Meet Matthew Kelly, founder of Spacegoods

Born in York, serial entrepreneur, Matthew Kelly (27) is the visionary founder of Spacegoods – the revolutionary and cruelty-free functional mushroom supplement, designed to help people prioritise their health and mental wellbeing.

There’s always a lightbulb moment before the beginning of a new venture. What was that moment for you?

It was when my mental health hit an all-time low. I’ve always been an entrepreneur and before Spacegoods, was running two successful businesses. However, when one collapsed due to supplier breakdown, my mental wellbeing started to deteriorate.

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began to research and explore ways to help manage my symptoms, which led to experimenting with magic mushrooms. I’d already heard and read articles about their positive impact on brain functionality and reducing depression and wanted to see what the fuss was about.

It felt like a missed opportunity that functional mushrooms were not readily available for people in the UK, and so I made it my mission to find alternatives that were legal – which is where Space Goods began.

How did you conquer those moments of doubt that so often affect entrepreneurs or stop many with great ideas – what pushed you through?

It’s cliche but I think the biggest risk is taking no risks - you either deal with the doubt or you never start, and deal with the regret of not going for it.  Doubts are there every day but over time you see results and those doubts fade.

Ultimately action is the only way to cure doubts - if you’re doing everything you can then at least you know you’ve given your all to a project or business. And from my experience, when you genuinely care about what you’re working on, it doesn’t feel like work – it’s your mission and you have a real desire to see it through and get it to the next level.

How did you fund Space Goods in the early stages?

I’ve been a full-time entrepreneur since I was 21 when I dropped out of university – I built a few brands previously so used funds from that. But I also raised some money off angel investors in my network, who I’d built a relationship with over the last 6 years – I had credibility and a track record from previous ventures which meant I was backable with this new one.

I’d also built up a great network after years of travelling, building brands and meeting likeminded people – when I started, I didn’t know a single entrepreneur and would have struggled to raise investment, so having this experience has been a game changer.

What does Space Goods offer its target audience?

An easy and tasty way to consume functional mushrooms. Our products are proven to have a positive impact on people’s health and mental wellbeing – with our first product, Rainbow Dust selling 30,000 orders since launch.

The products are designed to be easily incorporated into your everyday routine. It was important to me that Rainbow Dust was delicious, and that people looked forward to consuming it – which is why led the creation of a chocolate-flavoured powder blend.

Made with all-natural ingredients, including vitamin B5, Ashwagandha, and Maca root, Rainbow Dust can be mixed with water or milk and enjoyed as a hot or cold drink, or even combined with smoothies or food. Afterwards, you’ll experience increased energy and sharper focus with zero jitters and no crashing!

So many people rely on caffeine in their everyday life yet experience negative side effects like lack of sleep – which is why I wanted provide people with the feeling many crave from coffee, but without the negative aftermath.

What plans do you have for Space Goods over the next two years?

Ultimately, my vision has always been to build a consumer psilocybin (psychedelics) brand - but we’re a long way off legislation-wise to being able to properly do that.

The first step over the next few years is all about establishing a forward thinking, unique brand that creates exciting, legitimately effective wellness products all built around primary mushroom (non-magic) ingredients.

We have a bunch of new products I’d like to launch, and the aim is to do it all in a very ‘against the grain’ way, just like our first product Rainbow Dust.

Any new product launches we should know about?

Yes! I’m really excited as we’re launching our second product, Dream Dust on 30th January. Dream Dust is an innovative honey and ginger flavoured blend of functional mushrooms and adaptogens, designed to help people relax and tap into a zen feeling before bedtime.

The product will be available on a monthly subscription model (from £1.10 per day).

What would be your top marketing tip, to grow a business that is niche?

The best marketing is a great product, and one that stands out – which is why Space Goods’ branding is so prominent, we wanted to ensure that it was aesthetic and memorable!

Beyond that, it’s all about knowing where your audience is and getting in front of them at scale - for us that’s been primarily Instagram, which is where we’ve spent the most on marketing since launch. However, as we continue to grow, we’re expanding our marketing channels to diversify and lean into new audiences.

Tell us about your journey into the functional mushrooms market.

I first experienced the positive effects of psychedelics in Amsterdam 5 years ago. They were like nothing I had ever experienced before: I knew then that psilocybin would play a huge part in the global wellness market at some point in the future, and over the past few years, more and more research has been done proving how effective these natural compounds can be for improving people’s mental health.

There’s still a long way to do but sentiment is shifting and it’s clear where we are going with this market in my view - I think psychedelics are where CBD was 15-20 years ago!

What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?

It all must start with a genuinely great – and unique! – product which I think too many people look past. Most new brands look and sound the same, which is why I’ve tried to do the opposite to what everyone else is doing in the wellness market with Space Goods.

Do you prioritise self-care as an entrepreneur?

I’ve always prioritised fitness and eating well, but probably less so my mental health and taking time away from a screen to properly recharge! I’m working on it, as it feels like I could work 24 hours a day and it still wouldn’t be enough - but this is the challenge all founders face, probably now more than ever when we’re online 24/7.

What routines have you got in place to ensure that you don’t ignore your mental health?

I run almost every single day - and am currently training for my second marathon, having ran my first last October after falling in love with running in early 2022. For this reason, training is a non-negotiable for me and always will be!