Regula, thank you for your time and for this MAp meets. To kick us off, would you tell us a bit about yourself, your personal journey and the work you're doing today?
Regula: My career path has been a varied one – bioanalyst, adult educator in healthcare, and care assistant. I've experienced many different sides of the sector. What's always mattered to me is helping people – whether through knowledge, a listening ear or hands-on workshops. Today I bring all of that experience into my work as a coach and consultant, finding sustainable and healthy solutions together with my clients.
I've been vegan for over eleven years, and vegetarian for twelve years before that. For me, it's not just a lifestyle choice but also a response to the challenges we face around nutrition, animal ethics and the environment. That's how the idea for my company was born: to champion responsible and sustainable alternatives. I love bringing my passion for health, mindfulness and sustainability into my work – through workshops, talks and consulting in German, Swedish and English.
With Balteschwiler Consulting and the "gsund und gfrässig" community, I bring fresh ideas and practical solutions into businesses to make the hospitality industry more sustainable. And not just in hotels and restaurants, but also in hospitals, care homes and schools.
What inspired you to take this path?
Regula: What drives me is the idea that small changes can genuinely make a difference – whether for myself, in my clients' daily routines, in workshops or simply in conversation with others. I'm very curious by nature and I have a constant urge to keep developing and to take responsibility for our world. The themes closest to my heart are health, animal welfare, environmental protection and mindfulness.
What's exciting you most in your work or in the industry right now? Are there any trends, developments or personal projects that are particularly on your mind?
Regula: What really excites me at the moment is the openness and willingness to experiment within the industry. More and more businesses are trying new things – be it vegan menus, mindfulness retreats or green events. I find it especially inspiring when sustainability and community come together. I've noticed, for example, that open-air events are increasingly offering vegan dishes and that crockery and cutlery are being recycled.
Becoming a care assistant was a really exciting step for me – it's helped my company gain a stronger foothold in the healthcare sector. It gives me completely new insights and helps me do my work even better. And I love sharing all these developments through my podcast, newsletter and blog, reaching even more people.
As you know, sustainability plays a huge role at MAp and we genuinely believe everything can be approached in a (more) sustainable way. Were there any particular aha moments or learnings on your journey around sustainability or innovation that you'd like to share with us?
Regula: My most important learning: sustainability isn't a destination, it's a process. The best ideas often come from small experiments and the courage to make mistakes. I've learned a huge amount in conversation with committed hoteliers, for example at Hotel Ucliva, the ahead Burghotel, the Elite hotel chain and the Wellnesshotel Alpenrose in Maurach.
One aha moment: vegan dishes don't always need to be labelled as "vegan", often the allergen list is enough. It gets trickier with ingredients like gelatine, which aren't required to be declared. In those cases, plant-based alternatives such as agar agar and a transparent note on the menu really help.
What matters to me is this: innovation means creating something together that holds lasting value. And recognising just how closely a healthy planet is tied to healthy people.
And of course our favourite MAp meets question can't be missed today: what makes a truly unique hotel experience for you personally?
Regula: It could be a warm smile at check-in, a generous vegan offering at the breakfast buffet, plenty of vegan dishes on the menu, eco-friendly vegan soap and shampoo in the bathroom, or a sustainable spa.
I'm especially drawn to hotels with genuine regional partnerships, where you can really feel the passion of the people behind them.
But what matters to me most is being truly seen and valued as a guest and sensing that here, sustainability and authenticity are more than just a trend: they are a lived ethos. The hotels I mentioned above are good examples of this.
And finally, is there anything we haven't asked you that you'd like to leave our readers with?
Regula: Perhaps this: being authentic really does pay off for all of us, whether as individuals or as businesses. Openness and goodwill in everyday life often make the difference, and even small steps add up in the bigger picture. I think we should be brave enough to try new things, and that's exactly where you at MAp Boutique Consultancy set a real example. I see how you move forward with heart and expertise, and it truly inspires me!
All in all, we can all be innovative and learn from each other if we stay curious and mindful. Let's tackle it together, it's so much more enjoyable that way. That's how life can truly be savoured, in the spirit of "gsund und gfrässig" (Swiss German for "healthy and hungry for more").
About Balteschwiler Consulting:
Balteschwiler Consulting offers tailor-made concepts for the hospitality industry – from introducing seasonal, regional and plant-based dishes to using eco-friendly cleaning and personal care products, right through to staff training. Through workshops with entire teams and with interested guests, Balteschwiler Consulting shares the knowledge needed to reduce ecological footprints while increasing both guest and staff satisfaction.
ke time for prosecco