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How Ellen Bennett Turned $300 into a Million-Dollar Apron Empire
In this high-energy episode of Daniel Shemtob sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Ellen Bennett — founder of the iconic apron and kitchen gear brand Hedley & Bennett, author, TV personality, and all-around culinary industry game-changer.
Ellen shares her incredible journey from her early days as a line cook in Los Angeles to building one of the most recognizable culinary lifestyle brands in the world. Learn how her English-Mexican roots, latchkey childhood, and unstoppable drive shaped her "figure it out" mindset — a philosophy that fuels both her business and creativity.
You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories about:
The very first Hedley & Bennett aprons — and Ellen's no-discount, hustle-hard sales style
How she juggled multiple kitchen jobs to fund her startup dream
Game-changing moments like Martha Stewart Café spotting her designs and her first celebrity collab with Alton Brown
Lessons on scaling a business with integrity and learning from early mistakes
Why she went back to culinary school (and what Gen Z classmates are teaching her about innovation)
Plus, enjoy authentic banter on parenting, creativity, entrepreneurship, and the tools that power great kitchens — all wrapped up with laughter, grit, and actionable inspiration.
Whether you're a chef, restaurant founder, or creative entrepreneur, this episode delivers raw insight into what it really takes to succeed in the food industry.
00:00 – Opening & Biggest Mistakes
00:25 – Meet Ellen Bennett
02:18 – How They Met & Early Hustle
05:13 – Ellen's Childhood & Entrepreneurial Spirit
08:10 – Breaking Into the Culinary World
11:31 – The Apron Epiphany
13:29 – First Aprons & Hustling Multiple Jobs
16:04 – Selling Confidence, Not Just Aprons
17:27 – Lessons From Early Failures
18:47 – Making the Leap to Full-Time Entrepreneur
22:14 – Pinch Me Moments & Celebrity Collabs
27:33 – Rapid Growth & Hard Lessons
32:36 – Building Brand Love
37:58 – Pivoting & Keeping the Brand's Soul
42:35 – Juggling Family & Nonstop Hustle
45:17 – Productivity & Organization Secrets
48:03 – Lightning Round
51:08 – Closing Thoughts
👉 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or DineandGrindPodcast.com to catch Ellen Bennett and Daniel Shemtob's electric energy and real-talk on culinary entrepreneurship.
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By dineandgrindpodcastIn this high-energy episode of Daniel Shemtob sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Ellen Bennett — founder of the iconic apron and kitchen gear brand Hedley & Bennett, author, TV personality, and all-around culinary industry game-changer.
Ellen shares her incredible journey from her early days as a line cook in Los Angeles to building one of the most recognizable culinary lifestyle brands in the world. Learn how her English-Mexican roots, latchkey childhood, and unstoppable drive shaped her "figure it out" mindset — a philosophy that fuels both her business and creativity.
You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories about:
The very first Hedley & Bennett aprons — and Ellen's no-discount, hustle-hard sales style
How she juggled multiple kitchen jobs to fund her startup dream
Game-changing moments like Martha Stewart Café spotting her designs and her first celebrity collab with Alton Brown
Lessons on scaling a business with integrity and learning from early mistakes
Why she went back to culinary school (and what Gen Z classmates are teaching her about innovation)
Plus, enjoy authentic banter on parenting, creativity, entrepreneurship, and the tools that power great kitchens — all wrapped up with laughter, grit, and actionable inspiration.
Whether you're a chef, restaurant founder, or creative entrepreneur, this episode delivers raw insight into what it really takes to succeed in the food industry.
00:00 – Opening & Biggest Mistakes
00:25 – Meet Ellen Bennett
02:18 – How They Met & Early Hustle
05:13 – Ellen's Childhood & Entrepreneurial Spirit
08:10 – Breaking Into the Culinary World
11:31 – The Apron Epiphany
13:29 – First Aprons & Hustling Multiple Jobs
16:04 – Selling Confidence, Not Just Aprons
17:27 – Lessons From Early Failures
18:47 – Making the Leap to Full-Time Entrepreneur
22:14 – Pinch Me Moments & Celebrity Collabs
27:33 – Rapid Growth & Hard Lessons
32:36 – Building Brand Love
37:58 – Pivoting & Keeping the Brand's Soul
42:35 – Juggling Family & Nonstop Hustle
45:17 – Productivity & Organization Secrets
48:03 – Lightning Round
51:08 – Closing Thoughts
👉 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or DineandGrindPodcast.com to catch Ellen Bennett and Daniel Shemtob's electric energy and real-talk on culinary entrepreneurship.