Nobody puts Julianne in the Corner

There was a place for people like you and me; it was in the corner, away from our friends, secluded fear and misinformation, it’s The Allergy Table. It was where I was banished to,  whenever food came out. It’s where my teachers put me when they were afraid. I have found that most allergy adults have not only been the only person in their class or even school with allergies, but they were also at that table, isolated and alone. Now I think it is finally changing, but it is only changing because there is a large number of allergy reactors in the world. 

When Julianne was in school she was the only one too. She was banished to that corner. Luckily for us, as she got older she wasn’t going to let that stop her from achieving her dreams, and her dream was to start a company for all of us! 

Most of the time you don’t know about a CEO’s life. It is hidden, kept on a high tower building away from the ‘common folk’. Luckily with social media and Instagram, it is now much easier to contact a company, but with this company, they’ve done one better. If you have allergies (or deal with them), you know, being able to really know a company’s history, their mission, impacts our confidence, helps us feel safe. Creative Nature has gone through many years as a brand without a human face in front. A brand for allergy reactors but not clear on why. When Julianne came out of the corner and stepped into the light, we understood. We understood why this brand is different to others, why there is passion, love and understanding throughout. Julianne has been at The Allergy Table before. She has been neglected, shoved to the side, forgotten; yet, it didn’t stop her. She used her story to fuel the desire for change. She made a change to hopefully ensure that nobody would sit alone at that table again, but instead have yummy snacks so that non-reactors would be asking to join The Allergy Table - which, would then be THE table. 

Julianne’s Story

There is always going to be a risk, but it’s understanding the risk and making a choice on if you want to control it or avoid it. My parents taught me that I should never let allergies get in my way. My mum made me do countless amazing things that, if I had not been pushed, I would never have done; such as swimming with sharks and manta rays to travelling halfway across the world, exploring new countries. 

I used to be afraid to speak up about my allergies and I used to hide them away to protect myself. Many people with ‘conditions’ feel like this when they get labelled. I hated this, and the way it made me feel utterly isolated, especially in school. As I’ve got older I’ve decided that my allergies would not define me, but instead do the opposite - they would supercharge me, and I chose to support others living in that same ‘box’. Together I want us to ‘unbox’ ourselves and stand up to be counted; just like everyone else. 

Unfortunately, there have been times when I have reached out to others, who have allergies, and they don’t want to work with me, which I do not understand. For me, it’s all about raising awareness, and it can be so difficult when you are consistently put down and told no, especially when you are trying to create change and bring about a solution.

The first time it became abundantly clear that I had severe and life-threatening food allergies was when I collapsed at nursery school. I was rushed to the hospital and further allergy tests revealed that I was allergic to many different foods, including all tree nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, chickpeas, poppy seeds and much more. Ever since, I have often felt ‘apart from’ the world, especially amongst people I don’t know well.  I find a lot of people often take eating and snacking for granted. For me, I have to think about it every single hour of every single day – and so did my parents when I was growing up.  I check labels constantly even with foods that I eat regularly and are ‘safe’ for me. It’s exhausting and has all sorts of unexpected consequences; which include having to manage what others eat around me to avoid any cross-contamination. Even now it is very hard to get people to understand how difficult it is, and most importantly, how serious it is; my life depends on them keeping me safe.

This is the one key purpose behind my company and brand – to make life easier for those who want to enjoy healthy, safe and delicious food without doubt. I do it for people like me who sometimes need a quick and easy choice when it comes to eating. I constantly get feedback from those living with allergies, and often parents with allergic children, to thank me and my team for creating our products. When ‘free-from’ is the only choice you can make, many on-the-go products taste a bit bland. I also wanted our products to be put into a lunchbox and included as options at birthday parties, so that non-allergic people won’t even notice they are consuming free-from goods. I have had so many emails, letters and DMs from people who are now able to have brownies for the first time ever. These messages mean the world to me, and I see that I really am making a difference in people’s lives. I think back to times when I wasn’t allowed to eat the cake or go round to friends' houses, so now making it easier for both the allergy community and for those who don’t have any restrictions is very important to me. 

I was given the opportunity to turn a company around – Creative Nature – which was selling gifts and other eclectic items at the time. It was a big risk and it meant leaving, my then overseas job in finance. However, I could see the possibilities of Creative Nature and how it could be taken in a whole new direction for the allergy community. About nine years ago, ‘free-from’ products were limited, I could see this as an opportunity to take my daily life and do something positive with it; in turn, making a living off of something I have had experience with my whole life. 

Creating a successful business has always driven me. I also now want to use my audience to raise awareness globally about allergies and anaphylaxis. Sharing my story and my experiences to help others. I want to be known as someone who campaigns for equality, equity and understanding for those of us who manage allergies and our daily struggles. 

There is more awareness around allergies now, mainly because the condition is rising. There are more free-from food choices today; though many are still not up to the standard as non-free-from products are, or they are packed with a very high sugar content. At Creative Nature, we appeal to a broad range of customers e.g. allergy reactors, vegans, vegetarians, nutrition aware, bakers, children, no-timers, parents, etc. Our business is expanding, during Covid19, our baking mixes in particular sold extremely well – they don’t need flour, and at the beginning of lockdown, flour was in short supply. 

There is still much work to be done around education for allergies. There is still a lack of understanding and empathy for those of community, especially with anaphylaxis. It is then down to us to be vigilant, always watching, never letting our guard down. This can impact the way we live, going to eat in restaurants, flying on aeroplanes, going abroad, etc. Which is why everyone needs to be aware of the risks for anyone with an allergy. 

When it impacts people personally - when they cannot eat nuts on a flight, for example - often they are outraged. What they don’t understand is, if they did eat nuts, and as a result, someone dies, how would they feel? For me, it’s all about a mutual respect. I have empathy for people so, I should get the same respect back. It’s getting the message out there that allergies can be life-threatening, and in many cases, it is like pulling a trigger.

“I was on a flight and I asked a woman to refrain from eating her peanut “health” bar. She refused, “I will eat it as I have paid for it and I have a right to eat it.” I was honestly shocked at how could anyone be so disconnected, and rude that they couldn’t wait until the end of the flight. It was only a 2-hour flight. ”

Taking personal responsibility for your allergies and building a life around it, is challenging. All of those things that your parents did, shielding you from the pain, unkind words; that now becomes your responsibility and your experiences every day. There’s no avoiding this, you just have to do what you can to live a good and happy life, whilst managing your allergies. Develop a process to engage fully with life and trust certain people with your care. The truth is, your life depends on it. It’s no good kicking against it and worrying about the future, you will still have allergies then anyway.

I didn’t want to be the child who had to have their parent ask 20 questions before risking the biscuit. As a child, I would wonder, how could something which tasted so nice, could be so deadly? Why couldn’t you follow your friends and just grab something, eat and run? I was often around things like biscuits and cakes, treats at birthday parties; peanut butter or Nutella. I was constantly told by kids that “it’s so weird you can’t have it, it tastes amazing”. One kid even said, “only weird people can’t have it”.

Having allergies is not something I wanted or wished for. But, as I’m getting older, I’m becoming more courageous and standing up for myself more often. Also, I realise, that when you put yourself ‘out there’ and people are watching, the risks of criticism are higher. However, no one changed anything by always opting for the ‘safer’ route. I criticise myself so much, and I notice that we all end up being very harsh on ourselves, but it is important to be proud of our accomplishments, occasionally. 

I think being a mixed-race woman can give some people another trait with which to criticise me. In business, because I am female, because I’m a younger entrepreneur because I have a mixed-race heritage, and because I have allergies, there are at least four ‘areas’ where I can be vulnerable. It’s unfortunate that people use those to disregard my input. I believe that all people have value, including me, regardless of their individual circumstances, and I will not be silenced because I am different from the status quo. For me, it is simple ‘keep on going, speak out when you are unfairly treated but keep on going’. 

You have allergies, which you cannot change. Therefore, I think you have two choices - to make the best of it or to make the worst of it. Making the best of it could mean a lifelong discovery into your dreams, which could then become your job and your purpose in this world. Don’t be afraid, don’t be hidden, don’t be ashamed – be the change you want to see. One person can truly make a difference. You can be that person. 

You are not alone, there are lots of others out there who are just like you. Do something great, put energy into it, something that you are passionate about and is worth your time. Even when people don’t accept you, they say things that hurt or put you down; hold your head high and remember you are worthy of whatever you desire. Find a community, ask your parents for advice, and if you find there’s no one like you in that community, make a new one. Work with people you love to create that community and invite in people like you. Most importantly, tell your story; share what it’s like to be you. There are so many mediums now to share your story; you can write it, make a video, start a podcast, draw… Your allergies do not define you; unless you allow it to…. 

PS. remember something great can come out of being put in a corner; who would have thought that little “allergy girl” would grow up to be on the list for Forbes 30 under 30! 

I’m Julianne, as I’ve always been. To my fiancé, friends and family, I am me. My allergies don’t change that. I am the girl who was too shy to speak up in class and now I am the woman who has spoken in rooms to over 1000 people. I am the woman who has skydived in Aruba, Cliff dived in Mexico, I am the woman who loves to dance, I am the woman who loves dogs. I am all these things without my allergies, but my allergies are what pushed me to do better for my world and to create something truly magical. 

I am, Julianne.

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Julianne and her fiance Matt (who is also Operations Manager at Creative Nauture)

Julianne

Instagram @julianne.ponan | @creativenature | @gnawbles

Website www.creativenaturesuperfoods.com

Click HERE to check out my ‘brand review’ I did of Creative Nature and their products GNAWBLES

Julianne and her team are always coming out with new products, flavours and recipes. They have just launched Carrot Cake, 2-1 Pancake & Waffle mix and American style Corn Bread!!!