Meet Kirsten, Co-Founder of Rebel Cheese

In honor of Women’s History Month, we sat down with Kirsten Maitland—a US Navy veteran turned agile tech consultant and now the force behind Rebel Cheese—to discuss her unconventional journey, the challenges she’s faced as a female founder, and her advice for other women chasing their dreams!

What is your background? What was your career like before starting Rebel Cheese?

Kirsten: "I've been working since I was 12, but my first full-time jobs were in restaurants, and as a barista while I was waiting to get into the Navy. When I was in the Navy, I did air and surface navigation and even spent some time in the kitchen there. Toward the end of my Navy career, I transitioned into the technology department, which launched my career in technology. I then spent over a decade working with companies like Microsoft and Expedia as an agile coach, focusing on innovation. 

Even though it's hard to see the parallels between tech and cheesemaking, there are actually many similarities because we're heavily focused on innovation. Every day, we are testing new things, seeing how we can improve our products. Everything I did in tech, we do now in the kitchen and throughout Rebel Cheese. Even though I didn't have direct experience with cheesemaking before, I really do feel like all of the positions I've had, from working in restaurants to tech, have helped in some way."

What sparked your interest in cheesemaking?

Kirsten: “I’ve always been a foodie. Both of my parents were amazing cooks, and when I was younger, my dad would leave me a recipe and have me make it and then critique it. I feel like that's where I also learned a lot. He was a really good cook, and he could pick any type of cuisine, and execute it perfectly. So I've always been experimenting in the kitchen, but then with cheese, specifically, I started experimenting with that when we went plant-based over 12 years ago. I knew I wanted cheeses that didn't quite exist on the market yet, like aged cheeses. I wanted an aged brie and blue cheese, so I kind of took my nerdy tech background and studied the dairy industry, and applied that to what I had learned with cooking and combined those two things."

When did you know that your cheeses were something special?

Kirsten: “I had a little four-bottle wine fridge that we were using to age the cheeses, and when I took a bite out of the brie, I knew we were on to something. It really reminded me of what I used to have in Europe, growing up in England. I knew then that we had to do this.”

From experimenting with cheeses in your own kitchen, how did you decide to open up the Rebel Cheese bistro in Austin? 

Kirsten: "Fred and I were both consultants, and we enjoyed what we were doing but we also wanted to do something that aligned more with our values.  We really wanted to do something that helped with animal welfare, so we talked about it for a little while, and decided to open up our brick and mortar. We felt like there was a big gap there, and it's something we're very passionate about, so we just went for it!
We both worked full time right up until we opened our doors, and we didn't want that to be a hindrance, so we hired help and there was a lot of collaboration with cheese experts and chefs who helped us with testing recipes for at least a year."

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a woman in male-dominated industries?

Kirsten: “When I was in the Navy, I was the second woman on my ship. It was a really new concept to everyone, and there was a lot of resistance and pushback. They told us that we couldn't do our jobs because we were women, and that they didn't want us there. It was very disruptive being a woman on a small ship with a bunch of guys that never had women on there before, so there was a lot of pushback the entire time I was there. And the good news is, I've seen that improve, like when I go to the VA, the interactions are very different than what they were 30 years ago, so it's definitely improved. But it was very challenging because we were constantly being told that we couldn't succeed, we couldn't do our jobs, and that we shouldn't be there, every day for three years. That was the biggest challenge. 

In the tech industry, I faced some of this too with no confidence from the get-go that I could do my job because I'm a woman. I feel like the food industry is a little bit better, but sometimes I'll experience that especially with contractors. I do think it's getting better, and I have seen a lot of improvement.”

What advice would you give to women experiencing these same issues?

Kirsten: "To not back down. Don't let it hamper your progress. You know, keep showing up. Keep doing what you do, what you're good at. You know you can, so don't let it slow you down. And eventually, they'll see that it doesn't matter what gender you are. You can be successful, just as successful as anyone else. Gender is so irrelevant when it comes to stuff like that."

Are there any female mentors that inspired you along your journey?

Kirsten: “Oh, so many! I’ve had so many incredible female mentors along the way, from women we've worked with at Rebel Cheese, and at every step of my career. Female bosses and co-workers, and we kind of banded together and supported each other, helped each other along the way. I’ve also bonded with other women in the Austin community. When you meet someone who's a female founder—like Delisa, founder of Funky Mello—you just get each other's information, and then you bond and help each other out, it just automatically happens. I think it's because we know we need to help each other.”

What does Women’s History Month mean to you, and how do you celebrate it?

Kirsten: “For me, Women's History Month is about reflecting on the hurdles we’ve overcome and celebrating our successes. It’s a time to honor the persistence and resilience of women, but also recognizing that despite the progress we’ve made, there is still work to be done to achieve full equality.”

How do you balance running Rebel Cheese with your personal life? What's your self-care routine like?

Kirsten: “My puppies, they're my therapy, for sure. They keep me grounded, and they don't let me go on my phone. And naturally, wine and cheese nights. And working out,  I’m a big fan of cycling classes—shout out to Ride here in Austin!”

What was the most rewarding moment since starting Rebel Cheese?

Kirsten: "For me, it's just seeing customers having that feeling of nostalgia, like, "I haven't been able to have this in so many years, and now I'm able to have it again!" Or another big one is kids who have very serious allergies, and families are able to bring them into our restaurant and not have to worry. They can enjoy themselves and not have to worry that something serious is going to happen to them. It's all about those moments for me. That's what keeps me going."

What advice would you give to women looking to turn their passion into a business?

Kirsten: “Just start. Write down a list of to-dos, and begin taking action. It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily things and analysis, but you have to break out of that cycle and just put your product out there. Listen to feedback, iterate, and keep moving forward. Don’t wait for the perfect moment, just start."