SPEAKER_02: 0:00

Welcome to the Cut the Tie Podcast. Hi, I'm your host, Thomas Helfrick. We are on a mission. I'm on a mission, screw it, to help you cut a tie to whatever it is in life that's holding you back. And you you have to be chasing a diversion of success that's yours, one that you've defined. Now, you know, as a child, your parents define it, then someone else defines it halfway. Then at some point in your life, when you get in your mid-40s, early 50s, you're like, that's not what I want. I like to meet entrepreneurs who've already figured it out. So we are meeting with Erica Tuggle today. Erica, how are you?

SPEAKER_01: 0:28

I'm great. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_02: 0:30

Take a moment to introduce yourself and what it is you do.

SPEAKER_01: 0:34

Sure, sure. I'm Erica Tuggle, founder and CEO of LiveIn. And what I'm doing is building a company that focuses on helping families and busy professionals get healthier food into their homes. We essentially support local chefs in providing in-home meal prep services so that our customers don't have to worry about making dinner or making meals, but they can focus on eating well and saving their time for the things that really matter to them.

SPEAKER_02: 1:00

No, there's a lot of people who do that. Why do they why why do they pick you?

SPEAKER_01: 1:05

Yeah, uh there are a lot of things that we do differently. Um, one is we are incredibly simple and easy. Um, and that is usually one of the biggest barriers to eating well and to managing meals. It's just a lot of work. Um, and so we take a lot of that out. We also provide a lot of care, not only for our chefs, but for our customers and clients. Um, and that is often what we hear as one of the bigger differentiators is that um our chefs are not only very prepared and well supported through us to provide excellent service, um, but they also our customers, you know, can call us anytime, work through, you know, their new needs, whether it be health needs or other needs that they have, um, and we're there to support them as well. So we really like to talk about our ecosystem of support, um, where we're supporting both our customers and clients, and excuse me, and chefs, and they're also supporting each other.

SPEAKER_02: 1:57

I it I mean, in in any differentiator in any business is often the people up and I remember like in my professional career, people say, Oh, people can't be the differentiator. I'm like, I'm pretty sure the methodologies you use are not any different than the other companies. My my partner at the point when I was in consulting didn't like that answer. Anyway, that's why I often asked to leave. But that aside, um, when you're a solopreneur and you're trying to build a business, that it you are the difference and your mission and the people you hire. And then also the processes do matter because if it's cleaner, it's to you faster, it keeps the cost down. Uh, and I don't usually dive in a little bit because I want to get into your journey, but I think this is an important uh piece. So, so talk about that just maybe a layer deeper of why why it's better to have sheriffs and bike, like why does that matter in this industry?

SPEAKER_01: 2:46

Yeah, to there are a few things that really matter. One, um, we know eating at home is is the better way to eat. It's cleaner, um, it's easier to control what's in your food. Um, you will be healthier if you focus on eating at home. But the barriers of time, skill, sometimes desire get in the way. So having a trained network of chefs who can do that for you and help you with that is actually hugely influential in terms of health, but also just in wellness. Like we just talk about we want to help people live well. Um, the other thing that's really important is having what we operate off of software that we build ourselves, which is really critical to exactly what you were talking about. So efficiency, ease, simplicity, keeping things organized. Um, when people think about, you know, managing meals, it's a pain in the butt. There are so many different things that need to happen from the shopping to the planning to, you know, figuring out every day. Um, and so our system really helps the chefs manage that well, um, but also their their clients manage that well as well.

SPEAKER_02: 3:46

From uh maybe this might be too topical, but I mean not topical, but uh it what this this is not something though that someone who's on food stamps can do, right? This is like and and that's unfortunate because that's also some of the shittiest food you can get is McDonald's and what you can afford. Not by the way, I shop at Aldi. There's no reason to go shop at Whole Foods every year. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01: 4:07

Great organic, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 4:08

They do, and and and the and the douchebag factor that's at a Whole Foods versus Aldi is like off the charts different. I'm sorry, have you ever returned a package to a Whole Foods? I just feel angry walking in. I'm like, oh my god, like why are you going? Well, but it might be a different podcast. All right, but that's what we do. We knew that coming in here. You've listened to episodes.

SPEAKER_00: 4:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 4:30

Back to the topic. All right. Talk to me about the price point because you know, yeah, I we never take. I listen, I I I said if I was ever on my life and I got sick of me, I'm probably going to do that service and find value in it. I'm definitely having food delivered and not shopping ever. I'll take that service. But tell me about who really should be focusing on this or can afford it, or maybe talk about your pricing because it is it is a barrier by itself. You have to, or is it, or am I misunderstanding that that that obstacle?

SPEAKER_01: 5:00

Yeah, it's a great point. So our ultimate vision for Livin' is to make healthier in-home meals more accessible to more people. Um, and so uh we're really on a mission to try to get the pricing down. Um, and and hopefully our model, and we believe our model will help us do that. Today, we are at the higher end of the market. But honestly, if you're ordering out um and you're ordering like Uber Eats or DoorDash pretty consistently, you can afford living. Um, our lowest price point is$20 a plate, which tends to be on par with those delivery platforms. Um, but we do have our families are essentially ordering, you know, or spending anywhere between$150 and$350 a week, depending on how many meals they're getting. Um, and so it is, it's reasonable, but we very much recognize that today the people who have that level of disposable income in a week are not, to your point, some of the people who might, you know, be on food stamps and and need support um in that way. But our ambition is to get more and more people access to this level of service.

unknown: 6:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 6:02

And listen, I wasn't, it wasn't slamming your comb or anything.

SPEAKER_01: 6:05

No, I sorry, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 6:06

I just want to make sure people understand that that that you do have to have some level of disposable to do it. I would tell you though, a tool, I mean you guys do this, I sometimes solution, but that's what entrepreneurs do. I will tell you a tool that says, hey, how much do you really spend a month going out? And let's remove 80% of that because you go do you go out because you're having fun or because you're just it's convenient and like defining that. But the other piece is waste. So a lot of people will make a bunch of food and then throw away a third of it. Um, our family eats we go, we mow down to there's no food in the house before we go shop. So our family could not probably benefit from this because we get every dollar out of everything we bake, we always never go out. But people don't realize if you're going out four days a week and you could reduce that down to one a week, you can afford pretty much any food service. Fair enough?

SPEAKER_01: 6:49

It's so true. And that is exactly the math that that we try to do with people. And to your point, like every Sunday I go into my fridge and I am guilty of we basically are throwing things out to put new things in, and it is the most painful. You're throwing money in the trash. I mean, yeah, to your point, you you can absolutely make some better decisions.

SPEAKER_02: 7:08

I I like I I throw, we throw a I'll there's never an apple left over because I'll eat them. But there's other fruits. I'm like, why do we buy these things? Just leave like, you know, I hate seeing strawberries molded. Like you're like, it's literally a billion dollars for strawberry right now. I'm like, why, why? Eat it molded. I'll chop off the end and eat it smurgy. How did you uh let's let's just wait by what cities are you serving right now?

SPEAKER_01: 7:30

Yeah, so we're um in Atlanta and we are this is actually our our first city. So we are servicing um Atlanta. Um we do uh Alpharetta, John's Creek, Milton. Um so if you're in the area, you know some of these surrounding areas, uh Marietta, Smyrna. Um, and we're actually introducing a new market um next later this year.

SPEAKER_02: 7:49

So are you teasing it now or are you gonna wait?

SPEAKER_01: 7:52

We're waiting.

SPEAKER_02: 7:53

I'm in Alpharetta, so I'm gonna have to order from you.

SPEAKER_01: 7:55

So please, I'll get you set up.

SPEAKER_02: 7:58

I love it. All right, tell me about your journey.

SPEAKER_01: 8:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 8:01

But before we do, you have to define what is success on your terms. Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 8:06

Yeah. So success on my terms is um really, and it's funny because you touched on this earlier, of course, um, living a life that feels fulfilled. And for me, um, a lot of that is, you know, supporting and spending time with my family. Um, a lot of that is continuing to grow intellectually and feeling challenged in the work that I do. Um, and so uh when I decided to make the the change into entrepreneurship, those were two really important factors for me. Um in order to be fulfilled, I um I needed to have greater challenge. Um, I needed to try something new. Um, and and I think in some ways I I wanted to see if I could do it, um, which is also a big part of it as well. Um, it's certainly not easy. Um, every day I wonder, am I really doing this? Um, but um, but it it uh absolutely um fills me and and keeps me fulfilled. So that's what I I strive to, you know, get that every day.

SPEAKER_02: 9:05

I love that. That's uh and it'll it'll evolve, right? As you find success, it'll it'll start. You'll be like, oh my gosh, success now is to get it to people who can't afford it. Yes. Right. And that might be like and I say that because there's just such a food problem in in in the world, in the US particular. I like to make funny TikToks about red dye 40 and Takis. I'll show that later. Um different persona channel. Tell me about your journey a bit. How did you get into this?

SPEAKER_01: 9:29

Yeah, so I had started my career in um food and beverage. And so I um I went to business school and decided I wanted to go into food. I love um just like the I'm a foodie, but I also loved um this concept of, you know, how do we nourish ourselves every day? I ended up going into CPG. So I started my career um in food at General Mills, um, had the opportunity to work on um some of our um health focused brands and and work on Yoplay and other great, great businesses that just taught me kind of the world and the ecosystem. Um, then I actually came to Atlanta um with Coca-Cola. Um, so I got a job there and that was very different, right? Beverages, um, a lot of sugars people often talk about, um, a lot of conversations around health and wellness and what we were doing there. I ended up um leading innovation on honest tea. And then I led Coca-Cola on the Coke brand, um, an initiative called Coke and Food, among some other things that I was working on. And that was really um, I think, a key moment for me because I had just had my second um when I took that job. Um, so I had two young kids at home. Um, it was a bigger job. So I was traveling more, I was working more. Um, and I was spending a lot of time with customers um and and consumers and talking to them about how they ate and what they were trying to do. And because we were trying to find the right pairings and strategy and connection points for Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, et cetera. And um, it was a really interesting moment for me where I feel like everything kind of came together. And I was like, one, I'm struggling. And this doesn't feel like success to me. Um, and two, I feel like there's a bigger impact I could have in this space if I can help people with some of the key challenges I had, which was around eating well at home and getting my time back. Um, because I was one of those people who would spend hours in the kitchen to make sure my family was fed well. Um, so that that's kind of my journey to this point. Um, and that light both bulb went off even before that role. I had some, you know, ideas and some inklings about this is something I should try to solve. Um, but it literally took me about three years before I actually took the opportunity to go do it.

SPEAKER_02: 11:39

I like to point out to everybody when anyone anybody says I went to business school, that means they went to Harvard. Is that not true here?

SPEAKER_01: 11:45

I do go to Harvard, yes.

SPEAKER_02: 11:47

There you go. Thank you. And the reason I know that, a good friend of mine also went to business school. And I'm like, can you just say you went to Harvard? You guys must have got training on that in your last day. Now, when you guys entered the world, you don't say you went to Harvard, you just say I went to business school.

SPEAKER_01: 12:02

That's funny. Very proud of it. But um but you're right.

SPEAKER_02: 12:07

Every Harvard grad says I went to business school. Harvard Business School. If you go to law, they brag about it. I'm in the law.

SPEAKER_00: 12:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 12:16

People are more like, I'm shit. You know, you'll look it up. I didn't have to look that up. I knew as soon as you said machine to Harvard. Only Harvard people say that. That's gonna be on her title, by the way. From Harvard to Livin'. Podcast team, note that. Lead lead my call out you guys as well into that. All right. Next question.

SPEAKER_00: 12:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 12:38

What's the biggest uh you described it though? Of all the things you described, of the things were challenging. What was the biggest metaphoric tie you had a cut?

SPEAKER_01: 12:47

Um honestly, there there were two. So one was around identity. I think I had been working um for big companies um for a long time. Okay, even before business school, I was at American Express. I and I loved each and every you know experience, but I also tied a lot of my identity to that. Um, you know, you get a lot of respect, you get a lot of um recognition sometimes working for those those big names. And um I did not fully realize how how tethered I was to that. Um, so it really was a literal like cutting the tie because I had to redefine myself um in in a really positive way, but and maybe not even redefine, but define um in a way because I I kind of let a lot of that happen for me. Um, and I also had to honestly let go of how I knew to operate. Um being an entrepreneur, I'm like, gosh, just so different. Um, the resources alone are obviously night and day. There are there are none. Right. And really. Um, and um, and so what'd you say?

SPEAKER_02: 13:55

It's feast or fathom, and there's no there's no food.

SPEAKER_01: 13:58

Exactly. And you eat you eat what you kill um quite you know, every day. And so it was um that was the biggest tie I had to cut. And and I'm I'm glad I I did because I do feel like, like I mentioned, I'm I'm challenged and I feel like I've grown so much as a business leader and as an individual. Um, but that is that was probably the biggest one was around identity and really um figuring out who I was um and and taking that lead to learn who I was and who I wanted to be as a leader and and as a parent and a wife and all those things are very closely tied. Um, and then the other one I would say is also just like the the fear, um, right, and and just believing or having some faith um in that I could I could do this. And and I think that honestly came from watching people around me um, you know, try things and and be successful. Some people not, but um, in most cases be successful in in betting on themselves. And so I had to cut that tie as well and let go of some of that fear.

SPEAKER_02: 14:59

I I applaud you for that because, you know, I think the higher the pedigree, the harder it is to walk run. I'm supposed to be an executive of some big company that's full cat training for. Uh, and the pressures are family and in like family, friends, and they don't get it. What is she doing? Uh your kids will love you for it. That's the ones that will be like, oh, that's so cool. You know, it because they'll see a happier mama. Uh so I really applaud you for that. Uh did you remember the actual moment when you were like, I'm doing this, I'm out?

SPEAKER_01: 15:29

Yeah. So um, and my husband was a big part of it, actually. Um, because I didn't um, like I said, I had had this idea. I I recognized the problem with my first, I didn't need a second child to recognize that we were stretched. Um and um my husband actually, um, there came an opportunity actually at Cope where we were, I left uh right at the end of 2020. Um, so they were about to restructure. Everybody had the opportunity to basically stay or go. And I honestly didn't think anything of it. You know, I'm director on the Coke brand, like I'm I'm I love the people I work with. I'm doing actually really interesting and cool work at that point. I was leading a global food strategy, like it was great. And my husband was like, you know, you've been talking about, you know, maybe doing this thing. This feels like the right time. Like this feels like God is putting this in front of you. And it's like the money, yeah. And it's so funny because I actually I did not even see it until he did. Um, and so I'm grateful to him for kind of pointing that out. And um, and then I went through my own emotional roller coaster of, but I love this, these people and I love what I do, and you know, like how can I let go right now? Um, but to your point, it was actually probably the best time um to let go. You know, I also do believe in leaving on really good high terms if you're gonna leave something. Um, and um, and yeah, and that was the moment we were literally um uh gosh, in our um living room or family room, excuse me. Um, and we were living in Smyrna at the time, and we just sat down and chatted about it. And I was like, you're right, I need to seriously consider it. Um, and the more I thought about it, the more convicted I became.

SPEAKER_02: 17:08

Interesting enough, I I I think people should realize that in that moment, I'm sure these thoughts happen. Like, I got great education, I've had a great brand, I'm leaving on good terms. Coke is more likely to hire you back as an executive doing something if you go out and achieve something. You're much more likely to advance the corporate career by taking a risk. Everyone who's an executive will see that, know that. And like they gotten an education beyond business school that they've ever could have gotten. And you know it, you're like, you can't teach any of this. Like it's in the and so I I applaud you for it. And and I'm sure it's lots of little moments, but there's an actual support moment, and I think it's a beautiful thing that you also had uh you didn't have to make it on your own. Someone else said go do it, and you're like, someone's got my back. That's great.

SPEAKER_00: 17:48

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 17:49

Unless it was very selfish, I was like, I need your own target owner. She's like running, then be back and play some golf on the side. Maybe that was there. I don't know. When he listens to this, he's gonna be like, Shut up, dude.

SPEAKER_00: 18:02

Shut up.

SPEAKER_01: 18:03

Well, I mean, he got a he got a much more stressed out, much more stressed out me as an entrepreneur.

SPEAKER_02: 18:09

I hope he listens to this. He's like, Geiko, dude, don't stop. Anyway, all right. So it's one thing to have your journey and and be on it. And it's another to be like, oh, it's I gotta do this. And then it's another to go, I'm gonna do this. The final part is how.

SPEAKER_00: 18:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 18:25

How did you make that transition? Because that is that's when you start letting go of stuff and it happens fast.

SPEAKER_01: 18:31

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I was um, I had some people who gave me great advice, and um, it's to your point, it's the how was really hard. Um, because I kind of went to, you know, I want to talk to consumers, I want to talk to people and get feedback and understand what they're looking for, what their pain points are. So I started going after it very methodically, um, you know, and in kind of the way that I'm trained. Um, and then I had um one friend who's also an entrepreneur, and she was like, you just have to do this. Like, you're not gonna PowerPoint your way.

SPEAKER_00: 19:03

You've got to make it a point.

SPEAKER_01: 19:05

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00: 19:06

You're gonna do yourself.

SPEAKER_01: 19:07

Yeah. And that was um, I mean, the best push I could have had because I really, I mean, the actual like beginning was like me and and I was actually going into homes and cooking, even though I'm not a trained chef. People always ask me, I'm like, no, I'm not, but I was good enough to figure out the model. Um, it was me and I had two other people I found who were also were chefs um who could work with me. And then um a Google form, you know, and and like it was very bare bones just to get in market and start learning and start hearing from people and starting to build out what this really should be. Um, and so the um the how was also in some ways a cutting of ties from like how I would traditionally go after something. Um and um and yeah, just getting out there and and starting to be very uncomfortable. Um, also like cooking in someone else's kitchen for several hours is very stressful. Like I hats off to all the chefs we work with. Um, but I I started to to really put the pieces together that way.

SPEAKER_02: 20:08

You go there, like, why why would your spoons be here when we're over here? Why is the trash can back?

SPEAKER_01: 20:14

Right.

SPEAKER_02: 20:16

I'm not gonna criticize you. You're buying, you're a customer. Right.

unknown: 20:19

All right.

SPEAKER_02: 20:19

So what's been the impact uh for your family or for your customers?

SPEAKER_01: 20:23

Yeah. And I'm so glad you brought that up because I didn't mention that before um about what fulfillment is. But one of the things also that I really want to do is have greater impact and um on the world and in different ways. I think um being an entrepreneur alone and and being um a model of that for others who are considering it, um, are you know even on the path, I think is really influential and impactful um for start with my family. It's been um it's been great, but it's been hard, right? Like I I work, I still work a lot. I actually probably work more. Um and um yeah, right. And and my kids have um seen that and sometimes not loved that, but they've also gotten so much more engaged in, you know, business and investments and thinking about the customers. And, you know, they'll come to taste testing and they'll, you know, really engage with what we're doing. And I love that. I love that they are um getting an exposure um to entrepreneurship and and what it means to build something. Um, so that part has been awesome. And and honestly, my husband, I meant, as you mentioned it before, I think it's almost been harder on him because he calls um himself uh what my chief motivator uh officer, chief motivation officer, um, which is very true. And so it's a lot on him, but I also think in some ways it's brought us closer as well. Um, and then our customers and our chefs, um, that is, I mean, why we do this. Uh, we hear awesome stories about, you know, eating better, controlling their health better. Um, and also just like getting time back. Like, oh my gosh, I can't believe we were able to spend Sunday just like hanging out as a family instead of me running around trying to get everything ready for the week. Um, and that means a lot to me because that's the the vision I had for my family in building this, and then also, of course, for for the ones we're impacting. And our chefs get great work. Like they're they're working typically in restaurants and and catering. They often have catering companies as well, um, that they're they're driving forward, but they're getting more clients, they're getting higher earning than they typically get in a restaurant, they're getting flexibility um and access to you know, being able to be creative again and things that are sometimes lost in the culinary field. Um, so all around the impact feels um really meaningful, which is is great. Not that, you know, some of the work I did before didn't impact people, but I think all around I feel like it's much more positive in terms of the ripples we're creating.

SPEAKER_02: 22:50

Yeah, and it's it's uh it's the 1% math, right? You know, every day you try to you just tick forward and then look for days, you're like, wow, we've gone 100% further than we were. I didn't feel like it. I've been dragging, you know, anvils and boulders behind me. Um I totally understand it because you know it's true. Uh and there even did you have this? I would this is me a side question. Did you have this uh I think you said you started it when you were still working, like a little bit, right?

SPEAKER_01: 23:16

You was started kind of no, and that's actually what I usually tell people I wish I had. Uh because there's a lot of, as you know, in the beginning, there's just a lot of learning and things you're just burned money and time for no reason, right?

SPEAKER_02: 23:29

Exactly. Um the reason I said that because there's different levels of focus. I I like to try to find these reflective moments and stories. So entrepreneurs listening, whatever, you're gonna have these moments where you think you're just killing it, and then something happens and you realize you go to a whole new level of focus. And so, my personally was I built my company while working somewhere, and I was like 95%, that's all I was doing. But then I that and then I was asked to leave. And then all of a sudden it's like the focus level went boom. And then, like, you know, I started living the life of cup of tie, stopped drinking, start working out, got ADHD medicine. Yeah. Every one of those are equal level jumps of focus. And I look back four and a half, almost five years ago, when when I started going, man, I was so disillusioned of how focused I was. And I think some people get stuck not realizing you're gonna need to do some stuff to get another level, another level. And you don't realize it till you're there. Uh and I just wanted to ask you that deeper question. Have you had that jump where you're like, oh my God, I'm at new level now?

SPEAKER_01: 24:25

Yeah. I um I think we're actually in in the midst of one right now. So, you know, we um we, you know, had been growing very well um and starting to, you know, learn more and more about how to operate this business efficiently and and starting to put that into the business and see that in the numbers. Um, and then we started to hit a bit of a wall. And um we're trying to figure out, you know, what's going on here, what are what's changing, some of it's economic, but you know, at that point, it we really couldn't pinpoint it other than as we started to look at ourselves, it was that we were not focused enough. Um, and we were hearing things from our customers that we weren't actioning, and typically that is how we operate, but we were hearing things like, oh, I'm I'm using you because, you know, we are trying to manage our weight or, you know, I'm gluten-free. So we're hearing more and more around health and wellness, which is really where we want it to be. But we were very lightly, we were at this like we were kind of treading between convenience and health and wellness, convenience and health and wellness, and we realized we're like, we need to level up and be focused on one health and wellness, um, and really stop creating kind of this identity confusion for ourselves and for our users so we can go after the right people and be focused in the right spaces because we don't have a lot of resources, right? And and and so that already, um, and we're in the midst of that now, but we rebranded um the beginning of last this year. We um have been really focused on our health and wellness partnerships. Um, and we are now starting to see the fruits of that, which is really exciting. Um, but it is it was um a painful way to get there. Um, like nobody wants to see slowed growth. Um, but um, but I think it's um I'm very excited for what I think it's gonna do for us.

SPEAKER_02: 26:10

It listen, I I coach lots of entrepreneurs. Um one of the first steps I take them through is this know thyself kind of thing, and then know your customer and your brand. And it's the reason I ask you that because that's exactly what happens. I've seen and I've interviewed a few people in your space. They are way too wide. And I even I'm gonna tell you your next level is even now they're leveled down. Because when I heard you say it, all that came to mind was the saying of uh we help successful, you know, people get healthier, save tons of time. Purig. So you have to be successful and you want to get healthier and you want to save time. Like it's it's a no-brainer. What's your time worth? And when you have no health, what's the only thing you're wishing for when you sprain an ankle? Well, what happens if you get diabetes? Or my point is you just target that group. I we only help successful people get the most out of it. I know that seems very elitist, but it doesn't mean it doesn't mean that you can't build that initial niche brand around it. And I have a bet that you get conflicted right in that moment of man, I don't want to make it just for those people. But the truth is you're gonna have to.

SPEAKER_01: 27:11

Um, that was also part of that realization is like as I'm I think I mentioned my vision really, right, is to get healthier food into more families and to more homes. Um, and that was absolutely a conflicting point. Your point, we look at our consumer base and who's buying, who's able to buy. And it is not um where the vision was set. But I always tell people, I'm like, hey, like since I've now come to grips with that and and understand what what that where we are in our journey and where we can go, I say, hey, we're Uber Black right now. Like, and that's okay. And then we have the opportunity to then become Uber Comfort, Uber Excel, or whatever you know, those other stages are for us. Um, but early in our in our stage, um, this is where we are. And that for you're right, that was really hard for me to kind of swallow.

SPEAKER_02: 27:56

I would even put I are well since because I'm a I coach people in this stuff, I would tell you you'll never change that because it's a different delivery model to get to uh somebody who can to get the price point down. It's a centralized come pick it up model versus we show up. And and it's totally fine because one can fund the next, and the next can be uh a non-for-profit or a seek a B Corp or something for you know for a good. And and and it the truth is who cares? Revenue solves all problems. Go build an empire, a franchisable empire, and then you can go do what you want with the money to go take it to a new level because you'll have creds. Anyway, it's a common piece. Do not do not, here's my advice to do not feel guilty for a second for building your business, the Johns Creep Alpharetta coming, where there's money and there's people who can afford it because it's gonna allow you to go do the bigger vision five years down the road. Yeah, thank you for that. You have to, because if you no one tells you that, you're gonna always have this anchor, this tie, whole new back, though. That's not what I wanted to, but you you're gonna have to go through what's gonna be needed to get to what that vision is, because otherwise it'll go you won't 10 actual 2x and and won't be good. So yeah. Uh all right, sorry, I got off my soapbox or people. Yeah, thank you. Anyway, uh, but I figured that was probably in it. So let's move forward. What are you most grateful for?

SPEAKER_01: 29:08

Oh my gosh, my support system. Um, honestly, I have um my husband has been incredibly supportive, as I mentioned, from day zero, negative one. Um, my family as well. And I always tell people this is the hardest thing I've ever done. Um, and uh there's no way I could have done it without my family and my faith. And so, like those having that support system is um absolutely incredible and and necessary.

SPEAKER_02: 29:33

It's amazing how many entrepreneurs, you know, I'm on a small faith journey. Like, I'm not gonna be selling Bible or telling you it's your data watching, I don't think. But um, I am watching the chosen, for anybody cares. Uh but the the point being is many entrepreneurs have a faith of some sort that carries them through because there's a reason I don't put a little couch in this corner that would be perfect. I would cry on it a lot. True truth, anyway. I'm gonna move forward before I start crying. Like right, if you start crying to get. More airtime. Oh, thank you. What is your one lesson for listeners?

SPEAKER_01: 30:06

Oh my goodness. It is um to try it. Um, I do I do often um go back to that moment where um I tried it and to just start to learn and see what you know this could be and and get the an early signals. Now it can be hard depending on we have a relatively low, like low cap X, you know, model and and um it's easier, right, for me to spin up a Google Sheet with a service type based, you know, business. But I will tell you, um, I think there are a lot of ways you can scale back um ideas and businesses to just try it and get out there. And so that's one. In addition to building your your support system, you also just have to try it.

SPEAKER_02: 30:50

I I tell you, Google Sheet is totally fine. People do not expect that what they show is uh expect is you to show up and do what you say you do. People I I I tell this story sometimes, some of the most wealthiest people I've ever met. I said, and he and he he described himself as a simpleton. I'm like, whatever, it's worth a billion. And he goes, I go, well, tell me your how you do your business. He's like, Well, I buy cardboard, I buy that for X. And then I find somebody to sell it for X plus Y. And then I just go find more people to sell it to. And that's all he said. I'm like, my God, I've overthink everything in my life. Exactly. I definitely do. Yeah, you could just go find it and hold it. Like, not a machine that does it, but unbelievable. Like this answer was so simple.

SPEAKER_00: 31:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 31:37

And then I just go and sell for express one. All right. Well, lesson over. This interview is done. All right. All right. All right, some rapid fire questions. Great. Best business advice that you've ever received.

SPEAKER_01: 31:50

Oh, that's a good one. Um, it is about purpose um and and integrating your purpose with everything you do, um, starting with your brand, but also just um, you know, how you how you show up as a leader and then how you expect your organization to show up. That's advice. Um, you'll attract the right people, you'll be more fulfilled in what you're doing, um, and you'll be more focused.

SPEAKER_02: 32:14

Agreed. My first step in anything I work with my clients is we would go through the three Ps, which is passion slash purpose. Depends how you how you think about it, but your potential, your skills, and like the problem you solve. And that any one of those bubbles is small, you burn out, and so fuel engine, the money to pay for it. Yes. If that first one's out, you will not last. You have days you will want to quit. And if you don't have a passion for it, you would have you would have given up already for sure. 100%. I'm blowing my rapid fire by responding. Sorry, I'm enjoying the conversation too much.

SPEAKER_01: 32:43

Good, me too.

SPEAKER_02: 32:44

Who gives who gives you inspiration?

SPEAKER_01: 32:46

Oh my goodness. Um, and like my my mom and my dad, I'm like, I can never decide between the two, but my parents. Um I'll give it to them both. Um, they um honestly, their love for our family and the things that I watched them do, um, just to make sure we had literally everything that we could want. And we didn't, we didn't grow up in a wealthy family. I was in rural Connecticut. Um and then people think like it's it like Cowtown, Connecticut, as I usually say, as my husband would say. Um, and you know, a small, you know, ranch out home. And um, but they did literally, I I felt like we had everything. Um, and and I really commend them for that. And I commend my mom for, you know, she went back to school to get her master's in social work um when she was raising us. Um, and I can't even imagine doing that now. Um, and um just uh had such an impact on the people around her um through the social work, work that she did. And I think a lot of that, watching how hard my dad worked, watching, you know, what my mom was willing to in, you know, in terms of like take a different direction um at a later stage in life, I think a lot of that um just fuels me and inspires me. So love it.

SPEAKER_02: 34:02

Well, what's your um what's the must read book of and let's focus that to maybe female entrepreneurs specifically? There's a lot of misogynistic books that are out there for entrepreneurs. What is the for the female entrepreneur out there who's like, I want to be like her?

SPEAKER_00: 34:15

For the female entrepreneur, that's a good one.

SPEAKER_01: 34:19

Um taking a twist on you. I know you're yeah, you did. I um I actually have one that um I have not read. I need to, I need to probably put it out there. I will say um I've I I love um some of the books that share stories of other female leaders, and that's the book that I'm thinking about right now. Um, and I cannot remember the title of, but I think I talked about a little bit exposure and how like even me going to start my own business was because I had seen some other people do it and heard their stories. And I think that's really powerful. Um, so I'm gonna probably have to follow up on that book. But it is um, I think in general, if you can get exposure to those stories, um, you'll be inspired and you'll learn um, you know, that that it is not it's not a straight path for anyone, um, which I think is also hugely important to recognize.

unknown: 35:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 35:15

I mean, I think if you some of Google's like stories of female entrepreneurs, a bunch will come up and are too very clear which to pick. I know I'm I'm with you by the way, Tibetung. I don't know, I know the one you're talking about. I don't know the name as well because it's been recommended before. Uh, but there's a straight line of entrepreneurship. Quitting. That's the only straight line of action. You can agree. That's it. Done. Uh if you had to go back in your timeline, any point, when would you go back? What would you do differently?

SPEAKER_01: 35:45

That's a really good question, too. I would um I always tell people, and I don't know that it's possible, I would have probably nearly killed myself, but I always tell people that I do wish I had started working on it while I was um still in my role at Coke. Um it's I say I would have probably killed myself because I was working like crazy in that role as well. Um, however, um, there is a lot that you just need to get your head around. Um, and it's not, you're not making money. You're just trying to figure it out. You're trying to understand the problem, you're trying to think about different models and ways of going after it. Um, and yes, testing and and and trying to figure out what makes the most sense. Um, and I did not do that well, you know, in my my existing role. And I wish I had. Um, and so that's probably if I could go back, I would have, you know, started working on it probably a year before I even, you know, took started to take the the leap.

SPEAKER_02: 36:39

I tell people like, listen, just give up Netflix, drinking, watching sports, uh, go out one last night. Uh you'll find the time. It's there. Yeah. Plenty of it's there. Just get up an hour earlier, but it'll make you go to bed late. Like the point is it is there if you want it to be there.

SPEAKER_00: 36:53

Yeah. Great point.

SPEAKER_02: 36:55

Sweep your floor one last time during the day. I mean, whatever it depends on whatever your obsession is. Nothing that was yours. Your husband didn't text me and say, You gotta say that. I didn't say that. I don't I'm totally kidding right now. All right. Uh, what's the one question I should ask you today, but I didn't.

SPEAKER_01: 37:11

Yeah. Um, what am I most um proud of? Um yeah, I I love that um question because I think um, you know, you spent especially, I think most entrepreneurs spend a lot of time thinking about what they could do better, what's wrong, you know, what they need to fix. Um, because there's always a million, a million things that that could go differently. Um so I do like to, I'm trying to work on taking the time to recognize like what I'm really proud about. Um, and I am really proud um of the the people that we've been able to impact. Um, you know, we've um like I mentioned, it's about getting healthier food into homes, yes. Um, but honestly, on the chef side of our business, um the way we're able to support, you know, these local entrepreneurs as well, we're entrepreneurs supporting entrepreneurs. Um, and I think there's so much power in building um wealth um through through something that you're building on your own. And and um so we're excited to support um, you know, the chefs that use our platform in that way and continue to do that while also creating a better food um experience, you know, for people and a better health experience through food. Um, so those are some of the things I'm most proud of. And that's what keeps me going. Um, honestly, when I when I notice that some things aren't going the way I want them to, um, I think about the the impact we're having.

SPEAKER_02: 38:30

So all right. One person or persona type should get a hold of you. What is that? And how do you want them to do that?

SPEAKER_01: 38:37

Yeah. So the persona is, um, and you mentioned this, it's busy working um professionals. Typically, it's a household with children as well, um, who um, you know, there are several demands that this individual is is dealing with its career and they are advancing their career and they are usually doing well in their career, but it's also having a home that they're, you know, they're proud of and that they're also taking care of. Um, and they can get hold of us most easily um by going to our site. It's choose livein-livin.com. Um, you can also always text or call uh 404-917-0203. Um, and that is um the best way to get in touch with us, and we'll get you all set up.

SPEAKER_02: 39:18

Thank you. And you rock, by the way. Thank you so much for coming on today.

SPEAKER_01: 39:21

No, I love this. This is a really, really great interview. Um, I I really love this format. So thank you.

SPEAKER_02: 39:27

I appreciate it. And listen, thank you, Erica, for coming on. Anybody who's made it to this point, you rock. This is the first time you are here. I hope it's the first of many. Get out there, go cut a tie. Uh, and don't forget to define that success first because without it, you're just chasing someone else's string. Thanks, listen.