My first week at Belu…in lockdown

Written by Lucy Keith, Operations Lead at Belu.

‘Good luck tomorrow, it sounds so exciting’ was the text I received from a friend the night before starting, followed by ‘at least you already know how to work the coffee machine and where the loos are’.

In the lead up to my first day, I went through the normal rollercoaster of emotions. I was excited for new chapters, learnings, and colleagues but was also conflicted with nerves, anxiety and the intense feeling of imposter syndrome. All to be expected after a few (many) months in lockdown and having had a break from the normal nine-to-five rush. There is a part of me that is relieved that I no longer have to fill my days making my 800th batch of banana bread and taking up hobbies like paint by numbers, just to gain a sense of achievement.

Having always worked in the charity sector, it was really important to me when looking for my next challenge that the company I chose had a real purpose, and Belu has that in spades! A drinks business that puts people and the environment first. It is so easy in the consumerist and materialistic world that we live in today to constantly be thinking about the next big thing you have to achieve, that it’s easy to lose touch with what really matters and what feeds us as human beings. It is unbelievable to think that 73% of your brain is water, and quite frankly I need all the water I can get right now…so, I think I’m in the right place!

It has been a week full of fascinating facts, virtual meetings, presentations and getting to grips with all that makes Belu unique. I have been intrigued to learn the way the business is run and just how many pieces of the puzzle there are to physically get mineral water into the bottle and onto a pallet ready for the shelves. All against the permanent backdrop of sustainability and safeguarding our environment. It has given me an insight of just how important the process is in order to get the best possible outcome and inspires me that it can be done right.

With week one under my belt, I now know not just how the coffee machine works but how water bottles are made, recycled and just how important it is to change the way the world sees water. I am excited for another week of learning and being a part of this brilliant team.