Generational Health and Legacy: Chris Goode Unveils the Story Behind Ruby Jean’s Juicery
Season 13: Ep. 601
Driven by a passion for healthier living and stronger communities, Chris Goode, founder and CEO of Ruby Jean’s Juicery, is turning everyday actions into meaningful change. Inspired by the legacy of his grandmother, Ruby Jean, Chris built a purpose-driven business rooted in health, family, and the belief that everyone deserves access to better choices.
In conversation with Bayleigh Soza, Chris explores how health equity, community connection, and simple acts of kindness can create a lasting ripple effect. From making nutritious food more accessible to caring for his neighborhood, his journey reminds us that true success is not measured by money or recognition, but by how our choices help us become happier, healthier, and kinder.
Key Takeaways:
- Small, healthy habits and consistent lifestyle changes can improve overall well-being.
- Sharing food and traditions helps strengthen relationships and build connected communities.
- Making nutritious food more accessible gives more people the opportunity to live healthier lives.
- Simple acts of kindness can inspire others and create a lasting positive impact.
- True success goes beyond money and recognition; it means living happier, healthier, and kinder lives.
We couldn’t highlight incredible stories like this without the support of our sponsor, CommunityAmerica Credit Union. Thank you for helping us promote connection, well-being, and stronger communities. If you’re looking for trusted financial wellbeing resources, we invite you to connect with their team and take the next step toward greater financial confidence.
About Chris Goode:
Chris Goode is the founder and CEO of Ruby Jean’s Juicery. The brand began with a single juicer in a 700-square-foot storefront at 40th and Broadway, named for the grandmother he lost at fourteen. Within the first year he bought his first cold press, and a decade later Ruby Jean’s is the number one rated juice brand in the Midwest, poured at CPKC Stadium and stocked in over 150 Whole Foods locations from Hawaii to DC. The story of how a corner shop became a national brand is also the story of how Chris learned to make a place. Ruby Jean’s flagship sits at 3000 TRUTH Avenue, on land that was once a 365-acre plantation where forty enslaved people tended fruit orchards. Chris acquired that ground in February 2022, during Black History Month. He did not buy a building. He bought back a piece of land that owed his people something, and gave it a new assignment.
From that one corner, Chris has built a small ecosystem of culture and care. Patio 3000 has become a transformative gathering space and the home of Juice Jamz, a three-year running mini-festival that lifts local business, art, and culture. What was once a dark, underused hallway is now the Art Hall, a rotating exhibition that has featured local Black creatives who keep 100 percent of what their work earns. A newly curated room called the End Space gives another local artist a home.
Beyond the walls, Chris has worked as a placemaker across Kansas City. He and his team have begun documenting the corridors and corners they have helped reimagine, and the list is long. He led the renaming of JC Nichols Parkway and was instrumental in seeing Dr. King honored in Kansas City. He pushed for the crosswalk that now connects South Moreland Park to the Nelson Atkins Museum. A forthcoming connector bridge over Brush Creek, federally funded by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver to the tune of three million dollars, will soon stitch the neighborhood south of MLK Park back to the park itself, a piece of his vision now in motion. He has fought to rename Troost to TRUTH, and is still fighting. Nine years in, he is still tending to the Paseo stairs with the help of partners like Rockhurst University, still pursuing funds to finish the project, and still showing up for the annual cleanups. The ribbon cutting is not what drives him anymore. The acceptance of the call to truly care, to serve, and to see his community’s longevity positively impacted is. From that same root, he built Ruby Jean’s Foundation, Ruby Jean’s Garden, and the bus stop adoption program. His civic voice has grown alongside the brand, and where the city needs sharpening, he speaks.
What Ruby Jean’s has done inside the larger story of Kansas City may be the truest measure of the work. In a city whose identity has been written for generations in smoke and sauce, Chris has woven nourishment into the cultural fabric without shaming the table. He has never asked anyone to eat like a bird. He has kept the soul in soul food, and vacated the deadliness. He is an Emmy Award-winning entrepreneur, author of thge acclaimed children’s book Ruby Jean’s Garden, husband to Tania, and father to Levin and Heart. He opens every room the way he was raised: in the name of Jesus Christ.
Connect with Chris Goode at:
https://www.instagram.com/rubyjeansjuicery/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/genuinejuiceguy/?hl=en
Connect with Dr. Michelle and Bayleigh at:
https://smallchangesbigshifts.com
hello@smallchangesbigshifts.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/smallchangesbigshifts
https://www.facebook.com/SmallChangesBigShifts
https://www.instagram.com/smallchangesbigshiftsco
https://www.youtube.com/@smallchangesbigshiftsco
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