Pivot! A Vegan Business Interview Series

Vegan Mainstream
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

We live in fast-paced times, and in an ever-changing marketplace business owners must be able to adapt readily. The Pivot podcast, hosted by Stephanie Redcross West, features interviews with successful vegan business owners, keeping you up-to-date on topical issues & how the pros are handling them.

  1. Sep 17

    From Fine Dining to Plant-Based Innovation: Chef Ed Harris on Making Vegetables the Star

    Chef Ed Harris grew up in the Caribbean and South America, raised in a family where food was everything. His grandmother made breads, wines, and cheeses from scratch, and his mother's kitchen was the heart of the home. That upbringing sparked a passion that took him to New York City, where he trained in some of the city's finest kitchens, including Jean-Georges, Buddakan, and River Cafe, and eventually won Food Network's Chopped competition. But it was a family movie night watching "What The Health" that changed everything. What started as a one-week experiment became a full commitment to plant-based living, and a new mission: showing people how to make vegetables shine rather than treating them as an afterthought. Today, Chef Ed consults for major hotel brands including Hyatt and Marriott, runs The Plant-Based Kitchen Lab community, develops specialty spice lines and cookbooks, and helps chefs and food entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses beyond the traditional kitchen. In this episode of Pivot Podcast, Chef Ed shares what it really takes to make plant-based cooking bold, accessible, and full of flavor — and what the restaurant industry still gets wrong about it. You’ll learn about: How a family documentary night changed the way Chef Ed cooks and eats permanentlyWhy homemade meat substitutes beat processed supermarket options every timeWhat higher-end restaurants are doing right with plant-based menusHow to make vegetables the star of the plate, not a side thoughtThe business side of plant-based cooking: consulting, community building, and creating multiple income streams as a chef Guest Links https://knifenspoon.com/ Social Media@ChefEdHarris https://www.instagram.com/chefedharris/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chefedharris/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063766615743 https://www.youtube.com/@ChefEdHarris Memorable Quote "Nothing that happens right now determines your end goal. Keep moving forward, understand your why, and everything will fall into place." Show Notes 👨‍🍳 [02:31] Growing up in a family where food was everything ✈️ [04:20] Traveling the world to learn: Cooking as a way of understanding culture 🥬 [08:45] His mission: making vegetables the star of the plate 🎤 [12:14] Why mushrooms are underrated 👥 [15:22] Building a community: The Plant-Based Kitchen Lab  📦 [19:01] Consulting for Hyatt, Marriott, and beyond 🌱 [23:44] Creating curricula and workshops to help hospitality employees understand and promote plant-based options 🏪 [24:40] The vision: a grab-and-go vegan bodega concept in the Caribbean 💫 [26:22] For anyone new to plant-based living: Be kind to yourself  🔥 [30:20] The mushroom that converts even the biggest skeptics

    From Fine Dining to Plant-Based Innovation: Chef Ed Harris on Making Vegetables the Star

  2. Aug 27

    Karina Inkster's No BS Approach to Vegan Fitness: Ditch Diet Culture, Build Healthy Habits

    Karina Inkster is a fitness and nutrition coach, TEDx speaker, and author of five books. She’s been vegan for 23 years. As the founder of K.I. Health & Fitness, she leads a small team of coaches who work entirely online with vegan clients across the globe–helping them build strength and health habits they’ll still hold at the age of 103.  Karina is known for her practical, no-nonsense approach to plant-based fitness: no before-and-after photos, no 30-day challenges, no “clean eating” language, and no diet culture. Instead, her focus is on sustainable, individualized strength training and nutrition coaching built specifically for plant-based athletes, whether they're chasing long-term bone density or simply trying to get comfortable in a gym. In this episode of Pivot Podcast, Karina shares how she went from an hourly in-person trainer in 2013 to running a fully online coaching business in 2017, a shift she describes as the moment she felt like she was truly running a business. She talks about why vegan nutrition can't simply mirror omnivorous plans, how she thinks about long-term vs short-term fitness goals, and why niching down to vegan clients was one of the smartest business decisions she ever made. You’ll learn about The real difference between vegan nutrition and standard fitness coaching approachesHow she transitioned from hourly in-person training to a scalable online modelWhy Karina doesn't use before-and-after photos, and what she does insteadThe 80/20 framework she uses to help clients eat sustainably without constant food trackingWhy specificity in your niche is one of the most powerful marketing tools availableHow she balances running a coaching business with a parallel career in music Guest Links https://www.karinainkster.com Social Media @karinainkster https://www.instagram.com/karinainkster https://www.facebook.com/karinainkster https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDM78CSF2AjCww1h05opDaw Memorable Quote “There's nothing wrong with having aesthetic goals. We're all human. We all want to look great. But if that's the only reason we're doing fitness, it generally doesn't lead to consistency or long-term results.” Show Notes 🏋🏻‍♀️ [02:08] Building a fully online vegan fitness coaching business with a global client base ⚕️ [04:42] Why the focus is on long-term health, not just aesthetics. 📌 [08:07] Why vegan nutrition can't simply mirror standard fitness coaching approaches. 🧿 [11:28] What does eating in a way that supports your goals actually look like? ⚙️ [16:09] How to adjust your environment to make healthy habits easier. 🌍 [19:28] Going fully online in 2017: The shift that made the business truly scalable. 🚩 [23:39] Why she is very critical of the fitness industry. 🥗 [27:24] Why she went vegan for ethics, not health, and why that distinction matters. 🎙️ [32:26] The No BS Vegan podcast: The best way to learn about her approach

    Karina Inkster's No BS Approach to Vegan Fitness: Ditch Diet Culture, Build Healthy Habits

  3. Aug 13

    From Vegan Shoe Brand to Slow Stitches: Alicia Lai's Return to Her Values

    Alicia Lai spent over 20 years in sustainable fashion–including founding Bourgeois Bohème, a vegan shoe brand built on innovative materials. She was deeply committed to ethical production, personally vetting factories in Portugal and sourcing materials that minimized environmental impact. But after 15+ years of running the brand, the constant pressure to compromise on sustainability standards pushed her to make a difficult decision: close the business she had built and start over.  What came next wasn’t a retreat–it was a return to her values. Now, she runs hands-on sewing, mending, and Sashiko-inspired stitching workshops. Her work now focuses on behaviour change, inclusion, and showing that sustainable living happens one small, practical action at a time.  In this episode, Alicia shared what it really means to pivot–not as starting over, but as going deeper into what matters most.  You’ll learn about How to know when a business that looks successful on the outside no longer aligns with your valuesWhy making compromises in production can erode the mission you started withWhat a real pivot looks like, and why it's often about returning to your values, not abandoning themWhy behaviour change matters as much as product innovation in the sustainability movement Guest Links https://www.bboheme.com Social Media https://www.instagram.com/boboheme/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciatclai/ https://www.facebook.com/bboheme/ https://x.com/home Memorable Quote "Fashion is a statement. When you choose to stitch and mend what you already own, you're making a stand against what's happening in the fashion industry today." Show Notes 👡 [02:23] From vegan shoe brand to slow fashion advocate: Alicia's 20-year journey. 🧵 [07:10] What is Sashiko? The Japanese art of stitching and mending explained. ⏸️ [10:12] Why giving yourself permission to pause is the first step toward sustainable living. ⟲ [15:33] The reset we all need — and why we reach for our phones instead. 🧶 [17:18] Visible mending as a form of self-expression and resistance. 🙇 [20:23] How slow craft creates space for creativity and mindfulness. 💫 [25:29] Behaviour change over product change: why loving what you do matters. 🤝 [29:18] Building community through craft — and what comes next.

    From Vegan Shoe Brand to Slow Stitches: Alicia Lai's Return to Her Values

  4. Jul 30

    How to Actually Execute Plant-Based Menus: Juliette Arnold's Framework

    Juliette Arnold is the co-founder of Plant Based Strategies, a consultancy helping restaurants and food businesses successfully develop and scale plant-based offerings. A longtime vegan advocate, she spent over a decade building community through grassroots initiatives like the Biggest Little Plant Pod and co-organizing the Vegan Chef Challange in Reno.  But she noticed a gap: restaurants wanted to participate in the plant-based movement, but many struggled with execution–menu development, staff training, and profitability. That’s when she shifted from advocacy to industry transformation.  In this episode, Juliette shares how she went from reading The China Study 16 years ago to building a business that helps restaurants make plant-based dining profitable and accessible. She talks about identifying the real pain points in the hospitality industry, the importance of training and community, and how real change happens when you connect vision, industry, and community.  You’ll learn about How to identify a gap in the market and build a business that solves a real industry problemWhy restaurants want to go plant-based but struggle with executionThe difference between grassroots advocacy and systemic industry change, and why you need bothHow to make plant-based offerings profitable for restaurants (not just appealing to customers) Guest Links https://www.plantbasedstrategies.com Social Media https://www.instagram.com/plant.based.strategies/ https://www.facebook.com/people/PlantBasedStrategies/100093201350569/ Memorable Quote “There is a demand. People are curious about flavors. People want to be a little bit healthier. Flexitarianism is on the rise completely. So it's a lot of different things. It's about the menu. It's about training the staff and understanding when somebody says–Oh, I'm vegan–you don't offer them butter on the table.” Show Notes 📋 [02:11] Juliette helps restaurants successfully develop plant-based menus. 🍓 [05:59] Why people want to go out and eat good (plant-based) food. 🗺️ [07:14] How a vegan hospitality consultant helps you navigate the business. 🌟 [11:21] Why having customer experience and business training matters. 🏷️ [16:47] Why “good food is just good food”: it doesn't have to be labeled. 🔄 [20:41] Her approach: revisiting and understanding the restaurant’s unique challenges. 🤝 [24:48] Building a global network of vegan hospitality consultants to scale impact. ❤️ [27:17] Following your passion as a journey. … Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. If you are feeling inspired but not quite sure where to start, we’ve got you covered! Check out our online courses and free resources at veganmainstream.com. Loved this conversation? Explore more inspiring stories from vegan entrepreneurs on the Pivot Podcast at https://veganmainstream.com/podcast/pivot-a-vegan-business-interview-podcast/. You never know which story will spark your next breakthrough. Ready to turn inspiration into action? If you're serious about growing your vegan business and want to talk through how we might work together, book a discovery call at https://veganmainstream.com/support/discovery-call/. These aren't free advice sessions – they're real conversations for people ready to invest in their growth. Want to learn more first? Join our next live webinar at https://veganmainstream.com/resources/webinars/ and get practical tools you can use right away.

    How to Actually Execute Plant-Based Menus: Juliette Arnold's Framework

  5. Jul 16

    Your Story Is Your Superpower – Brenda Workman on Plant-Based Change in Resistant Communities

    Brenda Workman is a professional speaker, Food for Life instructor, and founder of the Plant-Based Cooking Academy. After 16 years at a local private university, she launched a speaking business around intentional living. But a personal health transformation completely changed her mission.  Now she speaks to organizations about plant-based wellness, teaches cooking classes online and on-air (her weekly segment “Whip It Up Wednesdays” airs on WDTV in West Virginia), and trains other educators through her Academy. Her goal: to scale impact in a state where plant-based living still feels like a hard sell.  In this episode of Pivot Podcast, Brenda shares how she pivoted her business to meet her community’s deepest needs, the challenges of introducing plant-based living in West Virginia, and how she built a scalable model that lets her create real impact.  You’ll learn about: How a personal health transformation can completely pivot your business—and why your story matters more than your credentialsWhy storytelling (not preaching) is the most powerful tool for introducing plant-based living in resistant communitiesThe difference between being "busy" and being profitable—and how to build a business you can sustain long-termHow to scale your impact beyond yourself: Brenda's model of teaching trainers instead of doing all the work personallGuest Links www.brendaworkmanspeaks.com Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/brendaworkmanspeaks/ https://www.facebook.com/brendaworkmanspeaks/ https://www.youtube.com/@brendaworkmancooksplants Memorable Quote “I was raised in West Virginia, and I ate meat at every meal. My staple was biscuits and gravy. That's how I grew up. But I learned that changing my food made all the difference in my health.”  Show Notes 💥 [02:25] How Brenda built her professional speaking business around intentional living. 💫 [04:27] How she went through a health transformation and started a plant-based diet. 😌 [07:40] The emotional moment she stopped taking statins after 25 years. 🌿 [10:34] Why she strategically uses “plant-based” instead of “vegan”. 📣 [14:37] Why storytelling is the most powerful tool for change ❌ [19:17] The early entrepreneurial mistakes she made 🔄 [23:12] How she restructured her business to be sustainable long-term 🧏🏻‍♀️ [26:11] How she is helping people by listening to their needs. 👨‍💻 [31:21] Why “busy is not always better.” 🧱 [35:27] The slow cultural shift in West Virginia: resistance is real, but the walls are coming down. … Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. If you are feeling inspired but not quite sure where to start, we’ve got you covered! Check out our online courses and free resources at veganmainstream.com. Loved this conversation? Explore more inspiring stories from vegan entrepreneurs on the Pivot Podcast at https://veganmainstream.com/podcast/pivot-a-vegan-business-interview-podcast/. You never know which story will spark your next breakthrough. Ready to turn inspiration into action? If you're serious about growing your vegan business and want to talk through how we might work together, book a discovery call at https://veganmainstream.com/support/discovery-call/. These aren't free advice sessions – they're real conversations for people ready to invest in their growth. Want to learn more first? Join our next live webinar at https://veganmainstream.com/resources/webinars/ and get practical tools you can use right away.

    Your Story Is Your Superpower – Brenda Workman on Plant-Based Change in Resistant Communities

  6. Feb 19

    Thaisa Fernandes: How a Badass Friendship Led to a Brazilian Vegan Cookbook

    Thaisa Fernandes is a program manager in tech, podcast host, and author who just launched her memoir cookbook, Vegan Anniversary in the Bay Area. As a Brazilian living in San Francisco, her perspective brings a unique twist to plant-based cuisine, culture, and community.  For years, Thaisa dreamed of creating a cookbook that celebrated her decade as a vegan while showcasing the diversity of Brazilian cuisine beyond what’s typically known outside Brazil. But like many creative projects, it kept getting postponed – until her friend Izabelle Alvares suggested they collaborate on a zine together. That idea turned into something bigger: a full memoir cookbook with high-quality printing, professional photography, and personal stories tied to every recipe.  Two months into the project, Izabelle discovered she was pregnant. As Thaisa puts it, “She was creating both a book and a human baby at the same time. If that’s not an accomplishment, I don’t know what is!” In this episode, Thaisa shares how she balances her tech career with creative projects, the process of self-publishing a cookbook, and why having a “badass friend” to make things happen with you might be all you need.  You’ll learn about: How Thaisa balanced a 12+ year tech career as a program manager with launching a memoir cookbookHow an idea to create a zine evolved into a full hardcover bookWhy collaboration matters: how working with a friend made the project possible How to veganize traditional Brazilian recipes (including the holy grail: pão de queijo) after years of experimentation Guest Links http://www.thaisafernandes.com Social media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thaifernandes/ Memorable Quote: “I think sometimes we are looking for perfection. But I think just starting is a great thing. And then you can build over time, and you can perfect over time, and what is perfection for you might be different from what is perfection for other people. So keep that in mind.” Show Notes: 💻 [02:31] Thaisa’s day-to-day as a tech program manager  🇧🇷 [05:54] The importance of bringing Brazilian culture and cuisine to veganism 📖 [08:30] The explanation of the cookbook’s full title and meaning 🔄 [10:44] The origin story: From an idea to a zine to a full cookbook 🎨 [14:23] Making a unique, story-driven cookbook with authentic photography 📚 [16:23] Why she chose the self-publishing route and prioritized quality & affordability 🎤 [18:27] How side projects complement and improve her main career 🚀 [23:04] Thaisa’s advice: Start small, bring a friend, and set manageable goals 💡 [25:33] The power of building things step-by-step and letting go of perfection

    Thaisa Fernandes: How a Badass Friendship Led to a Brazilian Vegan Cookbook

  7. Feb 5

    Lindsay Perez: How a Broken Elbow Led to a Thriving Vegan Snack Business

    Lindsay Perez is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, lifelong wellness enthusiast, and founder of NOSHY. For over 20 years, she has, as she puts it, “lived and breathed fitness, nutrition, and the belief that food should make you feel amazing.”  The story with NOSHY began a few years ago when Lindsay broke her elbow, and it completely changed her routine. She went from being constantly active – working out, meal-prepping, coaching – to being forced to slow down. So she focused on what she could control: how she nourished herself. That period inspired her to reimagine what healthy eating could look like – comforting, satisfying, and full of flavor. What started as a fun experiment in her kitchen soon turned into a mission: to share plant-based, protein-packed bites that bring joy, energy, and balance to everyday life. More than clean ingredients and bold flavors, NOSHY tells the story about joy, self-compassion, and second chances. In less than one year, Lindsay has scaled NOSHY from a kitchen experiment to a product sold in grocery stores across Florida, and through her own e-commerce platform.  You’ll learn about: How a serious injury forced Lindsay to slow down and reimagine her relationship with foodHow to market vegan products to non-vegan audiences and educate consumers Lindsay’s approach to work-life balance: dedicating 30 minutes a day to self-careThe reality of building a food business from scratch –product development, marketing, logistics, and wholesale operationsMemorable Quote "Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can. And just start, start where you are and focus on you. And if you know that you have something good... and others are saying the same thing, just try, what do you have to lose? Just go for it." Show Notes 🍳 [02:11] Lindsay’s background in health, fitness, and nutrition. 💡 [04:10] She explains the origin of the name "Noshi" and its meaning. 🤕 [06:23] The pivotal story: How an elbow injury and "night eating syndrome" inspired the brand. ✈️ [09:50] The product's versatility for travel, lunchboxes, and on-the-go snacking. 🌱 [14:49] Navigating vegan and non-vegan markets and ingredient education. ⚖️ [18:55] Lindsay's tips for balancing entrepreneurship with self-care. 🔮 [21:22] Future plans for the brand and learning to delegate. 📣 [23:41] Marketing strategies: logo design, social media mix, and staying approachable. 🔗 [25:54] How to find, follow, and buy from NOSHY. Guest Links https://eatnoshy.com Social Media: instagram.com/eatnoshy facebook.com/eatnoshy

    Lindsay Perez: How a Broken Elbow Led to a Thriving Vegan Snack Business

  8. Jan 22

    From Self-Doubt to Bestselling Author: Chef Adina's Self-Publishing Journey

    Chef Rachel Adina Mullen, founder of Adina’s Delicacies, is an award-winning plant-based chef, culinary educator, and author of the best-selling Vegan Flavors of the World Volume 1, winner of the 2025 Zibby Award for Best Book for the Foodie.  She draws inspiration from her extensive travels, bringing vibrant flavors and cultural traditions to every dish. Her work has been featured on EatThisTV in the pilot series Global Vegan Kitchen with Chef Adina, where she shares accessible, delicious recipes from around the globe.  Her upcoming Vegan Flavors of the World Volume 2 deepens the journey, highlighting authentic recipes and stories from kitchens across five continents. In this episode of Pivot podcast, Chef Adina shares her journey from aspiring author to award-winning cookbook creator – and the exhausting, but deeply rewarding process of self-publishing. Because when every publisher told her that her cookbook concept was "too niche," she made a decision she'd do it herself.  From writing five recipes a day for four months to learning design, photography, and marketing on the fly, Chef Adina built something bigger than a cookbook – she built a business that celebrates plant-based food from around the globe. You’ll learn about: How Chef Adina completed her first cookbook in four months by creating five recipes a day (and what that process actually looked like)The real technical and financial challenges of self-publishing cookbooks, and how to market beyond your initial networkHow she travels the world to develop authentic plant-based recipes using her unique ability to mentally taste flavorsHow her cookbook integrates with her cooking classes and private chef services – plus her QR code innovation for Volume 2 Guest Links https://www.adinasdelicacies.com/ Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/adinasdelicacies/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091552262717 www.YouTube.com/@adinasdelicacies Memorable Quote “I think a lot of people consider healthy eating differently because some people are like – sugar is unhealthy, and I'm like – maybe, but it’s okay in moderation. Because if that were the case, all the desserts would be unhealthy. But my approach is – everything is healthy or unhealthy in moderation. Spinach is very healthy, but if you only eat spinach every day, all day, and nothing else, that's not going to be healthy. So, I think if you do a whole food-based program, and you get all the nutrients and all the vitamins and all the proteins you need, and kind of mix up your food, then I think personally it's okay.” Show Notes ❤️ [2:55] Her path from burnout to breakthrough and building a global plant-based brand 👨‍🍳 [4:41] How she decided to write a cookbook on plant-based food from around the world 📗 [6:15] She shares the quirks of book publishing. 🍽️ [10:42] About her second book that comes with videos of making recipes.  ✈︎ [13:26] How her love for traveling led to learning about different cuisines 🥗 [20:21] Authentic dish versus a healthy dish. 📈 [25:30] How her book fits into her business as a whole. 🍝 [30:01] What it means to diversify the food you eat. 🥦 [33:51] Announcing Vegan Flavors the World, Volume 2. … Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. If you are feeling inspired but not quite sure where to start, we’ve got you covered! Check out our online courses and free resources at veganmainstream.com. Loved this conversation? Explore more inspiring stories from vegan entrepreneurs on the Pivot Podcast at https://veganmainstream.com/podcast/pivot-a-vegan-business-interview-podcast/. You never know which story will spark your next breakthrough. Ready to turn inspiration into action? If you're serious about growing your vegan business and want to talk through how we might work together, book a discovery call at https://veganmainstream.com/support/discovery-call/. These aren't free advice sessions – they're real conversations for people ready to invest in their growth. Want to learn more first? Join our next live webinar at https://veganmainstream.com/resources/webinars/ and get practical tools you can use right away.

    From Self-Doubt to Bestselling Author: Chef Adina's Self-Publishing Journey
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We live in fast-paced times, and in an ever-changing marketplace business owners must be able to adapt readily. The Pivot podcast, hosted by Stephanie Redcross West, features interviews with successful vegan business owners, keeping you up-to-date on topical issues & how the pros are handling them.

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