Phelipe

I’m the founder of PHresh Juice Bar in South Los Angeles. I was born in 1988 to Guatemalan immigrant parents. My dad was a home-based tailor, and my mom ran a housekeeping business, so I grew up around small business grit. As the oldest of five, I grew up amid domestic violence, alcoholism, and drug abuse. I mistook this toxic stress for normalcy and consistently lived in a fight-or-flight mode. At the age of 17, I dropped out and entered the workforce.

I held two jobs at a time for years. In 2010, I joined Whole Foods Market and, over the course of 13 years, advanced into store leadership. There, I learned operations, quality standards, customer service, and inventory control. I also discovered organic food and healthy living—ideas I rarely saw in my neighborhood.

In 2023, my lifestyle caught up with me. My tenure at Whole Foods came to an end, and I hit rock bottom. I quit drinking in April, joined a fitness challenge, and lost 35 pounds in 13 weeks. I embraced therapy, running, and mindfulness. That season changed my life and gave me a purpose: to make healthy choices simple, tasty, and accessible for my community.

After withdrawing my 401(k), I signed a lease in West Adams in December 2023, but due to permit and landlord issues, I was forced to vacate in May 2025. I’ve been selling daily at a local gym and at our weekly run clubs while I secure a ghost kitchen. I’m applying for a Kiva loan to stabilize this pivot and grow in a steady, responsible way.