Chef and entrepreneur Lisa Fetterman is a Co-Founder and CEO of Nomiku, the first home sous vide immersion circulator. She is also the bestselling author of “Sous Vide at Home”.

Lisa has been featured in Wired, Make, and Forbes, and was named on Inc, Forbes, and Zagat Survey’s 30 Under 30 lists for her pioneering work in the food space. She has worked at some of the top restaurants in the country including Babbo and Jean-Georges in New York and Saison in San Francisco.

Lisa lives with her husband (and co-founder) Abe and their two children in San Francisco. She is a graduate of NYU’s School of Journalism.

Have you ever thought about your painful past with anger and annoyance? It’s time to start looking at it with excitement. The path to success is paved with the pain from the past! Learn more in THIS BLOG POST!

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Lisa Q. Fetterman.
Lisa’s first devastating NO came when her angel investor chose to work with her direct competitor as their CEO.
When he left her company, she still saw him all the time! As long as they are both in the Sous Vide business, they will run in the same circles.
Lisa feels immense gratitude because without him leaving she would not have had to pivot her business, but that does not erase the hurt that she experienced from that betrayal.
Business is business; it’s not all rainbows and roses.
When you have to pivot your business, you find what you are exceptional at and double down on that aspect. You can’t try to beat the competition at their own game. Focus on what makes you unique and special!
What another company does is up to them. You can only control yourself!
“When you climb a mountain, you need a guide. The oxygen gets thinner, and it’s harder to breathe. Not everyone can make it!” ~ Lisa Q. Fetterman. Business is the same way – the more success you attain, the harder and lonelier it can get.
Having community and support through this whole process of entrepreneurship is so important. That way, you can turn to others to help you to stay sane in the process.
It’s important to remember that you’re not alone. People have done this a thousand times!
If you’re out of money and have to lay off people – which can happen, and it’s devastating – it’s not about you. They probably know it’s coming. Don’t make them carry your emotional devastation with you as their last responsibility.
Success is hard work! It’s never as easy as it looks, and even those who have had “easy” success like lottery winners have their own share of struggles.
When going through hard times, think of the stories of other entrepreneurs. How have they succeeded? How did they persevere?
“Success is just surviving to fight another day.” ~ Lisa Q. Fetterman
When dealing with struggles, ask yourself, “Can I fight? Do I want this to be real; to keep changing people’s lives?” You will find your answer and the power to continue!
You can’t continue pushing through if you don’t believe that you are doing what you MUST do and what you want to do with every cell of your body.
Appearing on Shark Tank was overwhelmingly positive. If you have a consumer product you should go on Shark Tank. That is 7 million people watching a free infomercial!
“I have so much to be grateful for in my support network. I actually feel really concerned for anyone who doesn’t have that. If I have so much support and confidence and wherewithal and felt like a trembling hairless cat, I am truly concerned for folks who don’t have a support network.” ~ Lisa Q. Fetterman
Watch the successful pitches before appearing on Shark Tank. Channel your inner Sasha Fierce; your alter ego that only gets a YES!
When going through hard times, people try to say “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” While it’s happening, your response is often “what the F*CK is that analogy,” but afterward, you look back and see your growth.
“Struggles help you survive and give you the “muscle memory” to push through later.” ~ Lisa Q. Fetterman
Going through hard times shapes you. Every struggle that Lisa went through, including losing her angel investor, shaped her “tapestry” and moved her business to be what it is today.
When bad things happen you have to mourn. You grieve them, feel your feelings, and then get up and move on.
When facing big decisions, ask yourself, “What is the north star of my business?” and stay true to that.
Lisa shares what she would tell her younger self.