mbg's New COO Tessa Gould Talks Wellness Celebs, Pickled Vegetables & Green Smoothies

Finally, I think NZers, or Kiwis, as they are affectionately known, are generally really good at not sweating the small stuff. We take regular vacations, don't beat ourselves up about taking them, and spend an abundance of time outside. It also helps that the country features some of the most incredible scenery in the world; I still pinch myself every time I go home.

This struck me as an amazing opportunity to put my professional expertise to use in an industry that was personally of interest to me and at a company that I felt has a really important mission: encouraging people to live their best lives and providing them with the tools and resources needed to do that. Plus, Jason can be pretty convincing when he wants to be!

My husband and I are Rich Roll fans and regularly listen to his podcasts together. One weekend late last year, we were driving back to NYC from the recently renovated Scribner's Catskill Lodge and found ourselves listening to Rich interview a recovering equities trader who had just released the aptly named memoir, Wellth. Fast-forward three days and I receive an email from a venture capitalist forwarding along a note from the aforementioned equities trader requesting an intro to me. Naturally, I was intrigued!

At its most basic level, it's all about loving and taking care of ourselves, one another, and the planet. It's about taking a balanced approach, which for me means being aware of what I'm putting in my body but not beating myself up if I eat an RJs Chocolate Licorice Log every once in a while. It's about getting a good night's sleep, finding time to stretch my limbs, spending quality time with my boos, avoiding toxic relationships, and being not just environmentally aware but responsible.

My husband, daughter, and I recently moved right around the corner from the Jungle Cafe in Greenpoint, so we've been hitting that up a ton. I'm also pretty obsessed with everything on the menu at the Shanti Shack—a little vegetarian cantina located inside the Kula Yoga studio in Williamsburg. The founder, Brownie, might be my favorite human ever, and her gluten-free muffins are beyond words.

That green sludge would be Kimberly Snyder's glowing green smoothie! At first a way for me to counteract the indulgences of big-city living and assure my mum that yes, I was, in fact, getting my greens, it quickly became a staple of my morning routine and has stayed one for five years now. In fact, it's a family affair: My husband; our 19-month old daughter, Harriet; and her nanny, Ayanna; also willingly knock back the green goop each morning.

Right now I'm a little obsessed with pickled cucumber. In fact, I'm yet to meet a pickled fruit or vegetable I don't like.

I always love getting out of the house and going for a run, taking my dog for a big walk, going to SoulCycle, or taking a Vinyasa class at Kula. When that isn't possible, quick workouts like Kayla Itsines guides and the DailyOM are my jam.

Kimberly Snyder and Rich Roll, duh! Seriously, though, I'm pumped to meet them all.