Trinity Mouzon Wofford

Game-changer. TRINITY MOUZON WOFFORD symbolizes the word bounded by an em dash as she shifts the world of wellness. She has transversed spaces which carve out health-oriented ways of living and amplified voices of young black womxn entrepreneurs. There is a poise within her that empowers other young womxn to personify their blend of passion and love for wellness products.

“Get after it, don't limit yourself,” Trinity punctuates her manifestation that led toher businesswoman sensibilities.

Both the e-commerce and wellness atmospheres are externally intimidating, yet Trinity was able to transfix her brand’s creation and it’s mantra with a simple sentence– “Easy, super-food boosted essentials for wellness and beauty. Be well, feel good.” The last four words radiate empowerment not only in Golde’s philosophy but within Trinity’s own ability to empower others. She was able to transform her once visualizations and projected dreams into a tangible reality.

“We're living in an extraordinary time in which you can literally send a DM to the person you admire most, and there's a decent chance they'll respond. The playing field has been leveled in a whole new way thanks to the internet, and you have to take advantage of that. I would also advise all future entrepreneurs, regardless of their identity, to seek out a diverse range of mentors and founder friends. I think often times as POC we get caught up in this narrative that only someone who looks like me will be able to understand my business and what I'm building, and that's not inherently true. I've got everyone from white VC guys to fellow WOC advising me on this path — what they all have in common is they believe deeply in what I'm building,” she explains.

Trinity is putting out only goodness in the world by emitting her spirit within the Goldeproducts. Some of the products listed on Golde’s eye-pleasing minimalistic websiteinclude an anti-pollution face mask and matcha blends just to name a few.

“I launched Golde in 2017 with my longtime boyfriend, Issey. I had originally planned on going into the holistic health space as a physician, but I was frustrated with how our insurance system makes holistic care so financially inaccessible. The vision for Golde was born from my own experience as a consumer in the wellness space, feeling sort of caught between the “crunchy/granola” wellness stuff and the ultra-luxe category that was not really speaking to me. We wanted to build a brand that was highlighted the belief that being well should feel *good* (not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well). I don’t think that this process has changed my sense of self, but I do know that it has clarified it,” she states.

Trinity’s initial endeavors with Golde were deconstructing the narratives around the superfood industry and introduce the average consumer to products that can add a bit more light into their lives. Entrepreneur philosophies, including Trinity’s, are centered around encouraging risks. Risks that can not only propel yourself as the head of a powerful company, but becoming a symbolic representation for those who want to do the same but lack those necessary resources. “It’s really an exciting time. When we first came out on the market, this new category was really in its nascent stages, and it’s been really cool to see that movement expand from the sort of “woo woo” crowd to the mainstream. That’s always been our goal with the brand — to make superfoods a little more approachable to the average consumer, so we’re thrilled to see that momentum in the industry,” she adds.

Golde’s DNA is intrinsically tied to Trinity’s strength and willpower. What draws customers to Golde products are Trinity’s ability to seamlessly transition her personality and belief system into the products that she is selling. “I’m really passionate especially on demystifying entrepreneurship and what really goes into building a brand. The American system is very class-driven, and so if you have parents that owned a business you will thus be endowed with the resources around how to start a business one day. If you’re underrepresented in any way (not just as WOC, but how about poor rural folks, regardless of their identities?), you’re missing out on those resources. I try to share what I’ve learned from my experience because that narrative forms its own resource for people to learn about how to get started.”

The game-changing aspect of Trinity’s self-entrepreneurship is to keep on pushing and see how far you can get. She admits that some moments of insecurity will act as minute road blocks from achieving your end result. Throughout her journey, she has grown more confident with herself, which also seeps into how Golde strengthens its own appeal.

“I think as I’ve matured the self acceptance has started to flow really naturally. I can remember in college caring so much about how I was accepted by the world, and oftentimes “editing” myself to fit the social context I was in. I think that’s natural when you’re younger because you’re still just trying to answer the question, “wait, who am I??” I think this entrepreneurial journey has forced me to get really comfortable with knowing who I am and what I want, and that has translated to a relaxed self acceptance that I am so grateful to have found.”

Being fluent in the wellness sector often leads to times that are both mentally and physically exhausting, therefore Trinity finds those necessary moments to breathe and relax. She has found therapeutic elements in the form of neighborhood walks to date-nights in with her boyfriend.

“I enjoy going for a long walk around the neighborhood (I live in Bed Stuy), call my mom or dad, eat a home-cooked meal from my very talented boyfriend, or (ideally) head back home upstate to get some good quality nature time in,” she says. She also adds those small moments of sunshine that often times are taken for granted, “Hitting the farmer’s market every weekend is a ritual for me and my boyfriend. We love the opportunity to shop local and connect with our farmers directly, while saving money on top-quality produce.”

Women of Color are pushing boundaries throughout all creative and business sects,Trinity cites some of the WOC entrepreneurs in the wellness facet that have continuouslyinspired her.

“There are so many! Hannah Bronfman, who’s also an advisor at Golde; Sophia Roe,who is probably the most supportive and loving person on this planet; and Elyse Fox,who is doing incredible work to de-stigmatize mental health,” she states.

Trinity’s personal quests for the rest of the year are intently focused on promoting self-love and committing to the positive energy behind Golde. “Growth and happiness. I’m not too set on specific goals, I just want to make sure I’m enjoying the journey,” she finalizes.