MAIN STREET VEGAN ACADEMY

Take your vegan outreach to the professional level by training to be

an MSVA-Certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator (VLCE)

Dine gently. Live wisely. Make a difference.

What is a vegan lifestyle coach/educator?

A Main Street Vegan® Lifestyle Coach & Educator is a practicing vegan who is certified to coach, counsel and educate individuals and groups in adopting this health-promoting and compassionate way of eating and being in the world. As a Main Street Vegan-certified VLCE, you’ll be qualified to help individuals and groups go vegan, stay vegan, feel terrific, and be part of the wonderful ripple effect that’s saving the lives of people and animals, and helping heal the planet. In addition, you’ll learn at the Academy how to set up a Vegan Lifestyle Coaching practice, market yourself, speak for groups, and carry the vegan message.

Since our inception in 2012, we’ve realized that the VLCE certification and the business training we provide is relevant not only to those who want to do one-on-one coaching, group classes and outreach, but to vegan entrepreneurs of every stripe. In addition to coaches, counselors, and educators, our graduates include people who are running vegan companies, shops, and restaurants, working for prominent animal rights and health-promotion organizations, writing books, and using their VLCE credential as part of a pre-existing profession in healthcare, nutrition, fitness, yoga, etc.

“Victoria Moran creates a life-changing and revelatory experience for her students at Main Street Vegan Academy. The wealth of knowledge, passion, kindness and insight that Moran and her team of instructors bring to the course is nothing short of genius. My only complaint: having to leave when it was over.  ~ Colette Rice, VLCE, Sacramento, CA

What will we do during the course?

Ours is an in-person program in New York City. It’s an intensive course of two partial days and four full days, going from early morning until evening. A high point of the Main Street Vegan® Academy experience is always our educational excursions to a raw food market, an Indian spice market, vegan bakery, vegan cosmetics shop, leather-free shoe store,  and more. We’ll have lunch out together on field trip day at a classic NYC vegan eatery, an additional luncheon at Harlem’s premier vegan soul food restaurant, another at a restaurant featuring Ayurvedic cuisine, and an optional post-session graduation luncheon at one of the city’s renowned Candle restaurants, Candle Cafe West. If a special veg-related event is taking place in the city during your course, we try to arrange for our students to be part of this, as well. Our core curriculum is in three parts:

I. Vegan Principles, including:

• Fundamentals of vegan nutrition
• Plant-based nutrition for pregnant women, children, athletes, elders
• Diet in the prevention and reversal of disease
• History of the vegetarian and vegan movements
• Fundamentals of animal rights and animal law
• Environmental implications of animal agriculture
• Animal use and abuse in fashion and beauty, and vegan alternatives

II. Communication Principles, including:

• Fundamentals of coaching and counseling for VLCEs
• A compassionate approach to weight, emotional eating, and food addiction issues
• Food as activism
• The art of the food demo
• Public speaking for vegan educators and activists

III. Business Principles, including:

• Social networking for Vegan Lifestyle Coaches and Educators
• Building your brand, and marketing for success
• Client attraction and business development
• Finding and acting on authorship and corporate opportunities

“This program inspires entrepreneurs and seeds vegan business endeavors of every sort. The curriculum is solid, the faculty top-notch, and the immersion experience and after-graduation support incomparable.” ~ Katrina Fox, author, Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow and Ethical Business

Upcoming course dates

• Fall 2017: November 14-19 (1 space open)
• Spring 2018: April 20-25
• Early summer 2018: June 22-27
• [Masters course for MSVA graduates only: Aug. 24-26, 2018]
• Early fall 2018: September 21-26
• Late fall 2018: November 2-7

MAIN STREET VEGAN® ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT

Main Street Vegan Academy is committed to training committed vegans to help others adopt and maintain a positive vegan lifestyle and health-promoting diet, geared to the needs and preferences of the individual. We endorse no particular iteration of vegan diet or animal rights ideology, trusting the conscience of our graduates to live up to their highest light in furthering the ethic of reverence for life.

“I feel privileged to have been a part of such an amazing, love-filled group and a truly extraordinary vegan coaching program. Priceless!” ~ Nadia No, MFT, VLCE, San Francisco

Guest, Occasional, and Emeritus Faculty: 

Chrissy Benson, JD, VLCE,
of MindBodySpiritGroove, on coaching techniques &  modalities;   Paul K. Chappell, West Point graduate, author of  Peaceful Revolution; Jenne Claiborne, HHC, AADP, (www.thenourishingvegan.com); Sherry Colb, JD, Cornell law professor and author of Mind If I Order the Cheeseburger?; Michael Parrish Dudell, business consultant and author with Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, and the other TV “sharks” of Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business; Bruce Friedrich of The Good Food Institute (GFI); Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, www.colleenpatrickgoudreau.com; Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, founder and designer of Vaute, vegan winter coats and designer fashions, on vegan fashion and vegan business; Joel Kahn, MD, “America’s Holistic Heart Doc,” Reader’s Digest columnist, author of The Whole Heart Solution; TV cooking show host Jaime Karpovich, VLCE, www.savethekales.com;  Christopher-Sebastian McJetters, writer who examines the complex relationships between animal violence and the many forms of human oppression in our culture; Ana Negron, MD, author of Nourishing the Body and Recovering Health; Matt Ruscigno, RD, coauthor of No Meat Athlete; Jasmin Singer, co-founder of Our Hen House and Dr. Oz-featured author of Always Too Much and Never Enough; and Dianne Wenz, HHC, AADP, VLCE, editor, www.chicvegan.com; noted broadcaster Jane Velez-Mitchell, www.janeunchained.com; and Zachary Koval, VLCE, executive coach, fitness trainer, and 2013 “Peta’s Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door.” 

“Main Street Vegan Academy will forever be a pivotal experience in my journey. Having the opportunity to learn such a well-rounded arc of information and knowledge, has motivated and furthered my commitment to help others attain levels of health, happiness and purpose that the vegan lifestyle provides.” ~ Avital Weiss, VLCE, Belfast, Northern Ireland

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Upcoming course dates

• Fall 2017: November 14-19 (1 space open)
• Spring 2018: April 20-25
• Early summer 2018: June 22-27
• [Masters course for MSVA graduates only: Aug. 24-26, 2018]
• Early fall 2018: September 21-26
• Late fall 2018: November 2-7

Where does the program take place? 
Main Street Vegan® Academy is live and in person in New York City. This is not just a course; it’s an experience you’ll remember all your life. In NYC you’ll be introduced to, and taught by, some of the most influential people on the contemporary vegan scene, and you’ll learn alongside fellow MSVA students who will likely become your lifelong friends and business contacts. By coming here you’ll see the future of veganism: a city teeming with vegan restaurants, shops, events and more. Our field trips to restaurants, boutiques, and other vegan businesses make the MSVA program a unique and life-changing urban study/vacation, whether you live in the Northeastern U.S. or come from afar.

Who applies for this program?

Women and men from all walks of life — and, so far, twenty different countries — are part of the Main Street Vegan Academy family. In selecting students we look for a commitment to the vegan lifestyle, and the flexibility, open-mindedness, and willingness to undergo a morning-to-evening, 5+-day intensive immersion program. Participants have included men and women from the medical and allied health professions, business people, yoga instructors, culinary professionals, teachers, social workers and addiction counselors, IT professionals, military personnel, fitness trainers, students, stay-at-home moms, and more. Every class has students of all ages. (18 is the minimum age for attendance, although we would accept a younger teen attending the program with a parent. There is no upper age limit.) 

How do I know if I’m qualified?

To be accepted for the program, you need to be a dietary vegan already (that is, consuming no animal products, including fish, eggs, and dairy, regardless of how it these are sourced). You also need to be open to learning more about all aspects of vegan living. 

Prior to acceptance, we review each application and may conduct a phone interview with the applicant. A modest reading list is then sent out and we do expect each participant to have read the books on the list prior to the start of his/her session. Listening to at least 21 episodes of the Main Street Vegan Podcast, covering a variety of topics (health, ethics, environmentalism, cuisine, fitness, etc.) is also required prior to the start of your course.

We are an Equal Opportunity program, welcoming students without regard to race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, politics, or sexual orientation; we also welcome those of all vegan dietary preferences. We share some meals together and take any student allergies into account. We cannot, however, accommodate every food preference, so other than staying strictly vegan, organic where possible,  and leaving out any allergens we’re informed of, we do ask for a bit of dietary flexibility while you’re here.

“Wow! Victoria knows all the right stuff and the right people. Even the most knowledgeable vegan business person has something to gain from this course.” ~ Anndi Hahner, RN, VLCE, Kansas City, MO

How much is tuition?

The program investment is $1895 per student. (The payment must be made in U.S. dollars or calculated to equal $1895 in U.S. dollars.) Once you have been accepted into the Academy, you may pay either:

• A $395 nonrefundable deposit, required within 30 days to hold your place in class. You must pay the remaining $1500 within 60 days of the start of class.
• Or full tuition upfront; you’ll receive a $300 discount ($1595 instead of $1895) for paying within 30 days of acceptance.

Either full tuition or the deposit must be received within one month of your acceptance in order for a place in class to be held for you. Upon acceptance, you’ll be sent a credit card invoice for either discounted upfront-pay tuition, or the deposit, as you stipulate on your application. 

The deposit is nonrefundable. If a true emergency (personal illness, death in the family, natural disaster, etc.) should keep you from attending the program, the deposit is transferable to one later course. If you’ve paid in full and an emergency arises, you’ll receive a refund of all but $395, which can be applied to one later course. The balance is due within 60 days of your course or you risk losing both your deposit and your place in class. Please do not apply if you are not serious about attending or if you are unsure of your ability to pay your tuition. We do not have the staff needed to deal with frivolous applications. Please help us and your fellow vegans by applying only when you feel certain you’re able to follow through — thank you.

What does my tuition include?

During the course period, you’ll receive:

• A memorable and life-changing life experience impossible to duplicate in an online or distance-learning setting
• An immersion in every aspect of vegan philosophy and practice, as well as classes on the how-to’s of vegan coaching, vegan outreach, and vegan business
• Some 40 hours of small group instruction and experiential learning with Victoria Moran and other expert faculty members and guest lecturers
• Personal access to faculty and guest presenters, some of the most sought-after experts on vegan living in the U.S. today
• Field trips to NYC vegan businesses and attractions
• Diploma and professional certification as a Main Street Vegan® Lifestyle Coach and Educator (VLCE), prepared to coach individuals and groups on their vegan journey
• Five-and-a-half full days with Victoria Moran, celebrated author, speaker, educator, radio host, Holistic Health Counselor, Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator, Vegan of the Year 2012, and Peta’s Sexiest Vegan Over 50, female category, 2016/17. This is a boutique experience in a small-group setting. Victoria will teach daily and be available throughout the program to answer your questions personally. Your relationship with her, the other luminaries that comprise the MSVA faculty, and your classmates and alumni from other classes can last a lifetime.
• And not included in your tuition but offered to you as Victoria’s guest: a welcome dinner and breakfast several mornings (meals are strictly vegan with a whole foods emphasis, organic to the fullest extent possible, and accommodating the needs of any students with allergies); plus  afternoon snacks, teas, and Mountain Valley Spring Water  

“I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for being a part of such an amazing course. I have learned and grown so much in such a short period of time and I will be role modeling and transferring my knowledge to as many people as I possibly can during my travels and throughout the rest of my life.” ~ Louella Monaghan, VLCE, Perth, Western Australia

And after graduation, you’ll receive:

• An email compilation of course handouts from Victoria Moran and PowerPoint packs from several other instructors
• The MSVA-certified VLCE banner for your website, blog, email signature, social media pages, and printed materials
• Listing on the “Certified Vegan Coaches” page of MainStreetVegan.net at any point after graduation when you wish to add your listing
• Access to the private Main Street Vegan Alumni forum on Facebook
• The MSVA Master List with contact information for your fellow VLCEs, a strong support network of Vegan Lifestyle Coaches & Educators from across America and around the world, including noted bloggers, chefs, health care professionals, personal trainers, image consultants, recipe creators, web designers, and others who can offer you their advice and support
• The opportunity to have your post(s) featured on the Main Street Vegan blog, a way to share your content with a wide audience who’ll learn about you, your website, and your business
• Access to faculty with your questions and concerns
• Private alumni-only mailings including work leads and outreach opportunities, plus informal reunions in NYC and around the country
• The option to be listed as a VIP (Vegan Information Point) with the American Vegan Society, showcasing you as a vegan resource in your area
• The opportunity, if you wish to partake of it, for further education with us in the Master Coach graduate program, a weekend intensive offered every one to two years
• The cache of being a Main Street Vegan-certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator. Our program is known throughout the plant-based community and the animal rights world as offering the highest quality instruction and ongoing networking opportunities

For a photographic tour of the fabulousness (and the food!) of one student’s Main Street Vegan Academy experience, check out this slideshow from Elissa Blake Free, VLCE, Washington, DC, journalist and October 2015 grad who went on to a position at the Barnard Medical Center.

What other costs will I incur?

You are responsible for your own travel costs and trip insurance, accommodations, and meals out, as well as transportation in NYC, and any shopping you wish to do on field trips. (You are not required to purchase anything at the shops we visit, although most students take advantage of the field trips and “stock up” on vegan shoes, belts, cosmetics, specialty foods, body care products, and gifts.)

Allow around $65 total for lunches out during the program, plus $25 to $40 for graduation luncheon (optional) at Candle Cafe West.  You’ll also be on your own for dinner every night except the first evening of class, and for breakfast when classes are held at a rented conference center. 

If you are on a budget, recommendations for lower-cost accommodations are available upon request. The most convenient places to stay are on Manhattan’s Upper West Side or in South Harlem, although staying anywhere in Manhattan or close-in Brooklyn (especially if you have access to the 2 or 3 subway line) works.

“I can’t fully express my gratitude to Victoria Moran for Main Street Vegan Academy! The class was an incredible experience. Not only did Victoria impart her own knowledge, but she put together an amazing lineup of presenters. This course was exactly what I needed to jump-start my vegan counseling business.” ~ Dianne Wenz, HHC, AADP, VLCE, West Orange, NJ

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Important notes: 

• This course is designed to help you guide others to transition to and thrive with the vegan lifestyle. While you will receive several hours of health and nutrition training, you will not be a nutritionist. Being a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator does NOT qualify you to provide medical advice or treat any illness. Any person looking to undergo a major change in diet should consult a licensed healthcare professional
• This is also not a culinary program: your expertise upon completion of this course will be to teach, guide, and counsel individuals and groups about vegan eating and living, as well as align the entrepreneurial gifts and talents you may bring to the table with your desire for extended vegan outreach.
• While we give you a jam-packed educational experience in a short period of time and the support of our active alumni group afterwards, we make no guarantees about what any graduate will or will not accomplish upon completion of our program. Many of our graduates have successful practices and/or vegan businesses — and we can put you in touch with some of these if you’d like. We cannot, however, promise this outcome for everyone, nor do we promise that any graduate will necessarily earn income as a result of taking this course.
• Ours is a certification program in which men and women who are already vegan learn to teach and counsel others. It is not a how-to-go-vegan course. If you’re looking for this kind of help, check out the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, free and online, from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. If  you’re in the New York City area, you can join the Main Street Vegan Support and Spirit Meetup Group for classes about going vegan and thriving vegan. 

“I could not have imagined a better experience. Learning from Victoria Moran, hanging out with vegans aspiring to be of assistance to others, being back in the greatest city in the world, was exactly as fulfilling as I’d hoped it would be. At the risk of sounding trite, my biggest disappointment was that my class of the Main Street Vegan Academy had to come to an end.” ~ The Rev. Russell K. Elleven, EdD, DMin, LPC, NCC, CFLE, VLCE, Chicago, IL

Books by our alumni: Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide, by Sayward Rebhal, VLCE; Vegan Pressure Cooking, by JL Fields, VLCE, also on our faculty teaching a knockout business class; The Answer Is Vegan, Carol Cymerint, RN, VLCE; and Animooves, by Jackie Demari Costello, LVCYT, VLCE

Another look at upcoming course dates

• Fall 2017: November 14-19 (1 space remaining)
• Spring 2018: April 20-25
• Early summer 2018: June 22-27
• [Master class for MSVA graduates only: Aug. 24-26, 2018]
• Early fall 2018: September 21-26
• Late fall 2018: November 2-7

Important Policy Information ~ Please Read Carefully Before Applying

• Please apply only if  (1) You are already a dietary vegan; (2) You are serious about attending the program; (3) You have the means to cover your tuition; and (4) You have sufficient dietary flexibility that you are able to enjoy meals in a group without a risk to you health (for example, we go to many restaurants and cannot guarantee a completely gluten-free experience)
• Either full tuition ($1895 with a $300 discount for paying in advance = $1595) or a $395 nonrefundable deposit ($1500 balance due 60 days prior to the start of your course), must be received within 30 days of your acceptance or we cannot guarantee your place in class. Please do not apply if you are uncertain about taking the course, or if you are not willing or able to pay your tuition or deposit within 30 days; we do not have the staff or resources to deal with frivolous applications.
• Ours is a boutique program accepting 21 students per class maximum. We understand that emergencies happen, but if you even suspect that something may interfere with your being able to take the course in which you’ve enrolled, please let us know sooner rather than later so we can attempt to fill the available spot.
• If you opt to hold your space with a nonrefundable deposit, the balance of tuition is due within 60 days of the start of your course. Should you need a bit more time, you must let us know prior to the balance-due date or risk losing your deposit and your place in class.
• Cancellation policy: The $395 deposit is nonrefundable, although it will be applicable to ONE other class if an emergency forces you to change your plans; if you fail to attend a second time, your deposit is forfeited. If you pay upfront to get the $300 discount, we hope that you feel quite certain that you’ll attend. Should an emergency arise, all but $395 of your payment will be refunded, and that $395 will be applicable to one later course.

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Graduates Praise Main Street Vegan Academy

Check out  blog post from Sayward Rebhal, VLCE, Santa Barbara:

“Main Street Vegan Academy Will Change Your Life,” on the OurHenHouse.org site

“No words can describe the positive and life-changing experience I had at MSVA! Thank you again for helping me on the path that I feel so passionate about!” ~ Stacy Morris, VLCE, Long Island, NY

“The academy was an incredible experience. All of the speakers were so inspirational and powerful.  I was amazed how humble and kind they were and how they were so willing to share.  I learned something valuable and different from each one of them.” ~ Vivien Straume, VLCE, Derwood, MD

And here’s a piece in ChicVegan.com from graduate Robin Patalon, VLCE, Fallston, MD: “A Walk Down Main Street”

“Ever since attending MSVA this past June, I am so amazed at how quickly and effortlessly  education/advocacy opportunities have materialized. I am now doing cooking demos at the health food store in Sedona as well as the Olive Oil Trading Company in Cottonwood, which has asked if I would up the demos to at least two per month instead of one as they had sellout crowds for my first two and had to waitlist people.” ~ Linda Voorhies, Sedona, AZ

“Blend professionalism with the generosity of a seasoned and delightful hostess. The result? Victoria Moran’s Main Street Vegan Academy. This terrific 5+-day course in NYC draws on veg-savvy experts who help, guide, and encourage participants to find their own pace to make veganism work best for them, for their clients, and the world. This course is an original – and worth every bit of the time and money you spend.” ~ Carol Schneider, VLCE, Boca Raton, FL

From the “Mixed Green Blog” by Margie Cook, VLCE, Toronto: “Main Street Vegan Academy Magic.”

“Victoria’s compassion for animal beings and her clients infuses her instruction with an essence of understanding which enables MSVA graduates, to emerge after a short, productive week, as instruments of powerful change. The success of my clients is a testament to Main Street Vegan Academy.” ~ Nina Hayes, VLCE, Boston, MA

 “I’ve picked up three clients Vegan Lifestyle Coaching clients since graduating from MSVA last month & I loved every second of the course. Thank you for equipping me with great tools and resources. Hearing the past graduates’ vegan and business stories was extremely helpful as well.” ~ Cortney Ostrosky, VLCE, Charleston, SC

“I am so excited to share that I will be working as a Humane Educator with the Ethical Choices Program beginning in a couple of weeks!  I am grateful for my VLCE certification and the amazing Main Street Vegan Academy – thank you, Victoria” ~ Sally Sanders, VLCE, Tallahassee, FL 

A post from one of our male grads, Lynn Price, VLCE, Charlotte, NC, on his blog, CrueltyFreeMe.com 

“As someone fairly new to the vegan lifestyle, I thought I’d be in over my head but no worries. This comprehensive course gave me the knowledge and skills I needed to take this to the next level.  I’ve never enjoyed learning so much or meeting such inspiring, amazing contacts and friends. I’m truly grateful for the experience.”  ~ Lynne Agnew, VLCE, Endicott, NY

Sometimes we even get praise from someone who wasn’t here!  “I want to thank you for inspiring my wife, Alice. Her experience preparing for and participating in the Academy was truly transformative. We’ve been together almost 40 years, and I can’t remember when I’ve seen her so focused and so excited. During lunches on our balcony, she’s shared in detail, speaker-by-speaker and activity-by-activity, her experiences. I also read some of the books she was assigned. As a result, the Academy has changed my life, too!” ~ Wayne A. Gilbert, spouse, Denver, CO

From the popular blog, Vegan Noms: “The Main Street Vegan Academy – A Life Changing Experience”

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Contact: 

Victoria Moran, Founder and Director, victoria@mainstreetvegan.net

Sue Dooley, Registrar, sue@mainstreetvegan.net

Main Street Vegan office phone: 212-289-1808