Be Anomalous

Most of us have an idea we never act on. Natalia Flores acted on hers and figured it out as she went.

Natalia came to San Francisco from Mérida, Mexico, for a six-month exchange program and never left. During COVID, she missed the spicy food she grew up with, so she started making her own in her home kitchen. Today, that hobby is Flor de Chile, a crunchy Mexican chili crisp made with just three ingredients, born out of La Cocina, San Francisco's food business incubator.

In this episode of Off Script, we talk about:

→ The moment a hobby becomes a real business

→ How to decide when to leave your job

→ Turning your best friend into your business partner

→ Going from a home kitchen to a commercial kitchen

→ Bootstrapping a food brand, and what it actually costs to start

→ Why getting on the shelf is the easy part

📖 Natalia's book pick: https://amzn.to/4yADrpC

🌶️ Try Flor de Chile: flordechile. com https ://www.flordechile.com/ | @flordechile_

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:45 Meet Natalia

01:37 Growing up in Mérida, Mexico

04:07 A COVID hobby begins

05:26 The order that changed everything

09:05 La Cocina: from hobby to business

13:11 How to know when to quit your job

15:28 The support system behind the business

17:50 When your best friend becomes your business partner

22:08 From home kitchen to 400 jars in six hours

27:56 Managing inventory in food

30:34 Bootstrapping on $10K

33:45 Building a team

37:05 A brand rooted in culture

41:07 The story behind the name

42:59 Is she worried about copycats?

45:16 The hardest part: getting it off the shelf

48:51 What's next for Flor de Chile

51:09 What she's learned as a leader

54:12 Advice if fear is holding you back

55:24 Quote & book pick

Listen and follow

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New conversations with founders, creators, and unconventional thinkers.

Be Anomalous is for anyone who didn't fit the mold: real stories and real playbooks from people who took the unconventional path, so you don't have to figure it out alone.

#foodbusiness #smallbusiness #entrepreneurship #founder #chilicrisp #podcast

Can founders actually avoid the mistakes? Paul Orlando's answer: some, not all, and that's a good thing.

Paul built and runs the USC Incubator, which has grown to over 300 companies. Those companies have raised over $350 million, and 14 have been acquired. He teaches entrepreneurship at USC's Greif Center, co-founded AcceleratorHK (Hong Kong's first startup accelerator), led a cleantech accelerator in Rome, and wrote Why Now: How Good Timing Makes Great Products. He became a founder only after his consulting practice was cut, and he landed his USC job in a meeting he didn't know was an interview.

In this episode of Off Script, we cover:
→ The one conversation that cut his incubator's failure rate by 10–20%→ Why being too early is more dangerous than being too late→ What happened when he gave the same homework before and after ChatGPT→ Why "we should get coffee" means something different in New York, LA, and Hong Kong→ How to stay economically resilient when you can't predict what's next→ Rejection therapy: a 30-day challenge you can start today

📖 Paul's book pick: Erewhon by Samuel Butler📖 Paul's book: Why Now: How Good Timing Makes Great Products

Chapters
00:00 Intro00:25 Who is Paul Orlando?02:02 Forced into entrepreneurship06:15 Can founders avoid mistakes?12:51 Can entrepreneurship be taught?18:22 The coffee meeting that was a job interview22:05 Same homework, before and after ChatGPT33:26 New York vs. LA vs. Hong Kong39:37 Why Hong Kong's culture resisted startups44:43 Why Now: too early vs. too late53:22 What won't change57:22 How to be economically resilient1:04:15 The rejection therapy challenge1:06:40 Lessons from 300 companies1:11:12 Would he be a founder again?1:11:51 Book pick

Be Anomalous is for anyone who didn't fit the mold: real stories and real playbooks from people who took the unconventional path, so you don't have to figure it out alone.

#startups #entrepreneurship #founder #startupadvice #podcast

What happens when grief changes the way you see your career, ambition, relationships, and yourself?

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Sai Menon talks with Lekha, founder and CEO of Sync Wellness, about leaving a successful corporate career to build a company of her own—and how losing her mother changed the way she sees resilience, failure, relationships, and judgment.

Lekha's career took her through P&G, L'Oréal, Chanel, Estée Lauder, and private equity before she became a founder. But behind the career success was a much more complicated story: building a company while her mother was battling stage-four breast cancer, hitting rock bottom, and learning what and who really matters when life falls apart.

They talk about grief, entrepreneurship, gender bias, women in business, corporate-to-founder transitions, resilience, self-trust, and the reality of building a company when almost everything feels uncertain.

They also explore why “being strong” can sometimes make it harder to ask for help, the importance of having people to lean on, and Lekha's powerful inner child–parent–adult framework for finding balance.

A conversation about starting over, building outside the expected path, and learning to trust yourself along the way.

Be Bold. Be Real. Be Anomalous.

Solai has built a career that refuses to fit neatly into one box.

An investor, advisor, board member, teacher, writer, and founder, her journey has taken her from actuarial science and the corporate world to startups, angel investing, and building alongside founders.

But her story isn’t about having a perfectly mapped-out plan.

It’s about following curiosity.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Sai Menon sits down with Solai to explore what it means to take an unconventional path and trust yourself through every pivot.

Solai shares how she moved from a structured corporate career into the unpredictable world of startups, how she began angel investing with money originally set aside for an MBA, and why she now sees those early investments as her own version of a “practical MBA.”

They also explore what Solai looks for in founders, the realities of startup investing, the power dynamics between founders and investors, and why execution often matters more than having all the right answers.

Beyond business, this is also a conversation about identity, belonging, and learning to stop proving yourself.

As an Australian of South Asian heritage who has often found herself in rooms where she looked different from everyone else, Solai reflects on how her relationship with confidence has changed over time — and why becoming more comfortable with who you are can be one of the most powerful investments you make.

This episode is for anyone navigating a career pivot, considering a leap into something new, building a company, or simply wondering whether they’re allowed to change direction.

You don’t need to have the entire path figured out.

Sometimes, you just need the courage to take the next step.

What happens when you don't follow the traditional path and eventually realize that being an outsider might be your greatest advantage?

Dr. James Richardson is a cultural anthropologist turned business strategist, the author of the award-winning book Ramping Your Brand: How to Ride the Killer CPG Growth Curve, and the founder of Premium Growth Solutions. He has helped more than 150 emerging CPG brands with strategic planning, including Dude Wipes, Once Upon a Farm, Dr. Squatch Soap, Trü Frü, Earth Breeze, Dr. Bronner’s, Happy Egg, and Made Good.

But his path to becoming a business strategist was anything but conventional. James left academia and had to teach himself how business actually worked. He learned by stepping into rooms he wasn't necessarily “qualified” to be in, making mistakes, enduring discomfort, and figuring things out along the way.

In this conversation, we go far beyond the traditional business success story. James shares what it was like to build a career as an outsider, how neurodivergence shaped the way he works, and why learning to adapt doesn't necessarily mean changing who you are.

We also get brutally honest about entrepreneurship and CPG:

• Why founders shouldn't make important decisions while they're panicking

• Why cash-flow forecasting can matter more than passion

• The dangers of raising money before you understand your business

• Why “growth at all costs” can destroy a promising company

• When shrinking a business can actually be the smartest path forward

• How founders can avoid getting trapped by bad funding structures

• Why content and authority can be more powerful than traditional networking

• What James has learned from working with more than 150 CPG brands

• And why sometimes the best thing you can do is stop trying to fit into the way everyone else says business should be done.

What I loved about this conversation is that James doesn't romanticize entrepreneurship. He challenges a lot of the advice founders hear, especially the advice that sounds good on a conference stage but doesn't necessarily hold up when you're the person responsible for making payroll.

This is a conversation about business, self-awareness, unconventional careers, entrepreneurship, and learning to build in a way that actually works for you.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

What does it really take to build a successful brand—and a fulfilling life?

In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Rebecca Bartlett, founder and Creative Director of Bartlett Brands, the agency behind some of the most recognizable beauty and wellness startups.

But this conversation goes far beyond branding.

Rebecca opens up about leaving corporate life to build her own agency, learning to confidently sell herself after years of being taught to stay humble, and why women often have to unlearn everything they've been conditioned to believe about ambition and success.

We also have an honest conversation about motherhood, burnout, postpartum realities, the impossible standards placed on women, and what it really means to "have it all."

If you've ever questioned your worth, struggled with confidence, or wondered whether success has to come at the expense of your personal life, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship

• Building brands from day zero

• Why women struggle to own their expertise

• Negotiating your worth and overcoming imposter syndrome

• Motherhood, ambition, and redefining success

• Why gut instinct matters in business

• What separates startups that survive from those that don't

• The reality behind building iconic brands

About Rebecca Bartlett

Rebecca Bartlett is the Founder and Creative Director of Bartlett Brands, a brand strategy and creative agency that has helped launch and grow some of the most influential beauty, wellness, and consumer brands. With decades of experience spanning corporate leadership and startup innovation, she partners with visionary founders to build brands that challenge convention and create lasting impact.

If this conversation resonated with you, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share it with someone building their own path.

🎙️ Be Anomalous is a podcast celebrating founders, creators, and cultural disruptors who chose the unconventional path—and built something extraordinary because of it.

Because being different isn't the obstacle.

It's the way forward.

#BeAnomalous #RebeccaBartlett #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #FounderStory #BrandStrategy #Leadership #Motherhood #WomenEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #CreativeDirector

What does it take to build a company that lasts decades—not just until the next funding round?

In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Susanne Mitschke, co-founder and CEO of Citruslabs, the leading provider of decentralized clinical studies for consumer brands.

With a background in biostatistics, epidemiology, and public health, Susanne has spent her career at the intersection of science, entrepreneurship, and healthcare. From founding her first startup in the digital health space to building a profitable company without venture capital, she shares a refreshingly practical perspective on what it really means to build something sustainable.

We discuss:

• Why she chose not to raise venture capital for Citruslabs

• The lessons she learned from her first startup

• What founders get wrong about fundraising

• Building a profitable business from day one

• Leadership, hiring, and company culture

• Why women's health has historically been underrepresented in research

• The future of clinical studies and consumer health brands

• Founder health, burnout, sleep, and sustainable performance

• Failure, resilience, and making unconventional decisions

One of my favorite takeaways from this conversation:

"The most unsexy thing is often the thing that moves the needle the most."

In a world obsessed with headlines, valuations, and hustle culture, Susanne offers a different path—one built on ownership, discipline, and long-term thinking.

Connect with Susanne:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannemitschke/

About Be Anomalous

Be Anomalous is a podcast for founders, creators, innovators, and cultural disruptors who are building outside the lines. Through candid conversations, we explore unconventional journeys, hard-earned lessons, and the mindset required to create a life on your own terms.

Subscribe for new episodes every week.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

#BeAnomalous #Entrepreneurship #FounderStories #WomensHealth #ClinicalResearch #Bootstrapping #Startups #Leadership #BusinessPodcast #HealthcareInnovation

In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Hiba Irshad, founder of Twenty5%, a media, talent, and cultural strategy company dedicated to amplifying South Asian voices.

Growing up as an Indian Muslim in the Midwest, Hiba learned early on how to embrace the parts of herself that made her different. But her path to entrepreneurship wasn't straightforward. She started in healthcare and cancer research before leaping entertainment, driven by a passion for storytelling, culture, and representation.

We discuss:

• Growing up between cultures and identities• Building confidence and self-belief

• Leaving a stable healthcare career for entertainment

• The power of cold outreach and networking

• Why representation needs more nuance

• Building Twenty5% from the ground up• Entrepreneurship, resilience, and self-doubt

• Creating opportunities for South Asian creatives.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that your career doesn't have to follow a traditional path and that the things that make you different can become your greatest strengths.

What happens when you've achieved everything you thought you wanted—and it still doesn't feel right?

In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Aravinda Seshadri, founder and CEO of Venturous Counsel, a startup law firm focused on helping diverse and underrepresented founders navigate the legal side of building companies. Aravinda's journey is anything but conventional. She went from being a self-described argumentative kid who loved courtroom dramas to becoming a partner at a successful law firm. But despite the title and the success, something was missing. That realization led her to leave the traditional path and build Venturous Counsel—a firm designed to close the access gap for founders who often don't have the networks, resources, or support systems that many others take for granted.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why success on paper doesn't always equal fulfillment

• Growing up as a minority and how it shaped her worldview

• Building a company while becoming a mother

• The truth about imposter syndrome

• Why diverse founders often face hidden barriers

• Startup legal mistakes founders make early on

• How to know when it's time to take the entrepreneurial leap

• Creating a workplace built on trust, flexibility, and purpose

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Helen Diaz, co-founder of Chareau, the world's first aloe spirit, shares the unfiltered story of building a brand from the trunk of a car to 42+ states, raising a son while raising capital, and why she leads her LinkedIn bio with "Mama first."Helen spent 20+ years in hospitality before becoming the very first employee at Chareau. She didn't have a business plan. She didn't know the industry jargon. She just believed in the product — and knocked on every bar door in San Francisco until people believed too.

This conversation is about what it really takes to build something from nothing: the investor who went bankrupt, the pandemic that wiped out 90% of their business, the fundraising rounds, the pivots, and the moments she considered walking away. But it's also about something deeper — what success actually means when you're building a company and raising a child at the same time.