Interview with Troop Co-Founders: Stephanie Moyal and Jake Mellman

It is our pleasure to introduce you to Stephanie Moyal and Jake Mellman, co founders of Troop Wellness. Read on to hear about what motivates them as well as the rise of Troop Wellness.


What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?

We believe that to better the world, we must first better ourselves. Improving everyday motivates us, and we believe that by doing that, we give so much more to the people around us.  


What do you believe is your superpower?

SM: I absolutely love connecting with people- it makes me feel incredibly alive when I meet people who inspire me.

JM: Storytelling! Everything in life is at the end just a story, so I try to tell it as authentically to myself as I can. People love to be immersed in a story and I love telling them. 


What's the hardest decision you've made so far? 

SM: When we were first starting troop, I was let go from my job in hospitality as the hotels I was managing were temporarily closed. A few months later, they called me back and offered me the job that I had been working towards and envisioning to get. I turned them down to take a chance on myself and on my dream. Looking back, it was the best decision I could have made.

JM: Deciding to be an entrepreneur over getting a stable job. There have been countless times I craved the stability and security of a paid job, but in the end this lifestyle fulfils my soul the most.  


What part of your job do you love, and you can’t stop doing? And what part do you hate doing?

SM: I definitely don’t love doing administrative tasks and working with manufacturing as it’s constantly a struggle, yet what I love- connecting with people and helping them improve their health and wellness, makes it all worth it.

JM: I love working with people and sharing my passion for mushrooms. I truly believe they will significantly improve the world. I hate filling out tax papers and insurance forms. But then again, who doesn’t. 


If you could do something differently in regards to your career, what would it be?

We wouldn’t change anything. All of our past decisions and experiences have led us to where we are today, and this is exactly where we want to be.


Who or what has shaped who you are?

SM: I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my friends and family who have truly shaped me. They’ve served as role models who have inspired me and have shown me what’s possible. Additionally traveling and experiencing different cultures and places has allowed me to gain perspective and have taught me invaluable lessons that have contributed to my personal growth.

And of course, mushrooms have played an incredible role in my life both personally and professionally.

JM: My family and close friends have definitely shaped me. So much so that my family is my cofounder (Steph) and has led to incredible growth and change. Mushrooms have also shown me a better path in all things health and wellness. 


What motivated you to start your company?

Our passion for mushrooms really motivated us to start this company. We felt like we had stumbled upon an ancient secret of health and wellness that we were so excited to share with our community. 


Check out Troop on Instagram @trytroop