Podcast Summary
Balancing work and leisure in business travel: Find meaning and humanity in insurance, prioritize customer service, and start a business with courage and unique skills.
Having a balance between work and leisure can significantly enhance business travel experiences. This was emphasized by the speaker's personal experience and recommendation of the Delta Sky Miles Platinum Business American Express Card. Another key takeaway is the importance of finding meaning and humanity in insurance through companies like Amica, which prioritize customer service and empathy. Lastly, the story of Amanda Hesser's transition from a journalist to an entrepreneur showcased the courage and unique skills it takes to start a business, despite the skepticism and cynicism that can come from a journalistic background.
Unconventional Business Strategies and Family Values Shaped the Speaker's Career in Food: Growing up with a resourceful businessman father and facing adversities instilled a strong work ethic and resilience, shaping the speaker's career in food through unconventional strategies.
The speaker's father, a resourceful businessman, used unconventional methods to attract customers and overcome challenges, such as the Jello jump stunt and rebuilding after a fire. The speaker's upbringing, filled with hard work and appreciation for food, influenced their later interest in the industry. A pivotal moment was the death of their father during their college years, which provided the freedom to pursue a career in food instead of finance. Despite facing adversities, the speaker's family values instilled in them a strong work ethic and resilience.
Finding Passion Through Personal Loss: After a loss, following unconventional paths can lead to personal growth and happiness through self-discovery and perseverance.
Following an unconventional path can lead to personal growth and happiness, even after a difficult experience. After losing her father in college, the speaker was determined to find her own way and discovered her passion for food. She wrote letters to chefs and bakeries in Boston, leading to hands-on experiences in the industry. Traveling to Europe to apprentice in various kitchens further fueled her passion, despite the challenges and isolation. Through these experiences, she began to develop her writer's soul and found a unique way to stay connected with loved ones through letters. Ultimately, the speaker's story highlights the importance of perseverance, self-discovery, and the power of following one's passions.
Unexpected experiences can ignite hidden passions: Unexpected circumstances can lead to discovering new talents and pursuing dreams, even without experience or connections in the industry.
Unexpected experiences and circumstances can awaken hidden passions and talents within us. The speaker discovered her love for writing while being forced to do so due to loneliness. Similarly, she found her passion for cooking and food writing while working and living in a French chateau, developing a deep connection with a local gardener and learning the importance of seasonal cooking. Despite having no experience or connections in the publishing industry, she pursued her dream by writing a proposal and sending it to various cookbook agents, eventually publishing a cookbook that celebrated seasonal cooking before it became a popular trend.
Unexpected opportunities from persistence: Persistence and determination can lead to small opportunities, which can then lead to bigger ones. Be open to learning and growing in new roles.
Persistence and determination can lead to unexpected opportunities. The speaker shared how they received a small book contract after pitching their proposal, and then unexpectedly received a call from an editor at the New York Times while working on the book. Despite moving to Los Angeles with the intention of freelance writing, the speaker ended up getting a job at the New York Times instead. This experience shows that even small opportunities can lead to bigger ones, and that being persistent and open to new experiences can lead to unexpected success. Additionally, the speaker's lack of knowledge about the industry and the nut graph concept showed that everyone starts somewhere, and that it's important to be open to learning and growing in new roles.
From outsider to editor at The New York Times: Age and lack of formal mentoring didn't stop her from transitioning from writing to editing at The New York Times. Determination and ambition, despite facing challenges like a tough love culture and being labeled 'frighteningly ambitious', led to her success.
Determination and ambition, even with an unconventional background, can lead to success in competitive environments like The New York Times. The speaker, despite feeling like an outsider due to her age and lack of formal mentoring, persisted and eventually transitioned from writing to editing. She faced challenges, including a tough love culture and being labeled "frighteningly ambitious," but saw these experiences as opportunities to prove herself and overcome obstacles. The speaker's early experiences with sexism and the desire to defy expectations fueled her determination and drive to succeed in her career.
Stepping Out of Comfort Zones: Amanda Hesser's Cookbook Journey and Atlassian's AI-Powered Collaboration Tools: New ideas, collaboration, and technology can lead to remarkable achievements. Amanda Hesser's cookbook success came from stepping out of her comfort zone and collaborating. Atlassian's AI tools enhance teamwork and productivity.
Building a successful business often requires stepping out of one's comfort zone and adopting new approaches. Amanda Hesser, a food writer for The New York Times, learned this firsthand when she decided to create a comprehensive cookbook using recipes from the newspaper's extensive archives. She was accustomed to working independently in kitchens and bakeries but soon discovered that bringing her idea to life required collaboration and patience. She had to gather buy-in from various people and let the process unfold naturally. This was a stark contrast to her previous experiences, but it ultimately led to the creation of a classic and bestselling cookbook. Moreover, companies like Atlassian are harnessing the power of AI to enhance teamwork and collaboration, making the impossible possible. From pizza chains to space exploration, AI is being used to streamline processes, make informed decisions, and boost productivity. Atlassian's AI-powered software, such as Jira and Confluence, helps teams accomplish what would otherwise be impossible alone. In conclusion, whether it's in business or personal projects, being open to new ideas, collaborating with others, and embracing new technologies can lead to remarkable achievements.
Meeting Meryl and Pursuing C-Winkle: Samin's career evolved through collaboration, seizing opportunities, and adapting to new challenges, leading her to become an influential figure in the culinary world.
Samin Nosrat's journey in the culinary world led her to realize the importance of collaboration and seizing opportunities. While working on her cookbook, she met Meryl Stops, who became a pivotal figure in her career. Simultaneously, Samin felt the desire to expand beyond food expertise and pursue a technology-driven idea called C-Winkle, a social media platform that aimed to consolidate digital content into a dynamic timeline. Amidst this, the New York Times was offering buyouts due to the financial crisis, which Samin took as a chance to fully commit to her new venture. Through these experiences, Samin demonstrated her adaptability and determination, shaping her into the influential figure she is today.
Following your passions requires courage and belief in oneself: Courageously leaving a stable job to pursue a dream, even if it fails, can lead to personal and professional growth.
Having the courage to leave a stable job and pursue a dream requires a deep sense of dissatisfaction and belief in oneself. The speaker, a journalist, felt frustrated with her career and knew she needed to make a change to have an interesting and fulfilling one. She funded her startup, C-winkle, with her savings and spent the year learning and networking, but ultimately realized it wasn't the right path. However, she continued working on a separate project, the Times Cookbook, with her partner. Through this experience, she learned the importance of taking risks and trusting oneself to follow one's passions. Despite the challenges and uncertainty, she remained energized and felt surrounded by like-minded individuals. Although C-winkle didn't succeed, she gained valuable insights and experiences that contributed to her personal and professional growth.
Bootstrapping a food website: Writing a cookbook to test the concept: Founders bootstrapped their food website by writing a cookbook to validate the concept, spent all the advanced money on building and operating the site, and believed in taking risks for financial security.
The founders of a food website discovered the value of bootstrapping their business and proving its concept before seeking external funding. This approach was influenced by their past experiences and observations of different types of founders. The initial idea was to create a website for crowdsource recipes, but they started by writing a cookbook to test the concept and build the site. They spent all the advanced money from the book on building and operating the site for the first 18 months. Despite the economic uncertainty during the 2009 recession, they believed that taking risks and doing things they cared about were necessary for achieving financial security.
Determined founders create a hub for food lovers: Despite challenges in describing their business, determined founders built a hub for food lovers using user-generated content and overcame financial challenges to create a powerful media company.
Determination and a clear vision can help entrepreneurs overcome financial challenges and build something new and innovative, even when describing it to others can be difficult. In 2009, the founders of a food-focused media company were determined to create a platform for people who saw food as a central part of their lives. They wanted to give a voice to creators and knowledgeable people who didn't have a centralized platform. However, they faced challenges in describing their business to investors, as it was a new and different kind of media company. They felt that traditional media's flaws, such as a single revenue stream and broadcasting at people, were no longer sufficient in the digital age. The food world itself had also undergone a sea change, with food becoming threaded throughout culture and people's identities. The founders saw an opportunity to create a hub for food lovers to connect, discover, learn, and be inspired. They launched with a focus on recipe contests, but their vision went beyond that, aiming to build a powerful media company through user-generated content. Despite the challenges in describing their business, the founders' determination and clear vision helped them overcome financial challenges and build something new and innovative.
Building a trusted and aesthetic cooking platform despite funding challenges: Amidst media investment unfavorability, co-founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs launched Food52, focusing on trust, distinct aesthetic, and voice, securing investment through perseverance and commitment.
Food52 co-founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs were determined to build a trusted and aesthetically distinct cooking platform, despite facing challenges in securing funding during a time when media investments were unfavorable. By December 2009, they launched a shop on their website, offering a curated selection of products while maintaining neutrality and trust by not using affiliate commissions. Their primary focus was on advertising as a revenue stream, but they faced difficulties in securing investment. They persevered through tough times, including putting their own money into the business and having near-giving-up moments, ultimately securing investment from believers. Food52 started as a passion project in Amanda's apartment, and through their commitment to trust, distinct aesthetic, and voice, they built a home for food lovers online.
Persistence and careful financial management led Food52's success: Staying true to your vision and managing resources wisely can lead to business success, as demonstrated by Food52 and Acura.
Persistence and careful financial management were key factors in the success of Food52, a cooking and recipe website. Co-founders Amanda Hesser and Meryl Stubbs struggled to secure funding and initially had limited resources, but they were determined to build the business organically and focus on creating a strong brand and relationship with their audience. They worked out of Hesser's apartment, using natural light and a home environment to shoot recipes, and were careful about how they spent their money. They hired engineers and editors, but didn't invest heavily in marketing until they had built a strong community and brand. The result was a successful business that focused on real, home-cooked recipes and a sense of community, rather than mass-produced content. Meanwhile, Acura's all-electric ZDX offers a powerful and long-lasting driving experience, with a premium sound system and impressive range. American Express Business Gold Card provides valuable rewards for businesses, allowing them to earn four times points on their top two eligible spending categories every month. Both Food52 and Acura demonstrate the importance of staying true to your vision and making the most of your resources to achieve success.
From initial buzz to sustainable growth: To build a successful online business, focus on providing value to your community, adapt to market changes, and have a clear business model.
Building a successful online business requires more than just a great idea and initial buzz. Amanda Hesser's experience with Food52 illustrates this. In the beginning, she leveraged her reputation and a lucky discovery by Sirius Eats to gain attention and build a community. However, she quickly realized that relying solely on advertising revenue wasn't sustainable. Instead, she focused on providing value to her community in various ways, such as a shop, videos, podcasts, and events, and monetized those offerings. When raising funds, she faced challenges, including a crisis with a former lead investor. Despite these challenges, Hesser remained resilient and continued to grow Food52 into a thriving business. Overall, her story highlights the importance of having a clear business model, focusing on community, and being adaptable to changes in the market.
Learning from past mistakes and focusing on long-term growth: Successful businesses require a long-term focus, grit, and the ability to adapt. Past mistakes can teach valuable lessons, and regular employee surveys can help leaders be more mindful of their impact. Staying lean and profitable can lead to eventual profitability, while investment can fuel growth and expansion.
Building a successful business requires a long-term focus, grit, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. The founder of a media company discussed how they gained a reputation for being difficult in the early days, but learned to be more mindful of their impact as a leader through employee surveys. Despite raising only a small amount of funding, the company was able to stay lean and profitable, eventually reaching profitability in 2020. The infusion of cash from a major investment in 2019 allowed for growth and expansion. The founder emphasized the importance of staying focused on the long-term health of the business, even if it means sacrificing profitability in the short term. Even after reaching profitability, the founder remains committed to the company but acknowledges that eventually, they may want to move on to new endeavors.
The Role of Hard Work and Luck in Building a Business: Successful entrepreneurs combine hard work, skill, and sometimes luck to build thriving businesses. Personal experiences and challenges can help fuel ambition and determination.
Building a successful business involves a blend of hard work, skill, and luck. The speaker, who has built a food company from the ground up, reflects on her journey and acknowledges the role of both hard work and luck in her achievements. She also shares how her personal experiences, including growing up in an entrepreneurial family and facing challenges from her loved ones, have influenced her ambition and determination. Ultimately, she sees her business as an opportunity to prove that women can succeed in non-traditional roles and make up for the opportunities her own mother missed out on.
Finding joy in the journey of creating something new: Setbacks and challenges are inevitable, but embracing the process can lead to unexpected rewards.
Creating something from scratch, whether it's a cake or a successful business, can bring satisfaction and pleasure. Amanda Hesser, co-founder of Food52, shared her experience of finding joy in baking cakes. Meanwhile, in the world of sports, Drew Brees' failure to make it to the Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban led to intriguing "what if" scenarios. The early 2000s saw the rise of questionable reality TV shows, like "The Swan," which promised transformations but turned into nightmares for the participants. These examples remind us that setbacks and challenges are part of the process, and the outcomes can be surprising and impactful. Whether it's in the kitchen or on the football field, embracing the journey and learning from it can lead to unexpected rewards.
