A Day in the Life of LonoLife Co-Founder Craig Leslie

LonoLife was born out of necessity. When a group of friends who loved to get outside, travel, and be active realized that their on-the-go nutrition needs were not getting met, they decided it was time to take matters into their own hands. The result? The tasty, nutritious, portable bone broth, collagen, vegan protein, and protein coffee products you know and love us for. One of those friends was Craig Leslie, a man who lives and breathes the North County San Diego beach life. No stranger to dawn surf patrol, winter weekends charging Mammoth Mountain, and quick getaways fishing in Baja. Craig now spends his days making sure LonoLife products meet the needs of people just like you (and his original crew.)

We decided it was high time to check in with Craig and see what a typical day looks like for him now, and what his go-to products are to keep him powered.

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It’s probably fair to say that I can’t even think about starting my work day until I’ve got some exercise done, and my usual choice is an early surf. So, once up, I feed our two bunnies, make breakfast for my wife Kanani before she leaves for work, then make myself a cup of LonoLife Protein Coffee to wake me up before jumping in the water at my favorite spot -- Cardiff Reef. Even if the surf’s small, I’ll go in and just swim around. Connecting with the ocean to start my day puts everything on the right foot! I love how quick and easy the protein coffee is, and that I don’t crash half an hour in.

Once I’ve got that out of my system, I’m ready to hit my work day. I typically take the scenic route from Cardiff to the LonoLife office in Oceanside so that I can enjoy the view along the Pacific Coast Highway. As far as “commutes” go, it doesn’t suck! When I get into the office I fuel my morning by making a smoothie with banana, berries, spinach, almond butter, yogurt, and mocha LonoLife Collagen (although now I’m starting to switch it up sometimes with our new Vegan Mocha Protein.) Mid-morning, I have a standing meeting with our resident food scientist to discuss progress on new products, recipes, and flavors. One of our upcoming products that is in the research and development stage is a line of plant-based broths for our vegetarian and vegan customers.

Which brings me to lunch (and yes, my day does revolve around food and drink!) Oceanside is an awesome up-and-coming locale for progressive restaurants and cafes with a focus on sustainability, which I love, and I usually walk to lunch with my LonoLife co-workers. Some of our favorites include Privateer, Local Tap House (LTH), and Hello Bettys. After lunch, it’s reviews time. I read and respond to all our customer emails on a daily basis to answer any questions or address any concerns. Mid-afternoon, when I need a snack, I usually have a Beef Bone Broth or a Master Cleanse which gives me the perfect pick-me-up to get through the rest of the day.

I’ve been involved in the restaurant business for years, so I love to cook. Once I’m home in the evening my wife, Kanani, and I try to make sure we are getting as many nutrients as possible in our meals, so we typically cook dinner using LonoLife (instead of bouillon or “stock”.) One of our favorites is rice (cooked in our Thai Curry Beef Bone Broth) with sauteed vegetables and chicken breast. 

After that point, it’s pretty much lights out for me!