In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Laura Briscoe shares the remarkable journey behind building Laura's Gourmet from a single homemade granola recipe into a growing culinary brand with multiple product lines and national ambitions. Laura reflects on her transition from the tech industry into the culinary world, how a passion project unexpectedly landed on retail shelves, and the lessons she learned while balancing private chef services with scaling a packaged food business. She also opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship, from bootstrapping growth and navigating operational challenges to making difficult strategic decisions that positioned the company for long-term scalability.

The conversation also dives into innovation, resilience, and the future of the Laura’s Gourmet brand. Laura discusses how the pandemic forced the company to pivot its business model, expand direct-to-consumer sales, and rethink growth strategies across food service, retail, and e-commerce. She introduces new products including savory toppers, granola clusters, and Countercool — an innovative collapsible kitchen workstation designed for both home cooks and professional chefs. Throughout the episode, Laura shares candid insights on leadership, product development, funding challenges, and the importance of maintaining emotional connection and authenticity in an increasingly automated business landscape.

Connect:

Website: https://laurasgourmet.com/

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