*Mirjam Walser, founder of the Vegan Business School.*

I didn’t plan to become a vegan entrepreneur. But once I went vegan in 2013, it was only a matter of time.

Back then, I was already working in social entrepreneurship. My first project tackled food waste, and I loved building something that had real meaning. Even with a full-time job, I spent most of my free time on side projects that tried to make the world a little better.

In 2015, I launched my first fully vegan project: the Plant Based Innovation Lab in Zurich. Together with my sister and a few other wonderfully wild vegans, we organized a weekend event to help people brainstorm and find their vegan business ideas.

It was small, a little chaotic, and totally exciting — especially at a time when veganism was still far from mainstream. Maybe that’s why the energy was so strong. Everyone there wanted to make it happen.

Here’s the video from that very first weekend — it even became the promo for round two:

That weekend kicked off something bigger. Former participants kept in touch, and we started meeting up. Soon, more vegans joined — people who were curious about startups and wanted to take action. From those meetups, the v-entrepreneurs network was born.

Talking to so many founders and future founders got me thinking: maybe I should start something of my own. At the time, I was running another startup I had co-founded — an incubator for refugees in Switzerland. We helped people launch businesses of their own. It was meaningful work, but something inside me kept calling: I wanted to do more for the animals!

So I made a very tough decision: I handed over my responsibilities (the program still runs today as the SINGA Factory) and left behind a project I deeply cared about. I moved to Berlin. Determined to fully immerse myself in the vegan and startup scenes, and to follow the pull I could no longer ignore.

Off to new horizons

In Berlin, I kept on organizing gatherings for vegan business owners and the v-entrepreneurs network took off. I started inviting speakers from the vegan business world — and suddenly, hundreds of people were showing up. The momentum was insane. Soon, others began organizing meetups in their own cities.

Local chapters popped up in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Düsseldorf, Paris, and beyond. Being in touch with so many founders only made one thing clear: I wasn’t done. The desire to launch something of my own came back stronger than ever.

Meetup of the v-entrepreneurs network back, vegan business founders — *Meetup of the v-entrepreneurs network in Berlin in 2018.*

In 2018, my sister and I launched Faloa, a marketplace for high-end vegan fashion. We worked hard, brought on amazing designers from across Europe, built the shop, and had our first sale. But then the pandemic hit. Everything fell apart.

It broke my heart. I had dreamed of running my own vegan startup — and it was over. I felt like I had failed.

On top of that, I couldn’t run any events anymore. The v-entrepreneurs meetups stopped, and I felt stuck and isolated.

Never give up!

The one thing that kept me going was writing. I had just started a vegan column for a Swiss newspaper. It gave me purpose and reminded me that I was still doing something for the vegan movement.

And little by little, a new sense of clarity began to emerge. Through the events and conversations I had had, I remembered all those vegans who wanted to dedicate their time and skills to the cause. Some had ideas. Many didn’t know where to begin. What they needed was guidance, something I could actually offer. I had the business background, and a huge backpack full of lessons from my own missteps.

That’s when the idea for the Vegan Business School was born.

But launching again was hard. The failure of my other startup had left deep scars. I worked with a coach for several months to face my fears, rebuild my confidence, and get moving again.

First edition of the vegan business school by mirjam walser — *This is how the first edition of the website looked like. At that time, it was called Vegan Startup School.*

In 2022, I started with two clients. I was nervous but excited. I prepared every session for days. I wanted it to be perfect. Of course, it wasn’t perfect — but it worked. One client developed a plant-based treats business, the other a vegan subscription box. And I saw how much support and structure could help people actually take action.

With every new client, I learned more. I noticed common struggles and built systems to solve them. Three years later, I now have a full toolkit, a clear structure, and a flexible way of working that meets people where they are. I still prep every session with care because I want my clients to get the best results.

Some tools I use today are the same ones I used years ago. Everything I teach is based on over a decade of startup experience.

It was all worth it

The journey was not easy and more than once I wanted to give up! But today, I’m proud to say: I make a living helping the animals. Through the Vegan Business School. Through my vegan column (you can read it here). And through the incredible businesses my clients are creating.

Back then, I didn’t know where this journey would lead. But I always believed one thing: vegan businesses can help create a better world. For animals. For the planet. And for people. If we build them based on our vegan values: with care, compassion, and kindness.

That’s what the Vegan Business School is about. And that’s why I love my work. The people I support share these values, and I have meaningful conversations with each of them.

And I know we’re building something meaningful — together.