughout the week.
“Wellness felt overwhelming for me at one point, too,” Smith said. “At Fresh and Pressed Juice, we understand that everyone is at a different place in their wellness journey and sometimes people just need a place to start.”
That philosophy continues to guide Smith’s larger vision for the company. She hopes to expand Fresh and Pressed Juice into more communities while also creating a nonprofit focused on wellness education and nutritious food for underserved families.
For Smith, that next chapter is especially connected to children and parents. She wants families to better understand how daily food choices can affect energy, mood, focus and overall well-being, while giving them practical tools to build healthier habits.
“I want Fresh and Pressed Juice to be more than a juice bar,” Smith said. “I want us to be part of a movement that makes wellness more accessible, gives families the tools to make informed choices, and helps create healthier generations.”