Lagusta Yearwood founded Lagusta’s Luscious, an artisinal vegan chocolate company in 2003. Over the last 16 years, she has grown the chocolate business into 3 brick-and-mortars— a chocolate shop and a café in New Paltz, New York, and a sweets shop in Manhattan’s East Village. She also just came out with a brand new cookbook titled SWEET + SALTY: The Art of Vegan Chocolates, Truffles, Caramels and More.

Lagusta and Julia talk about Lagusta's businesses, her book, the complication of operating a business while also questioning capitalism, the power of listening to your employees and developing systems, knowing how and when and why to grow, and how to navigate working with friends.

Follow-up links:

• Lagusta's podcast 'Thanks in Advance'
• Lagusta's Luscious
• Lagusta's book Sweet + Salty
• the Smoky Corn-on-the-Cob Chocolate Bar Lagusta mentioned
• How to Not Always Be Working, the book Lagusta mentioned
• Woodstock Animal Sanctuary
• Now & Again, Julia's latest cookbook which includes her recipes for matzo ball soup and turkey meatloaf!
• Great Jones (remember to use the code 'CALM' for 15% off!!)