Issue 11 - Nourish by foundingAUSTIN Magazine

ISSUE 11 | NOURISH

Camila Alves McConaughey PORTRAIT OF A MODERN WOMAN

Entrepreneurship. Inspiration. Lifestyle.

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ISSUE 11

NOURISH

DAN DILLARD Publisher Scruffy-Looking Nerf Herder

MISSION At foundingAUSTIN, we know what success looks like—it looks like the many Austin entrepreneurs who are bringing innovation, solutions, and progress to their industries. Every quarter, we bring readers inspiring stories from these business leaders who have learned lessons the hard way and now want to share them with you. These encouraging profiles are combined with capsule introductions to our podcasts and current information for masters and founders who are "in the know" to create a well-rounded resource for all of your entrepreneurial needs.

DEBORAH HAMILTON-LYNNE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR In 2018, Austin had the fastest growth rate of any major city in the United States. The Austin-Round Rock metro’s population reached 2,168,000 as of July 1, 2018, according to Census Bureau estimates released in mid-April 2019. That is a huge jump from the Austin I moved to in 1992, and many things have changed since then, but one of the reasons that people are flocking to our fair metropolis has not changed — people come to Austin to be nourished. It is that kind of city. We will nourish you with food and drink from some of the best restaurants and bars in the country. We will nourish your soul with a walk in nature on the Butler Hike and Bike Trail, one of the most beautiful urban oases that exists in any large city in the world. We will nourish your mind with amazing speakers and authors appearing at the LBJ Library, The University of Texas, the Long Center, The Paramount, and literally hundreds of incubators, work spaces, and libraries around town. We will nourish your spirit with yoga classes, meditation bars, and a wide variety of spiritual centers and churches. We will nourish your body with trails to run and bike, a one-of-a-kind natural swimming hole in the middle of town, and every kind of fitness group and class you can imagine and some that you never imagined. And we will nourish your creativity and ambition to start something that you have dreamed of and longed for — something that changes the world. This issue is dedicated to those dreamers and doers that long to nourish the world in every way. It is our hope that as you read their stories you will be nourished by their achievements and bolstered by their advice. In addition to the stories in the magazine, check out the founding_media podcast network to find more Austinites willing to nourish you by sharing their entrepreneurial journeys. When I hear the word nourish, I am always reminded of the direction given on every flight — when the oxygen mask drops secure your own mask before securing one for another. This is true of nourishment — secure your own — nourish yourself and your ideas and then go forth to nourish others. At foundingAUSTIN, we can’t wait to see where your brand of nourishment takes you.

DEBORAH HAMILTON-LYNNE Editor-in-Chief Oracle of All Things ATX WESTON CARLS Creative Director He Edits, He Shoots, He Scores LYNN WISE Managing Editor Chief Corrections Officer, Y'all LAUREN DILLARD Little Editor Gotham’s Masked Vigilante CONTRIBUTORS Axel Brave Weston Carls Dan Dillard Scott David Gordon Gretchen Goswitz Deborah Hamilton-Lynne Tiffany Harelik Liz Harroun Leslie Hodge Claire McCormack Hogan Korey Howell Joleen Jernigan Camila Alves McConaughey Astor Morgan Ryan Myers Jake Pool Carli Rene Shelley Seale Jared Tennant Lynn Wise CANINE CONTRIBUTORS Maggie Sadie Grey Teddy

ISSUE 11 | NOURISH

ON THE COVER Camila Alves McConaughey

Portrait of a Modern Woman | 30 – 39

PROFILES BRAINJUICE AND BETTER BITES BAKERY Sam Elick and Leah Lopez | 8-12 SIDESERF CAKE STUDIO AND THAI FRESH Natalie and Dave Sideserf and Jam Sanitchat and Bruce Barnes | 14-18

PODCASTS VIEW FROM VENUS Jennifer McNevin of Manuel’s | 32-35 PACKING TASTE George Milton of Yellowbird | 54-55

JOHNSON’S BACKYARD GARDEN Brenton Johnson | 20-24

IN THE KNOW

THE PEACHED TORTILLA & VERACRUZ ALL NATURAL

FA LIST | 52-53

Eric Silverstein and Reyna and Maritza Vazquez | 26-30

THE ANN AND ROY BUTLER HIKE

GOODPOP

FA LIST | 60-61

Daniel Goetz | 56-59 LAKE AUSTIN SPA RESORT

AND BIKE TRAIL | 50-52 READ THIS! | 68-69 CONNECT WITH US | 70 COME FLY WITH ME | 72-77

Michael McAdams | 62-67

PERSPECTIVES DEFINE

LAST WORD

Disrupt | 6-7

Shelley Seale | 80-81

COACH'S CORNER

SPECIAL SECTION FOUNDING_MEDIA PODCASTS | 46-49

Dan Dillard | 78 5

nourish verb / nour·ish / 'n riSH /

definition: To provide with food or other substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition. To keep (a feeling or belief) in one's mind, typically for a long time. To strengthen, build up, or promote. The word nourish comes from the 13th century French norriss, meaning to nurture and provide for, which stems from the Latin nutria, meaning to feed, nurse, support, and preserve.

condition — certainly more than food and drink. We asked, “what kinds of nourishment does it take to grow in a healthy way?” And, “Who are the founders that are driven to nourish us – body, heart, and soul?”

Given our foodie culture, today when we hear the words nourish and nourishment our thoughts go first to food and drink. And there are plenty of food and drink establishments to explore in Austin — so many, in fact, that you could spend a year trying and not cover them all.

The second definition of nourish — “to keep a feeling or belief in one’s mind typically for a long time” — is indeed at the heart and soul of and is the driving force for many founders. More often than not, founders have a seed of an idea that they can’t let go of, cannot forget, and it stays with them until they must bring it to fruition. How often do we hear, “I had long nourished the ambition to …” as the beginning of an entrepreneur’s story?

But when we at foundingAUSTIN settled on the nourish theme, our aim was to go deeper. We wanted to explore exactly what it takes to grow, be healthy, and be in good 6

Lastly, the idea of nourishment as something that strengthens, builds up and promotes is an important element of all founders’ journeys. What elements nourish our quest? What is necessary to strengthen and promote our mission and message? How can we nourish ourselves as we set out to nourish others? Inc. magazine recently ranked Austin as the best place in the nation to start a new business. It is a city full of start-ups and incubators, dreamers and visionaries, people who have revolutionary ideas. One of the reasons Austin is a city good for new business is that it is also a city that provides nourishment to those who want to change the

world. It is a city where no idea is too outrageous, where you can find a tribe of people willing to encourage and support your journey, and where you have a safe place to grow and feed that idea that won’t go away. At fA we provide nourishment for you in the stories of these founders in the hope of inspiring you to nourish your own ambitions and dreams. The next time we see you walking around Lady Bird Lake being nourished by Mother Nature, we will give you a thumbs up to encourage you to keep going knowing that you are being “well-fed” — nourished in body, heart, and soul.

Nourishing Brain, Body, and

BRAINJUICE’S SAM ELICK AND BETTER BITES BAKERY’S LEAH LOPEZ DISCOVERED A HUNGRY MARKET FOR THEIR SPECIALTY PRODUCTS

WRITTEN BY JOLEEN JERNIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY WESTON CARLS

Necessity is the mother of all invention. But for Sam Elick of BrainJuice and Leah Lopez of Better Bites Bakery, necessity became the mother of business as well. Both Elick and Lopez began marketing their health products because

Business in Niche Markets

what they needed simply didn’t exist in stores. It’s marketing 101: Find a need and fill it. By problem-solving for themselves, Elick and Lopez tapped into unfulfilled niche markets, and once they were off and running, both their businesses grew quickly. Lopez and Elick put in the research and the work. But while Elick actively pushed to market and distribute BrainJuice using the old heel-toe method, Lopez needed more nudging to move Better Bites out of her kitchen — literally — and into larger distribution, starting with Whole Foods. For both entrepreneurs, the hard work is paying off.

BRAINJUICE BRINGS BUSINESS AND LIFE INTO FOCUS Sam Elick always struggled to concentrate in school. Even in grad school, he didn’t exactly exude laser focus, no matter how many cups of coffee or energy drinks he consumed. One night, his brain had enough and went kaput — or that’s how it felt. That’s when Elick asked the fateful question: “What can I actually feed my brain … to generate mental focus and mental clarity and have [my] memory working well? To feel awesome and clear?” He found that certain nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants worked to improve actual brain function and increase focus. But of the available supplements, nothing on the market combined those elements to give the brain almost immediate clarity and focus. This is where BrainJuice succeeds and where energy drinks and mere caffeine fall short. BrainJuice is more than the sum of its parts, and it is an entirely different beast than an energy drink. It is brain food.

Elick — whose family had instilled in him the entrepreneur’s mindset of “be your own boss” — instinctively knew that BrainJuice was worth sticking with.

Elick began researching nutrition and the brain’s chemistry. He gathered a team, including a biochemist, and set to trial and error. BrainJuice was born. Elick — whose family had instilled in him the entrepreneur’s mindset of “be your own boss” — instinctively knew that BrainJuice was worth sticking with. He pushed forward, visiting a long list of Austin stores with boxes of BrainJuice to get it on shelves. At times, it was slow 10

going. Often it meant leaving a box of BrainJuice with the stores, asking them to try it and see if it sold. Most stores called soon enough with more orders. Recently, Elick’s expanded the line to include a powdered version and a new formula for athletic performance that enhances brain function and protects the heart to enhance performance.

gluten-free treats she’d been working on.

BETTER BITES BAKERY MAKES LIFE TASTIER FOR PEOPLE WITH FOOD ALLERGIES Leah Lopez and her husband received the news that their son had multiple, severe food allergies early on. Lopez worried as he grew older that her son might be left out of parties because he couldn’t eat typical party goodies, so she set out to create allergysafe, delicious treats that she and her family could enjoy themselves or could take to parties for everyone to enjoy.

Lopez’s very first cake was a Thomas the Tank Engine cake that she admits was more of a mess than a triumph. That didn’t stop her, though. Soon, she started making a variety of yummy desserts free of the eight top allergens. Then, excited by her progress, she began inviting friends over, sharing the plant-based,

in Austin, provided she work out of a 100 percent certified, gluten-free kitchen — the first glutenfree certified commercial kitchen in Texas.

Friends with high-end hotels and restaurants raved about Lopez’s creations, commenting that even their award-winning Many specialty shops begin chefs weren’t making with one item, but Lopez allergen-free desserts. They had no interest in limiting planted a seed in her mind herself and rolled out her that yes, what she first commercial batch was doing could with 12 items. As be a business. she explains However, it: “I’m doing Lopez this to create was in no a family of rush to products market her for people skills and who don’t perhaps felt have options. unprepared to If you’re going move on the idea to support me on so quickly. making multiple Custom items, then that’s orders are But then a good what I want to do never a friend — realizing … My goals were to problem at Lopez needed a Better Bites. create options for nudge — served people like my son one of her chocolate who didn’t have cakes to a group of Whole any; I wanted to add a little Foods executives, including more excitement in that with it a slip of paper with category.” Lopez’s phone number on it. Things moved quickly Over time, the bakery’s for Lopez and Better Bites product offerings have Bakery from that point on. changed some as the team has focused in on their The Whole Foods team most popular items. But invited Lopez to come in, the flagship Big Mo and Lil’ bring a bunch of goodies, Mo chocolate cakes with and talk business. They coconut-cream filling and loved the desserts and knew chocolate ganache are still there was a big market for among their most popular plant-based, gluten-free, items, as are the Dō Bites delectable treats. They — raw cookie dough bites guaranteed her shelf space covered in chocolate.

Friends with high-end hotels and restaurants raved about Lopez’s creations, commenting that even their award-winning chefs weren’t making allergen-free desserts. They planted a seed in her mind that yes, what she was doing could be a business.

About three years after launching in Whole Foods, Lopez was called in by the Whole Foods leadership team to look at numbers. She wondered if there was a problem. Turns out, her

line of products was the number one seller in the Whole Foods bakery and the team wanted her to expand to all of its stores. She found herself faced with the age-old dilemma many entrepreneurs face: How do you grow while maintaining quality standards? Luckily, she found a co-packing kitchen with an established process line and started to produce baked goods at a much more rapid rate, while still holding them and her team to the highest of standards. The products are now kosher, non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan — all certified. Today, Better Bites Bakery distributes its packaged desserts to stores across the country. In Austin, they can be found at Whole Foods, Central Market, H-E-B, Natural Grocers, and Royal Blue Grocery.

“I’m doing this to create a family of products for people who don’t have options. If you’re going to support me on making multiple items, then that’s what I want to do … My goals were to create options for people like my son who didn’t have any; I wanted to add a little more excitement in that category.”

ADVICE FROM THE FOUNDERS

BrainJuice, Sam Elick On positive thinking: “Positive thinking is good, but it’s more so just having the eye on the goal, knowing you can make stuff happen and keep going … facing the negative and the challenges when they come up. If you focus only on the positive and ignore the problems, that’s when they can take you down.”

brainjuice.me NaturalBrainJuice @OnBrainJuice @naturalbrainjuice

Better Bites Bakery On scaling up: “One of the biggest things that entrepreneurs are truly faced with is ‘Do I have something that can really last, that people really want? Once they … know it’s market-validated, that people are excited about it, the next question is, ‘How do I produce this, sustain it?’ It has to be baby steps; we can’t run before we can walk.”

betterbitesbakery.com BetterBitesBakery @BetterBitesBake @BetterBites_Bakery

WRITTEN BY JOLEEN JERNIGAN

It Takes Two, Baby: How Two Powerhouse Austin Couples Do Business SIDESERF CAKE STUDIO

Thai Fresh's Bruce Barnes and Jam Sanitchat

AND THAI FRESH SHOW THE UPSIDE OF RUNNING BUSINESSES TOGETHER “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” Audrey Hepburn kept her words general; they could apply to business or personal relationships, and for the couples at the helm of Sideserf Cake Studio and Thai Fresh they work for both. Working with a spouse comes with a unique set of rewards and challenges. Natalie and Dave Sideserf, founders of Sideserf Cake Studio, and Jam Sanitchat and Bruce Barnes, founders of Thai Fresh, have been nourishing and enchanting Austin with their businesses for several years. 14

SideSerf Cake Studio's Dave and Natalie Sideserf

“When we are on the same page, it reinforces a team effort both for work and marital bliss.”

SIDESERF CAKE STUDIO PHOTOS BY WESTON CARLS

Pets Alive, the Museum of the Weird, Ray Benson’s birthday party benefiting HAAM, and other iconic Austin people and places. They made a cow-skull cake that was “hidden in plain sight” on the wall at the Broken Spoke for the 50th anniversary of another Austin power couple, Broken Spoke co-owners James and Annetta White. Nobody realized it was cake until the big reveal. Texas Cake House is still in syndication and has garnered an international fan base, earning fans in faraway places such as India and Brazil — fans who can now follow them on their YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter accounts.

SIDESERF CAKE STUDIO Sideserf Cake Studio’s Natalie and Dave make the most realistic cakes you’ve ever seen. Whether sculpting a bust of Willie Nelson, a cute dog in repose, or one of their convincing “still life” cakes depicting food, they are pros at taking it to the next level. The still life cakes are so incredibly realistic that they had to start adding the word “CAKE” next to the photos on social media so people knew they were cakes. They even caught the eye of the Food Network and starred in their

own show, Texas Cake House, for two seasons. In this fun show, Natalie and Dave showed their process for creating cake masterpieces for their customers. The Sideserfs loved being able to lift the veil for their audience with Texas Cake House, not only because they could share the way their intricate cakes come together but also because Austin seemed to be its own character in the show. During the Texas Cake House run, the Sideserfs made showstopping cakes for Mexic-Arte Museum, Alamo Drafthouse’s Fantastic Fest, Austin

Natalie and Dave’s working dynamic and individual roles within the shared business were evident in the show. Natalie is the architect of the cakes, the one who devises and builds these often complex structures. Dave came from a background in tech and business, but he has now become a master of coming up with inspired cake flavors. Take for example, the University of Texas signature flavor: burnt orange creamsicle. Sideserf Cake Studio began as Natalie’s business, but by the time Texas Cake House began filming, Dave had jumped in full time, leaving the corporate world behind. About merging business and home life, Natalie explains, “It took some time to figure out, but we make things work by identifying roles when it comes to the business. I have my side of the business, which is helping customers come up with designs that fit their budget and 15

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SIDESERF CAKE STUDIO

Dave and Natalie's

handling the decorating side of things. Dave works on the baking and handles administrative stuff like the website and finances. Sometimes there is a little overlap, but in those cases we talk things out and compromise.”

TIPS FOR OTHER COUPLES

Now that the show has stopped taping, the duo is focusing on scaling business in a few ways. They are working on growing locally in Austin, expanding their cake line to include “baby cakes,” smaller cakes that are more accessible to more people. These baby cakes look like a big cake shrunken down but are individually packaged to keep flavors fresh. Sold at the price point of a cupcake, baby cakes are sure to be a big hit.

The best advice we could give to couples going into business together would be to make sure you share the same goals and are working toward the same achievement.

Natalie is also in demand around the country, teaching classes on how to make these wonderful, whimsical cakes. The Sideserfs have also started posting mini-tutorials on their YouTube channel, where they walk people through making their smaller, yet breathtakingly realistic, cakes at home. The Sideserfs’ enthusiasm and love for making cakes is contagious. Natalie and Dave’s Sideserf Cake Studio is an example of when a couple-owned business has figured out that sweet spot where their mutual respect and complementary talents only make the business stronger. As Natalie summarizes, “When we are on the same page, it reinforces a team effort both for work and marital bliss.”

sideserfcakes.com

sideserfcakes

Like most things in life, there has to be balance and compromise.

When we have disagreements, we remember that we both want the same thing even if we have differing opinions of how to get there.

There will be mistakes, but neither of us is perfect, so we have to reflect, learn, and move on.

For us, organization is key. When we need things done, whether for business or domestic chores, we create tasks for each other using an app called HubSpot. This allows us to plan accordingly instead of popping up out of nowhere and stressing each other out.

Each night we also ask each other, what's the plan for tomorrow?

THAI FRESH Thai Fresh’s Jam and Bruce run a kind of 3-in-1 business: cooking school, Thai restaurant, and cafe. Thai Fresh provides South Austin with fresh, gluten-free baked goods, Thai food, and ice cream. In 2004, Jam had finished her Masters degree in Communications at the University of Texas, had applied to a Ph.D. program, and was on a yearlong break. Looking for something to do, she started teaching cooking classes, as she states, “just for fun, for something different from academia.” To get the word out on her classes, Jam started selling her prepared dishes at local farmers markets. Early growth was slow but steady, and Jam realized she loved the work. The prospect of jumping into a Ph.D. seemed less and less attractive. Around the same time, Jam and Bruce met in a classic, cuterestaurant-meetup kind of way. Jam was waiting tables and Bruce was managing Hoover’s Cooking when they started

dating. Once Jam decided to pursue cooking and her entrepreneurial path, she threw herself into her cooking classes and the farmers market circuit. Soon after, the two were married and had a son. A few years in, Jam’s business was growing rapidly, and the couple began looking for a space to set up in. Jam wanted to expand on her existing cooking classes and sell prepared food and also start selling the specialty ingredients that she used in her cooking. They opened their current space in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood in August 2008. The neighborhood embraced Thai Fresh right away, and things quickly took off. Within a month, Bruce left his job to help Jam run Thai Fresh. In 2010, the business next door closed their doors. Jam and Bruce took the opportunity to expand Thai Fresh, adding the bakery and coffee shop.

Jam and Bruce's

TIPS FOR OTHER COUPLES Try to discuss restaurant problems at work and avoid talking about it at home whenever possible. The key is to trust each other at work and in making decisions.

We help each other in all aspects of work and life. We help each other make sure our son gets to school on time, pick him up, drive him to play dates/school events, etc.

Try to not let work take all of your time, even when work is busier than usual. It is hard sometimes to juggle it all, but it is possible.

On how they separate roles and responsibilities, Jam says, “You just have to live one day at a time. I think we are a good match as far as a couple working together. We take care of different parts of the restaurant. We don’t really work together, although we are working in the same restaurant. Bruce takes care of inventory and books, and I run the (day-to-day) management part … of the restaurant.” Working in different aspects of the business allows them to each work within in their strong suits and reduces the potential for arguments. Thai Fresh became known for their gluten-free baked goods, right as the demand for gluten-free food began to grow exponentially. The business decision was a happy coincidence of sorts: Jam herself is allergic to wheat, so she started adding gluten-free treats such as flourless chocolate cake and Rice Krispies treats to the menu — treats “that were naturally gluten-free without having to try too hard.” She then started experimenting with rice flour and other wheat substitutes that worked well. The menu grew along with the demand for glutenfree goodies. Eventually, the couple phased out non-GF goods in the coffee shop to avoid issues with cross-contamination, becoming the unofficial go-to gluten-free restaurant in Austin.

We don’t interfere with each other’s work very much. We might have comments but we avoid criticizing.

Try to be as present as possible at home.

Jam and Bruce believe in nourishing the community not merely by feeding them but by supporting local farms, local businesses, and donating food to local nonprofit events for groups such as Urban Roots and the Art Alliance. They also pay a fair, living wage to their employees, which in turn improves customer service. They also believe in using sustainable, better products from around the world, because they want to make it a better world while feeding the local community. Both Thai Fresh and Sideserf Cake Studios are examples of doing whatever it takes to make it. When the restaurant is slow, teach more classes. If people love watching your TV show, start a YouTube channel to keep getting content out there. If something is selling well, like the gluten-free items, double down on making them. When you see a demand for more accessible specialty cakes, come up with baby cakes, so more people can try them. Team work and solid work ethics sustain these businesses — and the couples behind them. Austin embraces them for their high quality and personal touch. With their business savvy and cando attitude plus being tuned in to their customer base, Natalie and Dave and Jam and Bruce are great role models for new business owners.

Jam credits the gluten-free movement and good timing with helping them stretch to meet the market needs. “The timing was right, it was perfect. It also forced us to learn more, to become more aware of what people can eat and not eat.” Nowadays about 99 percent of everything Thai Fresh sells is gluten-free; the baked goods are 100 percent gluten-free. Jam and Bruce’s hard work continues to pay off. On any given day, Thai Fresh is full of people there to eat tasty Thai food and gluten-free goodies washed down with hot coffee, or to take cooking classes. Meanwhile, the founders have stayed true to their roots even while expanding. Jam still teaches Thai cooking classes, though not as many as in the past (around two a week). And that has always been a dependable source of income during the restaurant’s slow times. 18

thai-fresh.com

ThaiFreshAustin ThaiFresh

/SwishDentalTX @swishsmiles

WRITTEN BY LYNN WISE PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT DAVID GORDON

From Backyard to Big Time HOW BRENTON JOHNSON OF JOHNSON’S BACKYARD GARDEN BECAME THE BIGGEST ORGANIC FARMER IN TEXAS The line between insanity and ingenuity can be thin. Just ask Mama Nell Johnson, the no-nonsense straightshooting grandmother of Brenton Johnson — founder of Johnson’s Backyard Garden — who urged her grandson to “please, please get a real job.” She didn’t mind if he looked into “those hippie, organic farms,” but she wanted him to apply for some respectable positions too.

The family had worked too hard putting Brenton through college for him to waste it all on farming. Both Brenton’s father and his grandfather, Papa Johnson (Mama Nell’s husband), worked for the Department of Agriculture, doling out government loans to farmers. The family knew farming was a hard life. I speak to Johnson by phone while he’s out of town visiting family, and I can only imagine the baffled look of amazement that must adorn Mama Nell’s 93-year-old face when she looks at her grandson now. By his own estimates, Johnson has gone from selling vegetables out of his backyard to being the largest organic farmer, in terms of sales, in Texas. This year, he expects Johnson’s Backyard Garden (JBG) will sell $5 million in vegetables, and he has big plans for expansion. So how did he do it? By indulging his love for growing things and by breaking nearly every rule in the book.

“I didn't even know how much to charge for anything. … It was 100 bucks in the first week. And then the next week I came back and I was a little bit more prepared and made like $120. And then a few weeks later, you know, it was like $250. And every week I would call my grandmother and be like, ‘Mama Nell, guess what? I just made $275 this week. Mama Nell, guess what? I made $500 this week.’ She's like, ‘Brenton, am I gonna have to come out there and check on you? Are you sure you're growing vegetables?!’”

ROOTS Of growing up in southeast Alabama, Johnson says, “I grew up with a bunch of farm kids, but I was always into sailboats, skateboards and into the Grateful Dead — I wasn't into the farm kid stuff.” Despite his skater-kid attitude, Johnson says he was a born entrepreneur. When he was 12, he started mowing lawns, as many kids do. But unlike most kids, he stuck with it. By the time he was in college at Auburn University, he and a friend had built up a big enough lawn business, including some commercial accounts, that they were able to sell it. By the time he was a senior, however, Johnson was questioning his mechanical engineering major. He’d spent two years as a student engineer in Auburn’s cooperative education program, working in a commercial laundry manufacturing factory, and he just wasn’t feeling the whole factory thing. “I just was there in college and 22

spot. My very first question to him — before I knew any of his backstory — was, “Tell me how you got started.” He says completely deadpan, “Well, it started back when I was in college, in my closet.” thinking, what do I want to do? What do I really want to do when I finish school? And a light bulb went on in my head, and I was like, ‘I want to produce something that is a basic human need … food! I want to be a farmer, and I want to grow vegetables.’” Johnson has this way of catching you off guard and of putting you on the

Then he pauses for a long time, and I’m running through all the things I could and should say next when he breaks the tension with a gleeful laugh, “I was growing a bunch of marijuana.” Turns out, as he goes on to explain, that’s only half true. Johnson loves growing things, he loves the science of

it, he loves the challenge of it. And back in college he was growing just about everything he could. “I had a big huge garden on the side of my house, had all these plants inside my house … Then in my buddy's house, I was like, ‘Okay guys, I'll help you with your [marijuana] garden, but I'm not doing it at my house.’ And so I helped them in their closet garden at my buddy's house.” He switched his major to agricultural engineering, and between what he learned in the classroom and at home — in the yard and in the closet — his growing reached a whole new level. “I got kind of obsessed with learning the technical aspects of farming … and I took it to a whole ‘nother engineering level — like the most advanced indoor growing system that you can imagine over 20 years ago. It was optimized HID light levels, it was CO2 injection for optimizing the photosynthesis of the leaves. ... I designed a hydroponic growing system. It's called a nutrient film technique. So it's a really advanced hydroponic system where — this is before it was possible just to go out and buy a formula mix like I can now at the indoor grow shop — I had to calculate all the different macronutrients, the trace nutrients ... you know, all that stuff had to be calculated to optimize the plant growth. “Also one other thing that I learned was maximizing space. So I learned how to be super, super efficient with utilizing every inch of space for production.” When I ask Johnson if he’d be interested in switching over to marijuana if it were legalized, he says, “I'm more interested in growing something I can be proud of — growing healthy food for people."

GROWTH After college, Johnson did get a “real” job. He worked with the Bureau of Land Management in Oregon for about 6 months, designing forest roads, and

“The whole time I was growing up, I just thought that my grandfather and my dad didn't have important jobs. … I knew what they did, but I didn't value it. And then I was thinking, ‘Holy Shit, this is an awesome job that these guys have. These guys are like heroes.’”

then moved to Wyoming to manage the Bureau of Reclamation’s water conservation program, encouraging efficiency among recipients of federal water — including many farmers. But he didn’t abandon his farming nor his rebel, hippie attitude. And as much as Johnson liked Wyoming, he jumped at the chance to transfer to Austin when it arose — What 20-something wouldn’t? Then, about a year after moving, Johnson married his highschool sweetheart, Beth, and the two started a family. Eventually, they bought the house in East Austin off of Holly Street where JBG got its start. Johnson, bored at his government job, spent his days mining farm and garden newsletters for information about growing seasons. He created growing calendars and lined the walls of his office with them. At home, he grew. “My whole yard [was] taken over by vegetables: the front yard, the backyard, the side yard in front of the fence, front yard. And I've got 18 different varieties of Muscadine grapes that are growing around the perimeter. And I've got 18 chickens in the backyard, squeezed in with a compost pile along with satsuma oranges, pear

trees, lime trees, plums, figs, loquats,” Johnson remembers. In 2004, the Sustainable Food Center started a farmers market, and Johnson dove right in, selling his vegetables atop a single table covered with a batik cloth — the same one he’d used previously to sell “hot and sexy” grilled cheese sandwiches at Grateful Dead concerts. “I didn't even know how much to charge for anything. … It was 100 bucks in the first week. And then the next week I came back and I was a little bit more prepared and made like $120. And then a few weeks later, you know, it was like $250. And every week I would call my grandmother and be like, ‘Mama Nell, guess what? I just made $275 this week. Mama Nell, guess what? I made $500 this week.’ She's like, ‘Brenton, am I gonna have to come out there and check on you? Are you sure you're growing vegetables?!’” Meanwhile, Beth was increasingly frustrated at having their yard turned into a farm. Johnson remembers her saying something along the lines of, “Brenton, this garden, I'm not even happy with it 23

because I started the garden, and then you took it over and then like you just went totally crazy with it. And now our kids don't even have — they can't even play in the yard. Like all they have is just a concrete back porch, with a tire swing ... and the kids swinging out over the garden … you know, it's ridiculous.” “And so she was really putting the pressure on me,” Johnson says. “And I was like, okay, I feel really bad. I want to be a good father and husband but I am having fun with the garden.” So he started looking for land.

MATURATION Johnson searched Craigslist and found a 60-acre tract of land listed for $2.2 million, just east of downtown, behind Callahan’s on Hwy 71 — that he knew he couldn’t afford. But then he had a stroke of luck: He went out to the piece of property he was interested in, and started talking to a neighbor. After talking with her about his plans, the woman offered to sell her 20-acre property to him for $275,000 — cows included. She was older and doing fine financially, and it’s hard not to get excited about vegetables and farming when talking to Johnson. “I went home as fast as I could, and I got my wife — we're divorced now, but I got my ex-wife and kids — and I was like, ‘Hey Beth, what do you think about this farm?’ And she looked at it, and she really liked it, and she's like, ‘I'd be happy to move there with you if you can figure out the financing.’ And I was like, ding ding. The light bulb went off. I was like, ‘Oh my dad and my grandfather made loans to farmers!’ “The whole time I was growing up, I just thought that my grandfather and my dad didn't have important jobs. … I knew what they did, but I didn't value it. And then I was thinking, ‘Holy Shit, this is an awesome job that these guys have. These guys are like heroes.’” jbgorganic.com

Things progressed quickly from there: Johnson quit his job, did a ton of research, got some free advice and paid some of the most successful organic farmers in the country — whom he admired and aspired to be — to advise him. He invested in equipment, and made $450,000 that first year. By 2009, he was making more than a million dollars on 14 crop acres selling his vegetables.

HARVEST Now, four years after he and his wife separated, Johnson says the fog has lifted, and he has exciting things in the works. His voice picks back up as he talks about it. First thing is the farm stand that will provide Austinites year-round access to local, organic produce and prepared food.

Next is the JBG’s business model construction of a is different from truly massive 24,000 most commercial square foot cold farms — which focus storage and distribution on no more than a few facility on the farm’s crops — and is based on Garfield property. Johnson In 2019, JBG expects the assumption that variety plans to become a sort of to sell $5 million in leads to success and more food hub, where Central vegetables and has big effectively managing risk. Texas farmers can bring plans for expansion. At his farm, Johnson grows their organic produce to a truly impressive array of be sold cooperatively. It’s a herbs, vegetables, and fruits, and he long-term goal, but Johnson is confident keeps his distribution diverse as well. he can make it happen. The farm sells at farmers markets; it has restaurant accounts; it has wholesale contracts with institutions including AISD, Apple, and Dell; it sells to families across Texas with community supported agriculture (CSA) subscriptions; and sometime this year it will be opening a farmstand on Hwy 71 that will sell all sorts of local organic produce and food. But the success hasn’t come without a hefty cost: When I ask Johnson what his biggest challenge has been, without hesitation he responds, “My divorce.” Then for the first time in our conversation he fumbles for words. “I just had a real passion for my farm and everything that I had went into it. And I think that — I'm not sure exactly what happened. I think maybe I started to work too much and didn't focus enough … on my ex wife, you know? Yeah. And I didn't realize our relationship had started to deteriorate until it was too late.”

JBorganic

JBGorganic

“We had THOUGHTBARN, it's a local architectural firm in town, design it,” Johnson says. “The metal building’s being manufactured in Houston, by this company called Whirlwind. And then, the produce coolers are being ordered now. … So it'll be, I think it'll be done within, probably in the next four months.” The farmer is also working on a pilot program to rent plots of land to aspiring farmers at his original Hergotz farm — the one he bought from the neighbor woman as he was just starting out himself. As Johnson details his dizzying plans, it’s clear JBG today is a far cry from the backyard eastside garden it started as, and it’s more than enough to keep the farmer founder moving — and I get the impression that the man is always on the move. We wrap up our phone call as he finishes up his hourlong car trip and with true Texan hospitality invites me out to see the farm. It’s always open, he says. You can visit it yourself, by volunteering in exchange for veggies by signing up at jbgorganic.com

WRITTEN BY TIFFANY HARELIK

From Truck to Table: “Order up!” are the words you hear through the blur of a sunny Austin afternoon. A hefty set of tacos comes out in a boat of fusion perfection, and you're ready to dive into the flavor, when the thought crosses your mind: “I could do this.” Veracruz All Natural

Peached Tortilla and Veracruz All Natural

And you could. Many have. Hundreds of local food truckers have paved the way for you through the rules and regulations of taking their favorite childhood recipes and transforming them into menu items for their food trucks and brick-and-mortar restaurants. Austin's food scene changed dramatically in 2008, when a crashing economy pushed entrepreneurs to try their hand at small-scale restaurants with affordable start-up costs. Some faded away, while others grew and expanded their territories to other states. Eric Silverstein and the Vazquez sisters represent two very different types of entrepreneurs who successfully launched restaurant careers from humble beginnings in food trucks.

Peached Tortilla Photo by Carli Rene / Inked Fingers

PHOTOGRAPHY BY INKED FINGERS

THE PEACHED TORTILLA Restaurateur Eric Silverstein's favorite thing to eat when he was growing up in Tokyo, Japan, was Singaporean food: char kway teow, chicken and rice, chilli crab, sago gula melaka, and laksa. At 11 years old, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where his palate was further refined by Southern flavors. He now serves Modern Asian comfort food in his food truck turned restaurant The Peached Tortilla. "It's Asian food I grew up eating, modernized here and there," Silverstein says. The JapaJam burger off his food truck menu and the Southern Fun noodles at his original restaurant are some of his personal favorite items from his menu. "Roy Choi was probably the one who inspired me the most to start the business," Eric says. "I was watching YouTube videos of him driving the food truck around, attracting customers. His personality is the perfect fit for street food and I gravitated toward his story. There was something so real and raw about starting a business in a food truck." After law school, Silverstein was drawn to Austin by the weather and a thriving economy. He opened his first food truck on Sept. 25, 2010, at Star Bar on West 6th. "My original vision was to be in a

food truck for a year or a year and a half, and then make enough money to open a restaurant," Silverstein shares. "It took four years, so I was a little behind schedule." And the challenges of running a food truck were real. "One day I was driving on MoPac and about to exit at Parmer Lane,” Silverstein recounts, “when the truck just stopped. I didn't know what was going on and then realized the gas meter was broken. We had run out of gas. I had to walk a mile in the dead of summer to go fetch gas while the entire truck blocked the exit. Awesome."

THE PATH TO A BRICK-AND-MORTAR Facing financial challenges, Eric opened a second truck about two and a half years in. At the time, food trucks were in extremely high demand for weddings and private events. That's when he decided to focus his business efforts on catering. "I needed to scale the business and take on more events," he says. "A second truck was the only way we could do more than one event in a day and grow the business. It just made sense to sell to those clients seeking catering."

But Silverstein’s dream was always to open a restaurant. To make the move from food truck model to brick-andmortar, he needed a home base with his own kitchen. "I opened a restaurant partly out of ego as well. I had a goal that I set out, and I was going to achieve that goal. We needed it for staff morale and for all of us to feel like we were making strides in trying to grow a business," he says. "You don't have to worry about all the bullshit that comes with food trucks: generators breaking down, mechanical issues, product spoiling because your refrigerator can't keep temperatures where they need to be. The food truck business is a running list of things that can go wrong. A restaurant affords you the ability to sell food at a higher price. It allows you to sell booze. It elevates your entire business and how people perceive you.” The Peached Tortilla opened its first permanent location on Dec. 3, 2014, and has since expanded to three restaurant locations, in addition to its fleet of food trucks: • Bar Peached: 1315 W. 6th St. Bar Peached • Inside ABIA • The OG location: 5520 Burnet Rd.

Q Q+A

SILVERSTEIN’S ADVICE FOR NEW FOOD TRUCKS + RESTAURATEURS been important as well. We also have a PR company. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR SUCCESS EACH DAY?

It's all about preparation walking into every day. I walk into every day trying to be focused and ready to attack the tasks on hand. I try not to walk into a situation that I'm unprepared for. I'm always pushing hard too.

WOULD YOU SUGGEST PEOPLE START WITH A FOOD TRUCK?

Yes, and no. Honestly, starting in a food truck isn't a choice for most people. They have to open that way based on capital constraints. A food truck is a tough, raw business. It's hard to make it. Once you are in it, it's tough to make it to the next level. But obviously, people are able to make the leap. WHAT ARE 2–3 THINGS YOU WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD YOU BEFORE YOU OPENED YOUR FOOD TRUCK AND RESTAURANT?

When you own a business, you are automatically in a position of leadership. You better learn how to inspire and lead other people. You also should be willing to sacrifice a lot for your business. That's part of the deal. LOOKING BACK, WHAT COULD YOU HAVE DONE TO STREAMLINE THINGS FOR YOUR BUSINESS GROWTH?

Our operations were a mess very early on. I was trying to learn on the fly, so there was a ton we could have 28

Eric Silverstein and Louis Cantu (former food truck manager) in front of the original food truck at 24 St. and San Gabriel, where they stopped for dinner service. Photo by Vi Nguyen

streamlined. My advice is to treat the business as a marathon and not a sprint. Move at a deliberate pace, and make sure you have systems in place as you grow. Don't try to do everything yourself — hire people to help you. HOW DOES SOMEONE GET STARTED IN THE COMPETITIVE FOOD TRUCK SCENE IN AUSTIN?

Honestly, you just start. You get a truck outfitted and you get a permit. Simple as that. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WORKING IN A SMALL KITCHEN THAT COULD BE USEFUL FOR OTHERS STARTING THEIR FOOD TRUCK ODYSSEY?

Make sure your line is set up the right way; meaning, you have zero extra space so make sure all the cooking equipment you have on board is a

necessity. Make sure you have a commissary you can prep out of. WHAT MARKETING AND ADVERTISING HAVE WORKED BEST FOR YOU?

We are very focused on Instagram at the moment. SEO driven toward our Google business listing has

WHAT IS YOUR HIRING PROCESS LIKE? HOW DO YOU CREATE AN AMAZING TEAM?

Grow from within. We put an emphasis on trying to grow the people that work for us at the lower rung of the ladder. Teach them how to grow and achieve bigger things. There are pros and cons to this strategy, but those that started at the bottom for you are more loyal than those making a lateral move on board.

ACCOLADES Silverstein has earned the attention of big names such as Gail Simmons from Top Chef and Rachel Ray for his best-selling tacos. The Peached Tortilla was featured on Live! With Kelly & Michael as one of the top food trucks in America. The New York Times named The Peached Tortilla one of the five places to visit in Austin. Eric has been featured on various Food Network and Cooking Channel shows including, Taco Trip, Grill Dads, and Taste in Translation. He has appeared in Kiplinger and was named one of the “Top 30 Up and Coming Chefs” by Plate Magazine. FSR named him one of the “Top Rising Stars in Food” a few years ago. He has been featured in The Trailer Food Diaries cookbook series and served food at multiple large-scale festivals such as the Austin City Limits Festival, SXSW, and Trailer Food Tuesdays. Silverstein's cookbook/memoir The Peached Tortilla: Modern Comfort Food from Tokyo to Texas debuted in May. *Reprinted with permission from The Peached Tortilla © 2019 Eric Silverstein. Published by Sterling Epicure. Photography by Carli Rene / Inked Fingers.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN MYERS

VERACRUZ ALL NATURAL Sisters Reyna and Maritza Vazquez moved to Austin from Veracruz, Mexico, in 1999. Almost 10 years later, they opened their first food truck on Cesar Chavez. "When we first opened, it was during the winter and it snowed. At the time we only sold shaved ice and fruit. We made a snowman out in the front of the truck to attract some attention, thinking no one would show up. It was crazy to see how many people came and stopped to buy. It was definitely a sign that we were doing something right," Reyna recalls. Though the sisters say their mother will always be their biggest inspiration in the kitchen, they also look up to Aaron Sanchez and Anna Ruiz. "Aaron put Latinos on the map and has represented us very well," says Maritza. "Anna's pastries are beautiful, and she is really representing women and dominating in the pastry world." Reyna, who loved eating red spaghetti and milanesa growing up, now loves their bestselling migas poblanas with bacon. It's all pipian for Maritza, who describes their food as fresh,

homemade, and authentic. But the tacos are by far their most popular item. "I think our original vision and plan was always this: To one day be able to run not just trucks but a brick-andmortar as well. We've been able to accomplish everything we pictured and planned, and we are beyond grateful for that," Reyna says. The sisters’ second truck was opened on 6th and Waller. "We were in a food trailer park across the street from Violet Crown and next to what was back then Cheer Up Charlies," Maritza remembers. "Money was still short to invest. We wanted to make sure we were not getting ahead of ourselves and we were making smart decisions for our business, even if it took longer to reach that goal of a brick-and-mortar." Working from a food truck has its limits. It had always been a goal to build the food trucks into a sustainable permanent location. "The space inside the trucks is small, the clean water container you may have may not be enough, you have to empty your dirty

water and take it to your commissary kitchen. Food trucks have to take their dirty water and grease to be emptied at a commissary — they are required by the city to rent a commissary kitchen to do prep work and properly remove waste — it's a lot. The weather is a killer for food trucks. A bad day can really take a toll, so with such a high demand for our product we needed more space to cook and prep. We also wanted to expand our menu a little bit more, and more space allowed us to be able to do those things.” The sisters opened their first permanent location in Round Rock in 2016, and the second brick-and-mortar opened in North Austin soon after in 2017. "Working inside a restaurant is so much more comfortable ... just having more space is a plus because you can handle the demand for the product. Also, customers are a lot more comfortable being able to eat inside in any type of weather."

Q Q+A

THE VAZQUEZ SISTERS’ ADVICE FOR NEW FOOD TRUCKS + RESTAURATEURS

WOULD YOU SUGGEST PEOPLE START WITH A FOOD TRUCK? WHY/WHY NOT?

Yes, the food business is very humbling and kind in some sense. Getting a food truck is still an investment, but the risk is lower than investing in a brick-andmortar from the start. WHAT ARE 2–3 THINGS YOU WISHED SOMEONE HAD TOLD YOU BEFORE YOU OPENED YOUR FOOD TRUCK AND RESTAURANT?

We wish someone would have told us how complicated filing permits and working with the city would be. Back then, food trucks were not really popular so it wasn't as organized as it is now. There's so much more information for people who are just starting out making the process a little easier. We wish we would have known how important it was to invest in land when it wasn't as expensive to buy around our original home on the east side.

Sisters Reyna and Maritza Vazquez.

LOOKING BACK, WHAT COULD YOU HAVE DONE TO STREAMLINE THINGS FOR YOUR BUSINESS GROWTH?

Maybe if we would have paid for marketing and advertising in an earlier stage of our business, it would have helped promote us a little quicker. All our advertising was word of mouth, which was amazing!

to make sure you get your name out there. Be consistent, and don't get discouraged. It takes time and work.

a consistent quality every time you serve it.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WORKING IN A SMALL KITCHEN THAT COULD BE USEFUL FOR OTHERS STARTING THEIR FOOD TRUCK ODYSSEY?

Social media

Having a small kitchen first gives you the ability to be able to work anywhere. You learn about managing space and making the best of what you have. Small kitchens need small menus to make sure that your food is fresh and has

WHAT MARKETING AND ADVERTISING HAVE WORKED BEST FOR YOU?

HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR SUCCESS EACH DAY?

We wake up early, for sure. Always good vibes, positive attitude — this business is like a roller coaster, and it’s never going to be perfect. You have to be patient and fix one problem at a time because it can be overwhelming at times.

HOW DOES SOMEONE GET STARTED IN THE COMPETITIVE FOOD TRUCK SCENE IN AUSTIN?

ACCOLADES

It's so different now. Ten years ago, food trucks were not as popular. Now you need to have a solid product that's accessible and good quality and your marketing and advertising has to be even better

Seth Rogan, Gwyneth Paltrow, and a few other celebrities ate tacos from Veracruz this year during SXSW. In past years, Chef Aaron Sanchez, comedian Aziz Ansari, and others were patrons. Veracruz has been featured in Tacos of Texas by taco expert Mando Rayo. The sisters were very honored to have won “Food Truck of the Year” in 2018 for the Tastemakers award, as well as “Best of the Best” from the Austin American-Statesman.

WRITTEN BY DEBORAH HAMILTON-LYNNE PHOTOGRAPHY BY WESTON CARLS

Jennifer McNevin ON NOURISHING OTHERS AS A WAY TO NOURISH YOURSELF “Meet me at Manuel’s” has been a common phrase and part of the Austin culinary lexicon since 1984, when third-generation restaurateur Greg Koury opened his iconic restaurant — dedicated to authentic regional Mexican cooking — at 310 Congress Ave. Well-known for its consistently excellent menu, cocktails, and service, Manuel’s received a boost of energy, style, and taste with the addition of Jennifer McNevin, who moved from Los Angeles in 2001 and became not only co-owner and marketing director of Manuel’s but also Greg’s bride. We got the scoop on her role in providing classic nourishment for Manuel’s loyal customers and for nourishing others though philanthropic outreach and the local arts community. Q+A

DEBORAH HAMILTON-LYNNE: The theme for this issue is "Nourish." So talk to me a little bit about what that word means to you, to be nourished. JENNIFER MCNEVIN: Really, the first thing that hits my brain when you say that word is obviously food. Right? Because I'm in the restaurant business and food really not only nourishes us, but food really socially touches so many things. There are so many ways to be nourished: food, drink, friends, ideas, conversation, and they can all be shared over a meal. DHL: Tell me a little bit about your background. Were you always interested in the restaurant business? Have you always been an entrepreneur? What brought you into it and what do 32

you think now that you are a part of the restaurant business? JM: I am a commercial interior designer. I was living in Los Angeles working with the Wolfgang Puck account nationally and doing some big jobs there with commercial design. I met my husband, Greg, who is the founder of Manuel’s, in Los Angeles. We dated long distance for one year and then he imported me here. DHL: Speaking of Greg. Manuel’s is an Austin icon. There really aren’t many restaurants that have been around for 35 years and have such a large group of loyal customers. JM: We're very proud of that. There's only a handful of restaurants in Austin

that have that kind of longevity. Really, it's not rocket science. It does take a lot of hard work. To stay open that long, what it really takes is having a product and giving people an experience and a product that they want to repeat. It's really as simple as that.

Greg Koury and Jennifer McNevin

Ahmad Modoni, Manuel's and Changos partner

CAMPECHANA Chilled seafood cocktail with poached Yellow Fin Tuna, Gulf shrimp & Black Drum fish tossed with fresh tomato, onion, serrano chile, cilantro & sliced avocado.

“UNDER THE BRIDGE” Gray Hawn was in Cuernavaca Mexico walking back from dinner with friends when she saw the Mariachi band resting under a bridge. The spirit of the moment combined with the beautiful mural behind them caught her eye and she got the shot. Its an exceptional photograph.

DHL: You make it sound “simple,” but I know the business requires a lot of hard work and long hours. Restaurants are closing every day in Austin and competition is popping up every day. How do you keep it interesting and fresh?

Campechana photo by Claire McCormack Hogan

JM: The way we do it is we stay very involved, and we keep our quality very high — of what's on the plate. We're very picky about quality of ingredients. We make everything from scratch in small batches. We only buy Grade A. So we're also sourcing about 70 percent of our product locally. Local meaning from the state of Texas, because we

want to support the local economy in Texas and it also gives our customers and patrons fresher product. As far as our menu and really our business as a whole, we really always strive to be the market leaders. Even though we have been in business for 35 years, we never rest on our laurels. 33

Q+A

We're always thinking of new things, doing new things, keeping it fresh. DHL: Another thing I love about Manuel’s is the impeccable service. Talk to me a little bit about your role as far as making sure that the service is high-quality service as well as highquality food. JM: Really, I can't take a lot of credit for the service. Our operations manager, which is one of our owners, Ahmad Modoni, does a great job, along with Greg, of managing the managers. We have 130 employees. So we can't possibly manage without a strong team. We have many, many long-term employees, and I credit that to the family atmosphere that we create. We try to keep things simple, we try not to over-complicate things. We pay above industry standards, and we work our managers fewer hours than most restaurants. We just try to create a safe place to work, where everyone can come in, do their job, make great money. We really stress the fact that the customer comes first. DHL: If you were talking to somebody that was an entrepreneur and their dream was to open a restaurant, what would you tell them? JM: We get asked that question all the time. We're really happy to see so many young people be more interested in food and beverage these days. Through the media, through all these great TV shows, the cooking shows. But the reality of the business is this: It's the type of business that everyone thinks they can do. When we take calls from people that want to open their own restaurant, we always ask them the same question. The first question we ask is, "If you open your restaurant, can you afford financially to run the restaurant and be there every single day and have it for at least five years and pay all your bills without taking one penny from the restaurant?" If the answer is no, then we don't recommend you open a restaurant. Because typically, it's three to five years before you're gonna be able 34

to pull any money for yourself out of that restaurant. So how would you like to go to work every single day and run a business for 50 to 100 hours a week with no income? DHL: Speaking of ups and downs of restaurants, you've had several restaurants — Changos, Iguana Grill, 612 West. How you decide if a restaurant's viable. JM: It's a really hard decision to make because they become like your children. People often ask me, "Do you like the downtown Manuel's better or the one at Great Hills? Which one, Jen, do you prefer?" And I always say it's like having two children that are very different but you love them both the same. We had a Changos on South Lamar that just wasn't working for us: It never made money in nine years. But we kept it open by floating it through the other ones. At the end of the day, you can only do that for so long. DHL: How would you describe your main roles? JM: My main role is really public relations, community involvement, business development. I oversee all the ads, all the graphics for the ads. But after I saw the movie Food, Inc., it opened my eyes to a lot of practices I wasn't aware of. It spearheaded a very significant change that we made. It took me a year, and the partners supported me, but I changed all of our meats to hormone-free, antibiotic-free. I went the non-GMO route on the corn masa for tortilla chips and tortillas that we make from scratch in the kitchen. We started sourcing locally. We started buying only the wild-caught seafood from certified sustainable waters in the U.S., not farm-raised shrimp from Taiwan. These are just practices that really are common sense, good things to do. Not only for the health of the planet, but for the health of our patrons that are eating our food. But surprisingly, many restaurants that you would think, that tout themselves as being healthy, are not serving the wild-caught seafood and are not serving the all-natural meats. It does put us in a different category.

DHL: How complicated and costly was the process of making that shift? JM: I wanted to prove that if a local, small restaurant group like ours that's not corporately owned can serve this level quality-of-product at a reasonable price and still make a reasonable profit, then anybody can do it. It did take a year to source all this reliably and we're feeding anywhere from 200 to 400 people a day through each one of our restaurants. I really wanted to be a model and start more of a trend to show other restaurants, ‘Hey, if we can do this, you can do it, too.’ In fact, that has happened. That's probably what I'm most proud of. As the public becomes more educated on food practices, they will start demanding this kind of quality. That's what we've tried to do. DHL: And speaking of providing nourishment to the public, let's talk about your dedication to community involvement in Austin and beyond. Why is it important to you? JM: We support every year at least 20 local nonprofits in Austin. We have done that well before I ever got here. Greg and Ahmad have always been exceedingly generous in giving back to the community. Our passion has always been the same. Children, anything to do with children, and the arts. So those are our priorities, always have been. As a restaurant, we get hit up by everybody in town. Everything from the soccer moms to hospice to Ballet Austin, the arts groups. We really try to help as many people as we can. That's my role. Through the restaurants, I've also tried to help with raising awareness and raising funds. DHL: Your outreach has expanded and also includes international outreach through Finding Freedom Through Friendship. How did that come about? JM: It was through my friendship with Turk and Christy Pipkin that made me realize it's not enough to just help out in your own community, that you need to do more. After seeing his film, Nobelity, the message to me was it's one world. If everybody that has would just

do something for those that have not, it could really change the world and help to right that huge imbalance that exists. Seeing that film, I realized as much as I thought I was doing, I was not doing enough. So the two international charities that I've consistently tried to support have been the Nobelity Project and Finding Freedom through Friendship, which was founded by my sister, Jody Greenlee.

giving back. You can see Gray’s beautiful photographic exhibit “Romancing the Light” at the 310 Congress location through June 30, and 25 percent of the proceeds benefit Finding Friendship through Freedom. Almost all of these women and children we are serving are severely malnourished. They don't have a way to meet their basic needs. I am so proud to be a part of trying to change that.

DHL: And you also are active in and support the local arts community.

DHL: Nourish others and you will nourish yourself. JM: Yes, absolutely.

JM: Yes. Right now, we're focused on the exhibit with Gray Hawn at Manuel's as a way to showcase a local artist and raise money for the charity at the same time. We're always looking for creative ways to tie the arts to philanthropy and

Please note that the conversation has been edited for purposes of space. To hear the entire interview go to shows.pippa.io/viewfrom-venus/ manuels.com

ManuelsATX

Philanthropy in Action Greg Koury, Jennifer McNevin, and Ahmad Modoni, owners of Manuel’s and Changos restaurants, have a long and rich history of community support for food-related programs, charitable organizations, and the arts. Through donations of product, gift certificates to be raffled, and annual fundraiser events, their outreach has helped countless local organizations, and an international outreach provides services for women and children escaping poverty and malnourishment. The group is also dedicated to showcasing the work of local artists and combining the exhibits in their fundraising efforts.

Romancing Light by Gray Hawn

poverty by providing shelter, health services, nutrition, education, and economic skills through microloans and microbusiness development.

Through June 30th, Manuel's downtown, located at 310 Congress Ave., will be showcasing the work of internationally renowned photographer Gray Hawn in her exhibit entitled Romancing Light. The exhibit showcases eclectic and inspiring images from Hawn’s travels in Mexico, Egypt, Africa, and India. Hawn is known for her extraordinary landscapes and portraits. Her art and photographs have won numerous awards and grace the collections of many museums, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.

For McNevin, supporting the organization is a family affair. “My sister started going to Guatemala on medical mission trips with 20 nurses — just doing free healthcare for the women and children there. The number grew to 150 nurses, doctors, and volunteers going down there every year. About 10 years ago, she started Finding Freedom Through Friendship because she saw repeatedly that, while it's great to provide healthcare and doing these free operations, almost all of these women and children are severely malnourished. They didn’t have a way to meet their basic needs.

25 percent of sales of the prints on exhibit benefit Freedom Through Friendship.

In Guatemala, these are some of the most impoverished women on the planet. Especially the indigenous Mayan women. I love the way the microloans and microbusinesses have helped pull them out of poverty. Through the foundation, we've helped more than 500 women now. No one in the charity takes a salary of any kind. All the money that we raise goes to help the moms and kids. I am so proud to be a part of it.”

Freedom Through Friendship Freedom Through Friendship is a nonprofit organization that empowers widows, single mothers, and children in rural Guatemala and Egypt by lifting them from endemic

Through the restaurants I have helped with raising awareness and raising funds.

finding-freedom-through-friendship.org

WRITTEN BY DEBORAH HAMILTON-LYNNE PHOTOGRAPHY BY LESLIE HODGE SHOT ON LOCATION AT LAKE AUSTIN SPA RESORT

Camila Alves McConaughey PORTRAIT OF A MODERN WOMAN On a chilly, dreary day in Austin, Camila Alves McConaughey steps off a boat — piloted by her famous husband — onto the dock at Lake Austin Spa Resort, and the first thing I see is her welcoming smile. Both McConaugheys are dressed super casually, wearing hats and athletic gear, and that is how they are most comfortable. He dutifully follows her, carrying her outfits for the shoot as we head to hair and make-up and she begins her transformation for the cover shoot. On this day, he is a bystander and she is the star. McConaughey heads off to work out in the gym and make phone calls while she does her thing. The love and respect they share is obvious and inspiring.

There are so many words that apply to Camila Alves McConaughey — wife, mother, friend, daughter, philanthropist, model, business woman, and entrepreneur — but there is one title that encompasses everything and ties it all together: “nurturer in chief.” It is no mistake that McConaughey came to mind when I pondered cover subjects for our Nourish issue. She embodies the definition: to provide food or other substances for growth, health and good condition; to keep a feeling or belief in one’s mind typically for a long time; to cherish an idea; and, finally, to strengthen, build up, or promote. Seeing McConaughey on the red carpet with her handsome husband makes her life look glamorous — and it is at times. But for her, the real fairy tale is her very down-to-earth life with her family and friends; having the ability to use her Women of Today platform to build a community that is all about nourishment in all senses of the word — food, health, style, crafts and decor, family and work life balance — and her ability to give back through the Just keep livin Foundation. Cofounder and Chief Brand Director of Yummy Spoonfuls, an organic and healthy line of frozen foods for toddlers, McConaughey also set out to fill a gap she discovered when searching for nutritious choices for her family. Her lifestyle website, Women of Today, is all about nourishing your life through connection and care. On her way to becoming a modern role model and nurturer in chief, the road was not always easy for McConaughey, who came to Los Angeles from Brazil at age 15 speaking no English. Swearing that she was an “ugly duck” growing up, McConaughey recalls that her schoolmates laughed when she said she was going to the United States to become a model, and the road was not easy from there. She cleaned houses, lived on friend’s couches, and worked in restaurants while she hit the pavement going to open casting calls and modeling agencies. McConaughey found herself discouraged, alone, and broke in New York City when she learned the value of having just 38

“When I hear the word ‘nourish,’ it has a bigger meaning. I believe that as human beings, if we can nourish one another and learn from one another, a lot of things would be different from the way we are dealing with our lives today. That is what I like to do — build people up. And that is why I started Women of Today: to build a community where we nourish, cherish each other, and learn from each other.”

one person who believed in her and nurtured her dream. Encouraged to keep going by her agency’s owner, McConaughey landed a billboard in Times Square and her international modeling career was launched. In 2006, in a club on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip, lightning struck when Matthew McConaughey spotted the feisty Camila Alves across the room. For him, it was love at first sight, but it took awhile for her to warm up to the “very single” movie star with a reputation for dating highprofile actresses. As fairy tales go, he won her over. They are very much in love and are the parents of three beautiful children — Levi, 10; Vida, 9; and Livingston, 6 — and are happily making their home in the city and state close to their hearts, Austin, Texas, while maintaining ties with her

Brazilian roots. Which leads back to her role as nurturer in chief. “When I hear the word ‘nourish,’ it has a bigger meaning,” McConaughey says. “I believe that as human beings, if we can nourish one another and learn from one another, a lot of things would be different from the way we are dealing with our lives today. That is what I like to do — build people up. And that is why I started Women of Today: to build a community where we nourish, cherish each other, and learn from each other. “I traveled all around the world and I saw that women have more of a community in other countries. They have cultures where they have conversations and learn from their neighbors, their aunts, and their family. Here we are so spread out that

plan — it was just something I wanted to do and knew there was a need for. I let it grow organically and shared by word-of-mouth. I let the community tell me where it was going and what they needed and were interested in learning,” McConaughey recalls.

Chef Stephane Beauchamp

I saw a gap. I wanted that community — those things you learn from a small group — and that was the initial idea for the site.” Initially her advisers wanted to name the site CamilaAlves.com, but McConaughey rejected the name saying that the purpose was to build a community and was not about her. Her mission statement reads, “Mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, leaders, entrepreneurs and angels … We’re all at least one, and some of us are all of these and more. The fact is we are all women, and I believe we need to support each other, share our stories, and find strength in numbers. A few years ago, I created Women of

Today to do just that. To be an online home for all women to visit, to lend support, to pick up some guidance, to be mentors, to laugh together, to know we are not alone in this journey, to share our stories our learnings and create a community in our sisterhood.” McConaughey is also quick to point out that though her site is “for and about women,” it appeals to men too. As for her entrepreneurial journey, Women of Today as well as her other entrepreneurial endeavors began with a desire to fill an unmet need and was fueled by McConaughey’s passion for nurturing, connecting and helping others. “When I first began Women of Today I didn’t have a business

Members of the community of Women of Today are encouraged to share — to share their stories, experiences, recipes, and tips on style and decor — which McConaughey says helps them to heal, grow, and nourish themselves, their families, and their ambitions. “I am always trying a 360 approach, and my goal for the website is to be the ‘essence’ of things that all women want to share whether they are single, stay-at-home moms, working moms. It’s all about learning from each other and figuring it out.” McConaughey and Women of Today plan to host pop-up shops and events, such as a recent workshop in the antiquing capital of Texas, Round Top, where she joined a panel of entrepreneurs for a day of social media and content creation discussions. Women of Today is not McConaughey’s only entrepreneurial foray. Each venture has had its genesis in meeting an unmet need. As she traveled, she found that there were not any bags that were exactly what she was looking for. She wanted something strong but fashionable. Something not too big and not too small and something made from quality leather. Together with her 39

mother, she launched MUXO, a line of designer handbags and clothing that also included a successful partnership with QVC. After McConaughey had children, she even used the sturdy and fashionable bags for multiple purposes including as a stylish diaper bag. Healthy eating and cooking nutritious food for her family was always a priority for nurturer in chief, McConaughey. It pleased her when her family loved her culinary creations. From the beginning, she made her own baby food, but it wasn’t until she was living on location in Calgary in a trailer in the middle of nowhere with three children in tow that she realized that maybe she should consider finding a healthy store-bought option, and her research began. “This is ridiculous”, she recalls thinking, “Someone must have come up with a solution.” But there was little available, and what she found was, even if it was available, it was too expensive and not accessible to ordinary families. Fueled by her belief that a company could be created to serve and help busy parents, McConaughey started asking friends if they knew anyone in the food industry, which led to an introduction to her partner in Yummy Spoonfuls, Agatha Achindu. The pair hit it off right away. Both shared a mission of providing affordable organic food for babies and toddlers that was free of preservatives and additives. “We are both farmers’ daughters. She is from Cameroon, and we understood the difference in eating fresh food and the American industrialized food. We didn’t want to compromise either quality or purity of the food for profit.” Although Agatha had been in business for several years prior to McConaughey joining the company, she had not been able to scale on the level McConaughey envisioned. “I was not afraid to dream big and not afraid to scale, but I really didn’t know what we were getting into. “I was very nervous when I met with my first buyer — more nervous than talking to the presidents of the United States that I met. I knew we had a great 40

“The company went through a tough time, but we learned, corrected, and were able to bring the company back up. You have to keep looking for opportunities and learning from them.”

concept and product, but it wasn’t a smooth process. It was difficult. There were several challenges because we found ourselves in 15,000 Target stores with 33 products. We definitely had our ups and downs. We had a recall of one product and weren’t able to deliver. The company went through a tough time, but we learned, corrected, and were able to bring the company back up. You have to keep looking for opportunities and learning from them.

Now our organic frozen foods are sold in Walmarts across the country.” McConaughey says that in the life of an entrepreneur there are opportunities to learn every day and that being flexible and persistent are qualities that really pay off. Because she had a product that she believed in, she didn’t consider giving up when things got difficult. Instead she asked “What did we do that didn’t work? How can we improve and make it better?” Never

one to let something stand in her way, McConaughey believes that the ability to learn, adapt, and keep moving forward are part of her success. When I ask McConaughey how she nourishes herself and what brings her joy she replies with a laugh, “My family is what brings me the most joy. My kids, my husband — that is really what brings me the most joy. Outside of that, spending time with friends and doing little things like making a flower arrangement, decorating a house, and cooking a meal. Cooking a meal that really worked — that brings me joy.” Mothering is a big part of her life, and she draws her sustenance from Mother Nature. “Being in nature is a big thing

for me. I like to go outside, even for a few quiet minutes, and take some time just for myself, where I can connect with my body and my feelings. I put my foot in the grass and listen to the birds. I feel the weather. I feel grounded, and it’s a good way to start the day.” And how does an entrepreneur who also happens to be a nurturer in chief

make plans both short term and long term? McConaughey says, “Everything I do in my life has a purpose. If you have a purpose behind something, you can walk in a room at any time and talk about it, sell it and speak from your heart. If you don’t know your purpose for what you are doing, it becomes very challenging. Purpose will trump passion a lot of the time.”

womenoftoday.com yummyspoonfuls.com

iamcamilaalves yummyspoonfulsorganicbabyfood

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journey through entrepreneurship is going to be.

3. Make sure your workday ends at your bedroom door:

Camila’s 10 Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs 1. Get up early and have a non-work-related morning ritual: Life as an entrepreneur is busy and can often feel like a serious juggling act — which, let’s be honest, it usually is. That is why it’s so important to take some time in the morning, before diving into anything work related, to ground yourself. Before checking emails, going on social media or taking a call, take time to yourself to do something beneficial such as meditating, exercising or, getting outside for at least 20 minutes. Getting exposure to sunlight every morning can have a big impact on your brain’s serotonin levels (and who doesn’t want to be happier). Also, try taking a moment to visualize your day and how you want it

to pan out. Learning to use visualization techniques is one of the best tools you can master as an entrepreneur.

2. Be adaptable: You’re good at what you do. You know it, and your clients probably know it too. That’s how you got the confidence to try your hand at running your own business. But humility and the ability to not get offended when things don’t go your way, is vital to being successful. Know the difference between being confident in your work and refusing to be wrong. Learn from those moments that you are wrong, make notes not to repeat mistakes, and move forward. The faster you become comfortable with your own failures, the easier your

Most entrepreneurs eat, sleep, and breathe their business — they can’t help it, and usually, that’s a good thing. But learning to leave work thoughts out of the bedroom is vital to getting the sleep you need. If you are lying in bed at night thinking about work, then your brain can’t turn off and get the rest it needs. Use your bedtime ritual as your own personal time to think about your goals, what your thankful for, read a book for pleasure, or think about whatever else inspires you outside of your job.

4. Set goals … big ones: Successful entrepreneurs set goals, even big ones that seem unrealistic. It is so important to envision the bigger picture and truly understand what you intend for your life and for your business. Writing down your goals and creating a vision board are the best ways to get clear about what you want and set your intentions. Don’t worry about the details when it comes to the bigger more long-term goals. You don’t have to know how you will achieve everything. Just deciding what it is you want is very powerful.

Courtesy of womenoftoday.com

5. Outsource and learn to delegate: Free up time for bigger projects or personal time by outsourcing or delegating tasks that can be done by someone else. This one is really hard for most entrepreneurs at first … Handing over control of your business can feel scary. Think of this as an investment in your company, and in yourself. By delegating out tasks that you are not vital to complete, you will free up time to tackle more important things.

6. Stay on top of your emails: Who else can relate to constant “dings” of emails or messages coming in on the phone all day long? If you are answering emails as they come in during the day, it can feel like you are a slave to your inbox. Successful entrepreneurs dedicate specific time blocks during their day to answering messages in their inbox. This can be 30 min. – 1 hour, three times a day (morning, afternoon, and early evening). Many entrepreneurs say that this allows them to properly focus on their replies and get through all their messages at once, without having to be tied to their phone or computer all day.

7. Set boundaries As an entrepreneur, it can be difficult to set boundaries — especially with your clients (after all, you aim to please). However, not setting boundaries from the beginning can prove to be very counterproductive. Boundaries in any relationship are a very healthy thing, and when it comes to work, boundaries set mutual expectations. When you and your clients both know what is expected, everyone can play by the rules. Remember, nobody is super human, and as much as you want to please your clients 24/7, it is not realistic to sustain that.

8. Learn from the clients that challenge you: Often times it is the clients or jobs that we find most challenging that we end up learning the most from. As an entrepreneur, you often know what you are good at and you tend to stay in your own lane (and excel). But every once in a while, you will undoubtedly encounter a

client or situation that makes you feel like you are failing. Embrace this, learn from it. The client or job may not work out, or, you may rise to the occasion and learn more about your business, and yourself. Don’t be afraid of a challenge.

9. Push yourself and go the extra mile: You have all heard the famous saying, “Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.” Make this quote your business mantra, because it is absolutely true. Your competition is probably not answering an email after 5 p.m. — or is and is sending an invoice for that extra hour of work they are “owed.” Know that over delivering for your clients, working a little bit harder, and going that extra mile, is so worth it. Your efforts will come back ten-fold in business if you stop counting everything you believe you are “owed” and instead focus on going above and beyond for your clients. And since we’re talking cliché quotes, remember that you absolutely reap what you sow.

10. Own your mindset: Mindset is EVERYTHING, to be a successful entrepreneur you must have a strong, positive and flexible mindset. Owning your business means many ups and downs, successes and failures, and obstacles along the way. Those that can focus, adapt, and stay positive through it all are far more likely to succeed. Being an entrepreneur is all about facing the obstacles head on, learning from errors, and continuing to challenge yourself. Choose to see the positive in everything, and remember all of the things you are thankful for. Pretty soon, the positive things about your day will outweigh the stresses, and that’s an amazing place to be.

Philanthropy

IN ACTION

MJM Founders: Mack and Sally Brown, Amy and Jack Ingram, Camila and Matthew McConaughey

Mack, Jack and McConaughey In 2013, a group of three philanthropic couples set out to raise funds that would empower kids through organizations dedicated to children’s education, health, and wellness. They wanted to have fun and make a big impact. It helped that the group consisted of an Academy Award-winning actor (Matthew McConaughey), an ACM Award-winning recording artist (Jack Ingram), and a Texas football coaching legend (Mack Brown), all boosted by their very involved wives. Mack, Jack and McConaughey was born and has grown to become Austin’s premiere and most eagerly anticipated event of the year. The seventh annual event held in April 2019, raised more than $3 million, bringing the total funds donated since 2013 to nearly $14 million. The two-day event included a golf tournament, fashion show with fashions by designer Monique Lhuillier, Gala with headliner Chris Stapelton, and a Jack and Friends concert at ACL. The beneficiaries included this year included: Cure Duchenne, Dell Children’s Medical Center, Heart Gift, just keep livin Foundation, and the Rise School of Austin. mackjackandmcconaughey.com

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Favorite

PHOTO BY ASTOR MORGAN

RECIPE

Zucchini Noodle Pasta With Avocado Basil Pesto just keep livin Foundation

Ingredients

The just keep livin Foundation was started by Camila and Matthew McConaughey with the mission of empowering high school students by providing them with the tools to lead active lives and make healthy choices for a better future. The foundation in partnership with other 501(c)(3) organizations serves more than 2,500 students in 33 programs located in California, Louisiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington D.C.

2 medium organic zucchinis, ends trimmed 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves 1/2 large ripe avocado 2 cloves garlic 2 tbsp pine nuts 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 3 tbsp water, plus more as needed for desired consistency 1/4 cup grated parmesan or goat cheese 1/2 cup organic grape tomatoes salt and pepper to taste

The results of the program are impressive: 96 percent of JKL students improve or maintain excellent attendance in school, 99 percent improve their grades, and 99 percent improve or maintain excellent behavior in school. Remarkably, 99 percent of JKL students stay in school for the entire four years, and in 2016 100 percent of JKL seniors graduated from high school. jklivinfoundation.org jklivin

jklivinfoundation

Instructions 1. Using a julienne peeler, mandolin, or spiralizer, spiralize the zucchini into noodles. Add noodles to a large bowl. You can also purchase pre-spiraled noodles. 2. Place your noodles on paper towel and pat them dry. Remove as much excess water as possible. 3. In a food processor, combine basil, avocado, garlic, pine nuts and lemon juice and pulse for 20 seconds. Add in water and process again until smooth. 4. Transfer to the bowl of zucchini noodles and toss until the noodles are well coated. Top with tomatoes and cheese. Recipe inspired by Ambitious Kitchen And provided by Women of Today (womenoftoday.com) 45

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If you like foundingAUSTIN, just wait to see what we have in store for 2019. Founding_Up — the company that brings you foundingAUSTIN every quarter — has been busily working away on a slew of new projects that will give entrepreneurial Austinites even more access to the city’s most business-savvy people and their most groundbreaking ideas. In just 11 issues, foundingAUSTIN has profiled some of Austin’s most iconic and inspiring founders and masters of their crafts (remember the stellar interviews in our last issue with Louis Black and Alexis Jones?). The response we’ve gotten from our readers and from local businesses has been overwhelming: You want more! And we’re ready to give it to you. In 2019, Founding_Up will build on the magazine’s work with a lineup of new podcasts and an exciting schedule of events to bring Austin founders together. Follow foundingAUSTIN on social media for event announcements, and keep reading for more on our killer list of podcasts launching this year.

Maybe you’ve already heard the Masters and Founders podcast (available on iTunes), in which foundingAUSTIN publisher Dan Dillard interviews some of Austin’s finest, from Jimmie Vaughan to Brooklyn Decker. In March we launched 10 new podcasts at SXSW 2019 with many more to come! Each podcast is intended to go deeper into different aspects of Austin’s thriving business scene: From covering Austin’s hottest incubators to female entrepreneurs to those focused on health and wellness, our podcasts feature leading Austinites and innovators in their fields. Take a sneak peek into what we have in store, and follow their progress on foundingaustin.com/podcasts. Thank you for being part of the Founding_Up community!

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Masters and Founders Host: Dan Dillard

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Packing Taste With Axel Brave Host: Axel Brave

Masters and Founders is your weekly resource for all things business, startups, and mastering a craft or skill. The show's guests are the doers that inspire others to do. They think outside the box, march to the beat of their own drum, and in the process create the best versions of themselves. Masters and founders follow a passion, something in their gut: For them, there is no other choice but to shake up the status quo.

Balanced Badassery Host: Alli Waddell Who doesn't want a life of blissful balance and boundless badassery? Well, get the hell ready because every week Alli is bringing you the top minds in wellness to share their tips, tricks, and practices for building a badass life. Not only will you learn from the best, Alli follows up every interview with an implementation show to help you turn information into transformation (yes, it’s badass homework). From nutrition, to sex and relationships, to movement and more, we explore the key pillars of what makes humans happy, healthy, and thriving in today's crazy world. Together let's learn how to put it all together and build lives that blow the world away with badassery.

Feeding Your Potential Hosts: Libby Hill and Adrien Paczosa Feeding Your Potential moves the nutrition conversation away from cosmetics and weight loss and toward living life in search of your highest potential. Hosts Adrien Paczosa and Libby Hill use sciencebased information to educate listeners, myth bust, and break down popular fads and misconceptions related to health, fitness, and nutrition. This positive, upbeat duo interviews experts — from nutrition specialists to CEOs — to marry the science and social reality of performance-based nutrition.

Packing Taste With Axel Brave covers Texas’ exploding food scene. We discuss everything from food manufacturing and science to the growth of support networks for the food community, which is helping the scene diversify in exciting ways. We also cover the reasons so many food entrepreneurs are attracted to The Lone Star State, from laws to economics and diversity. Packing Taste With Axel Brave has the scoop on new brands, new restaurants, and new festivals in Texas all dedicated to sharing their food with the community. If you love food, tune in to the podcast.

The Great Society Host: Constance Dykhuizen The Great Society podcast explores the lives of nonprofit founders and leaders who have dedicated their lives to causes and issues bigger than themselves. LBJ's Great Society was a call for people to engage in eliminating poverty and racial injustice. What does this look like today, and who are the people making the change? Host Constance Dykhuizen — herself executive director of JP’s Peace, Love and Happiness foundation — sits down to find out.

Leveraging Life Hosts: Becky Henderson and Courtney Santana Leveraging Life promotes the stories of people who have both overcome adversity and have been of incredible service to others — not despite the adversity but because of it. Though many people overcome great odds and difficulty, few intentionally channel their own success to serve others. These are the stories of those who have leveraged their own experiences to bring greater value to humanity and to the world.

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Founders of Fashion

Up and Comers

Host: Jennifer Millspaugh

Host: Heather Wagner Reed

Founders of Fashion introduces you to the individuals, brands, and topics happening in the global fashion industry now. Get an inside look at how entrepreneurs are leveraging their unique resources and capabilities to design companies for a new era of fashion. This is the only show that weaves together the threads of fashion’s cultural impact, the business development side of it, and the socially conscious principles of emerging fashion businesses. It all comes together here.

The Positive Influence Host: Chelsea Bancroft The Positive Influence’s mission is to bring internet influencers together to talk about the crazy reality of being an “influencer.” We talk about how each guest got to where they are, the challenges and successes they’ve faced, and what they strive for in the future. The podcast is a helpful resource for influencers themselves and for anyone wanting to connect with their digital audience more. “Blogger world” can be very competitive, but this is a positive space in which to share stories and breakdown that competitive mindset.

rinaLAB Host: Dan Dillard

Up and Comers is a show about Austin’s startup boom that features guests in conversation with host Wagner Reed on the latest in Austin innovation. “I am so excited to lead Austinites on a journey through the local startup world,” Wagner Reed says. “We are truly lucky to live in one of the most vibrant, pioneering, socially conscious, and entrepreneurial cities in the U.S. — it’s a great moment to shine a light on all the innovation that is happening here.” In this first season, the series looks closely at the support system that Austin’s accelerators and incubators are providing burgeoning entrepreneurs, as well as platforms that are launching these companies into the stratosphere and beyond.

View From Venus Host: Deborah Hamilton-Lynne View From Venus is a platform for female founders to share their entrepreneurial stories and to tell how their paths were shaped by the fact they were female. The show puts a strong emphasis on the importance of mentors in female-founded endeavors and aims to provide mentorship and advice for women hoping to embark on a business journey of their own.

Apple A Day Doc Talk Host: Dr. Khris Ramdeen

Welcome to the rinaLAB! Enter and discover the science behind the Research and Innovation Network Austria (RINA), a vibrant network of Austrian scientists and innovators in North America. At the rinaLAB we love to take scary, complex science issues and distill them into some really neat stories. Join us at the Office of Science and Technology Austria to build a research and innovation bridge between Austria and North America. You won't believe what these Austrian scientists are up to! Expect the unexpected.

Dr. Ramdeen is a board-certified internal medicine physician and a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer who is passionate about fitness and nutrition. His goal is to help people understand the links between fitness and medicine by exploring the three pillars of nutrition, physical activity and primary care with a physician. Podcast episodes will feature Dr. Ramdeen in conversation with various experts on these and other topics related to health, wellness and fitness.

WRITTEN BY GRETCHEN GOSWITZ PHOTO BY JARED TENNANT

Taking Nourishment From Nature SPOTLIGHT ON AUSTINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CROWN JEWEL: THE ANN AND ROY BUTLER HIKE-AND-BIKE TRAIL

Wrapped around the city’s core and neatly woven between the lush greenery of parkland and calm waters of the Colorado River is Austin’s most popular pathway, the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail on Lady Bird Lake. Austin residents and tourists come together on this iconic 10-mile stretch, as dogs, baby strollers, bikes, and running shoes pace along at different speeds and for varying distances. For some, it’s a training ground, and for others, it’s a church., We’re indisputably fortunate to have this free and spectacular access to nature; for that reason alone, it’s imperative we do our part to nurture this sacred space. Much like Austin, the Butler Hike-andBike Trail is ever-evolving. In 2016, an economic impact study was conducted that counted more than 2.6 million visits to the trail per year: As the city grows, so does the number of trail visitors. And yet, it may come as a surprise that when public funding is tight, parks (and the walkways embedded in them) are one of the first things to take a hit. However, Austin has a strong buffer to lean on, thanks to the work of The Trail Foundation, a nonprofit group whose sole mission is “to protect, enhance, and connect the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake for the benefit of all.” Last year, the City of Austin contributed roughly $550,000 to the trail itself, while The Trail Foundation put in about $3,000,000. Granted, Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for the care of all parks and trails citywide—not just this one. “Their budget just can’t fully meet the needs that the trail requires for it to be protected, enhanced, and sustainable. We raise private dollars to help bridge the gap,” Trail Foundation Executive Director Heidi Anderson says. “We facilitate a lot of ecological restoration,” she adds. “All the infrastructure projects, like restrooms and bridges—that’s us.” The Trail Foundation’s largest project

to date was the completion of the boardwalk five years ago. It closed the gap, transforming the Butler Hikeand-Bike Trail from an out-and-back route to a full loop. Pretty impressive, considering The Trail Foundation is only 15 years old and originated with four volunteers and a tip jar. (The donations at that time were used to remove poison ivy.) “We feel like this is an important element to the health of the people who live in the city; having a special place where they can convene in the outdoors,” Anderson says. She would know: Anderson and her now husband married at Lou Neff Point back in 2017. This isn’t unusual, though. It seems most trail-goers have a heartfelt connection to the space, and that’s why they keep coming back. Park Ranger Program Manager LeAnn Ishcomer believes the Butler Hike-andBike Trail is a true foundation for Austin residents. “It serves as a hub of our community, a place that brings people together. Mountain biking, jogging with pets, personal training, paddle boarding on the lake, having a picnic. I think that defines Austin, Texas, life.” Ishcomer is one of 20 park rangers, who juggle a multitude of responsibilities, including connecting people to the trail and keeping the space sustainable. You don’t need to be a park ranger, however, to do your part. Ishcomer’s primary advice to residents? “Recognize your own impact on the parkland. Picking up your trash, keeping pets on leash, and picking up after your pets can support our goal to have a healthy, clean, livable city.” There’s a necessary trifecta to keeping the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail optimized for long-term enjoyment: The city, nonprofit support, and, most importantly, we as residents have a responsibility to care for the place that cares so much for us. It’s a synergistic effort but well worth it for this 10-mile sanctuary.

Brazos Bluff An ecological project—to be completed by the end of this year—will save a group of very large old trees at risk of falling because of excess erosion. The Trail Foundation’s renovations will keep passersby safe and will be completed by the end of 2019.

PARK RANGER PROGRAMS Everyone from kids to canines can do their part to benefit our beloved trail. These are just a handful of offerings from the Austin officials: Reading with Rangers In this literacy program, park rangers read a nature-themed book to kids. It’s a great way to instill a lifelong appreciation for conservancy starting at a young age.

UPCOMING PROJECTS BY THE TRAIL FOUNDATION

Festival Beach The City of Austin has developed a master plan to improve and update the eastside Holly neighborhood. As a means of support, The Trail Foundation plans to gift the city a larger, beautifully designed restroom facility in this area to replace the old, existing one. Opening in early 2020.

More ways to enjoy the amenities that line the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail: Bark Rangers What better way to keep this dogfriendly city clean than to lead by example? The certification program covers outdoor safety for pets, methods to support the “Leave No Trace” campaign, and how you and your pet can become park stewards. Coffee with Rangers Think of it as an in-person “Ask Me Anything.” Sit down with a park ranger to learn more about how you can make a difference. Observational Art Program Get a first-hand lesson from a ranger on observing and creating art journals, while employing Leave No Trace principles.

Drake Bridge Commons Very few know it as the Drake Bridge; most know it as the South First Street bridge that passes over the lake. Underneath that bridge, on the north end of the trail—directly across from City Hall, there’s a 30-foot-wide area. It’s soon to be a gathering point for community, where folks can come together and hang out around art, music, and concessions, as they are going to or from City Hall.

You may start noticing signs around the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail with a few pointers on trail etiquette. The most pressing issue is keeping electric scooters off the pathway. The city is currently working with scooter companies to use geofencing technology that will deactivate them on the trail, but until then, keep off. 52

Holly Point Further developing the Festival Beach area, The Trail Foundation is working to bring an enhanced water access point to the eastside community. As the adjacent Holly Power Plant is being decommissioned, the foundation intends to do a trail realignment that will bring it closer to the water’s edge.

PASS on the

LEFT

WALK on the

RIGHT

“On your left!”

#TrashTag Challenge Contribute to trail cleanup while getting your steps in. This global phenomenon has capitalized on the influence of social media, encouraging people to pick up and then post about it.

SPEED LIMIT

DOGS ON 6ft LEASH OR SHORTER

ELECTRIC SCOOTERS

SCOOP THEIR POOP

ELECTRIC BIKES

SHARE THE TRAIL

2 ACROSS MAX

PODCAST ABOUT PACKING TASTE PODCAST Packing Taste podcast with Axel Brave is a Texas-sized show about the Lone Star State’s exploding food scene. Texas is one of the fastest emerging states in regards to new food brands, food manufacturing, food science, restaurant scenes, diversity in foods, farming, and helpful networks for the food community. On Packing Taste, Axel invites different food leaders — from CPG founders, CEOs, Chefs, Incubator directors, and more — to discuss anything and everything food related. If you are a food start-up, foodie, or passionate Texan, this show is for you. Host Axel Brave grew up around great food and great company. Being raised by two Argentine parents meant that every Sunday family and friends would gather to spend time together. At the age of 10, Axel began to learn to use a grill as his stage to entertain and feed his guests authentic foods. After graduating university, exploring five continents, and everything in between, Axel moved back to his hometown in Texas and started AXEL Provisions. At 26, Axel is running his second food business which has created a lot of buzz by bringing culinary staples from Latin America to the U.S. market. AXEL Provisions is becoming a Texas brand favorite for grill masters, foodies, and anyone who wants to eat tastier, more authentic foods.

Packing Taste

shows.pippa.io/packing-taste

ABOUT THE FOUNDER INTERVIEWEE Here in Texas, we all love a little heat and spice on our food. It’s a fiery lifestyle we choose. George Milton, CEO and cofounder of Yellowbird Foods, has created quite the cult following out of Austin, Texas. When Milton first moved to Austin from Houston, he was a full-time musician. In bands and solo acts, Milton traveled around cities to score music gigs by constantly hustling and staying strictly focused. When Milton and his partner, cofounder Erin Link, decided to start eating healthier, they began crafting hot sauce at their home, with natural ingredients. Soon they came up with a delicious hot sauce recipe with banging flavors and started sharing it with the Austin community. Their hot sauce became so well known that when George would play at venues and promote his EPs, the audience would approach him wanting to purchase his hot sauce more than his EPs.This was Milton’s Aha! moment. George and Erin quickly realized the opportunity to share their masterpiece and started to scale their business into a national hot sauce empire. Yellowbird Sauces fireballed into a successful hot sauce company with devoted and loving fans. You can find their sauces in all Whole Foods Markets nationwide. And as the Yellowbird Flock Leader always preaches: Sauce Responsibly, Always Use A Condiment!

Q+A

DID BEING A MUSICIAN HELP YOU SET UP A FRAMEWORK FOR BECOMING YOUR OWN BOSS?

Being a freelance musician helped. Before I went to piano bars, I was in bands, and we just played at bars. When I was doing it by myself, it was a lot of going around and asking for a time to play at their venue. I had to convince them to hire me — “I’ll come play Wednesday night for free or donate my cover.” It’s just a hustle, a non-stop hustle. Playing the gig isn’t the hard part, you know? Ninety percent of the hard part was actually getting a gig and then getting enough gigs to where you can support yourself. Then another 8 percent is getting your gear there and setting up. Once you got the gig, have your gear there, playing is the easy part … as long as you’ve practiced. WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO COOK AND MAKE SAUCES?

My first job was being a cook at a wing restaurant. I was 15. I lied about my age on the application — it was in Alabama. I remember my mom coming to pick me up at 2:00 in the morning, and the restaurant was in a work-release program so it was me and a bunch of

guys who bussed in from the county jail. There was this dude named Rhett, who actually had the same mustache I have now. Anyways, the guys would shoot hot sauce to wake up. So I guess that was my first experience with spicy food.

WHAT STRENGTHS DID YOU PLAY ON WHEN YOU ENTERED A CROWDED CATEGORY LIKE HOT SAUCES?

I don’t think we came in knowing what our strengths were. Certainly, we are very optimistic. In any category you can think of, it’s pretty crowded. In the very early stages, we planned it out: What does the brand stand for? What hill are we going to die on with this product? We set a few parameters: This is going to be all natural and healthy food that you can put on your food to make it taste better. We weren’t thinking of our competition. We didn’t come from a world of retail or manufacturing. We just didn’t worry about the data on day one. What we said was, we’re going to make this product and see what happens. We’ve worked our asses off at every stage of the game and at every milestone we hit we’ve said, “Yes, and…” WHAT’S YOUR MOST RECENT MILE STONE OR AHA! MOMENT

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE SELLING THE SAUCES SOMETHING BIGGER?

I was playing here [in Austin] around town. I was bringing the sauce with me and letting people try it. I actually had a friend who had a corn dog stand, and I asked him if he would use it on his stuff. He said sure. It was funny because as a musician I made several studio albums I was promoting and also selling at the gigs. And then it kind of slowly became this thing where people would ask if I was the hot sauce guy — that their friend or brother told them about my sauce. They’d typically want that instead of my album. So I started selling hot sauces instead of my album. It took awhile for it to click, but then one day I asked my partner Erin “Why don’t we sell hot sauce?” So I started selling it out of my truck and at farmers markets.

I feel like I have an Aha! moment every day. I’m a thick headed guy, so when something seeps through on a weekly basis it feels good. As for milestones, we just launched a certified-organic line nationally with Whole Foods. It happened last week, but it has been a project that has been five years in the making. We had to find suppliers for organic fresh chiles, which is difficult. HOW DID YOU EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMER ABOUT YOUR SAUCES?

Any place where people would listen to us. It’s hard to have very meaningful yellowbirdsauce.com

conversations because there’s a lot going on and there are probably more important conversations than: What’s your favorite hot sauce? But, our strategy is to stick to what we do very well and that’s hot sauce and that’s what we try to share. It’s hard to know how much you like a sauce by just trying it by itself, so we try to pair it with foods. WHAT ARE SOME SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND HURDLES YOU EXPERIENCE IN TEXAS?

There are a lot of different companies doing this sort of stuff, fighting for people’s dollars and attention. But the really cool thing about Texas is that there are a lot of cool brands here working together. The restaurant scene and the food manufactures’ scene is great. We’ve really enjoyed working with Texas brands. Lots of collaborations, giveaways, and demos. The other thing about Texas is that Texans love buying Texas products. I don’t think any state has as much pride as Texas — and I guess you guys can fight me on that, but I’ve lived in a handful of other states, and if you haven’t lived in Texas then you’re missing out. DO YOU HAVE ANY KEY ADVICE FOR FOOD START-UPS?

Probably two key pieces of advice: Number one, it’s very important to be authentic and specific with what you’re doing, Don’t just put stuff out there. And second, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Certainly in Texas, there is a great scene here, especially in Austin. There are a lot of people who have started great food brands here. We’ve been able to just call anybody up and ask for advice. We’ve dodged many pitfalls because I could reach out to someone and buy them a coffee and pick their brain.

yellowbirdsauce

Follow “Packing Taste” on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts: Richard’s Rainwater: Taylor O’Neil Wildway: Kyle Koelher SKU Accelerator: Kristin Ross Texas Department of Agriculture: Commissioner Sid Miller

WRITTEN BY LIZ HARROUN

Good Taste Meets Good Deeds DANIEL GOETZ OF GOODPOP IS A MAN WITH A MISSION

Looking at Daniel Goetz, it’s hard to believe he founded a company 10 years ago. He could easily still pass as a college student with his curious eyes, boyish haircut, and contagious smile. However, a lot has happened in the decade since Goetz was a senior at the University of Texas in 2009 — the same year he founded GoodPop.

Pledge Good Born in L.A., Goetz moved to Houston at age eight. Growing up, his mother was heavily involved in philanthropy and instilled in him early on the desire to do good. Instead of traditional birthday gifts, Goetz’s birthday parties were always centered around supporting charitable causes. As he grew, his mind was full of ideas, and he was excited to spend sunny days orchestrating a neighborhood lemonade stand. While he was still in high school, he visited Austin and vowed to return as soon as possible — and he did, a few years later as a UT student majoring in advertising. Goetz worked many different jobs throughout his school years, but he still hadn’t hit on what he was going to do after college. Then one particularly hot day in 2009, the summer before his senior year, he was craving a frozen sweet treat. He went to a nearby snow cone stand but left disappointed (and emptyhanded) after discovering that the syrups were made of dubious ingredients that were a mystery even to the stand employee. Goetz believed that having a treat didn’t have to mean sacrificing quality and nourishment. He wistfully remembered trying paletas naturales (natural fruit popsicles) in Mexico and was certain that he could find something similar somewhere in Austin. However, despite an honest search, he found that everything that might satisfy his craving contained artificial flavors and unpronounceable ingredients. He knew his body deserved better; moreover, he knew his beloved city of Austin deserved better. So in the tradition of successful entrepreneurs, he set out to fill that need. Goetz recalls how the spark that inspired the name of his company came as he was writing a lot for his advanced advertising classes: The word “good” kept popping out to him. “It’s humble and also touches on the type of product and mission I wanted to create,” Goetz says.

Goetz’s commitment to giving back to the community has helped his own company grow over the past 10 years. His current initiative, Pledge Good, simply encourages people to join their peers in a commitment to perform a random act of good. It doesn’t matter how big or creative the act is — just something to put a smile on someone’s face. Examples on their site include buying coffee for the person in line behind you, calling a loved one to catch up, and complimenting a friend or coworker. The idea is based on research that shows that these kind, random acts actually lead to an incredible amount of good for both the recipient and the person who did the good deed! Doing good things promotes well-being, belonging, stress reduction, and balanced perspective. Plus, it’s contagious, so one good act can spread to become so much more. “We’re so infiltrated by bad news today that I think we need to get back to basics. When we start to value people and really listen to them, it can turn their day around,” Goetz says. Better yet, GoodPop is donating $1 to worthwhile causes for every person who pledges to do something good. That means that your good deed will also result in support for keeping the environment clean, finding homes for animals, or stopping hunger in America. Go to goodpops.com/pledge to learn more and make your pledge! 57

The beginnings of GoodPop were positive and humble indeed. Just two months after the company’s birth, GoodPop AllNatural Frozen Pops were being sold at the Austin farmers market. Soon they were a hit at four markets around town. As a completely bootstrapped company, GoodPop’s clear strategy and attention to detail were imperative because there weren’t a lot of extra funds to play around with. Goetz, still finishing up his senior year, was meticulous in every decision he made. Though he certainly made some mistakes along the way, GoodPop was soon picked up by Whole Foods and is now sold in retail stores in more than 40 states. "The important thing is not focusing on what you did wrong but instead learning from those mistakes and not repeating them again in the future," Goetz says. 58

Goetz’s commitment to mission was essential to the early success of GoodPop. He knew from the beginning that he not only wanted to make an amazing product, he also wanted to use that product as a vehicle to do good in the world. GoodPop partnered with nonprofits and other community organizations, including Austin Pets Alive, Keep Austin Beautiful, Central Texas Food Bank, Livestrong, American Cancer Society, and Flatwater Foundation. Its work with these organizations took various forms and included adopting a creek, donating pops to volunteers, and donating money based on a percentage of sales. Goetz remembers the satisfaction of being able to make a real difference during Hurricane Harvey. He reached out to other Austin food companies asking for donations, which were gathered up in the GoodPop warehouse, and drove them out to relief efforts where they were needed. “Without GoodPop, I would have never had the access or ability to do something like that,” Goetz says. GoodPop is also a certified B-corp, which means it meets the highest standards of social, environmental, and legal performance as well as accountability and transparency. Now with 14 full-time employees, staying true to the product and mission is more important than ever. To this day, GoodPop has never found an employee from a job posting. Instead, it

GoodPop wins the Nexty Award that recognizes the most progressive, innovative, inspiring, and trustworthy products in the natural products industry.

has hired only people who are so passionate about the mission and product that they reach out to GoodPop directly. This is important to the success of GoodPop, given that the company remains self-funded and relatively small and one wrong hire could be detrimental. Goetz has found that the people who reach out already value both clean eating and making a positive social impact. Their intrinsic ties to the GoodPop mission make them valuable team members who can perform well in a variety of capacities. As the company grows, Goetz admits there are a lot of highstress periods. “I’ll always be passionate about what I’m doing,” Goetz says. “However, I try to separate emotion from business. This way, I can handle the stressors of running a business that come up throughout the day that I might not be able to control.” Though he has found a way to manage stress at work, Goetz recognizes how easy it is to become disconnected and burned out, which is another reason he strives to use his business to make a positive impact including through his latest initiative: Pledge Good (see sidebar). “As a small company, it’s tougher to make a sizable impact, so you have to do so in creative ways,” Goetz says. Finally, Goetz realizes entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone but that passionate young people can certainly found successful companies if they are doing it for the right reasons. "If you have passion for the business, you’ll be excited about waking up every day to work on it five or 10 years down the line. Make sure you have a clear goal for what you want to get out of starting a business."

goodpops.com

GoodPops

@GoodPop

How Young Entrepreneurs Stay Young Surround yourself with other young entrepreneurs that have similar passions and values. Everyone needs support and motivation at times. Don’t take things too personally. You’ll stay more focused on doing good work if you’re not caught up in stress or negative emotions. Hire a team that is as excited about the mission and impact of the business as you are. Do good for other people! It will get you out of your head and improve overall well-being.

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FOUNDER TO

FOLLOW JANE KO – TASTE OF KOKO 11.6k followers

PEOPLE, EVENTS, PRODUCTS THINGS OF INTEREST FOR FOUNDERS IN THE KNOW

atasteofkoko.com

58.8k followers

10.2k followers

As a connoisseur of travel, style, living, and food, Jane Ko has run Austin’s top food and travel blog, A Taste of Koko, since launching it in 2010. After finishing her undergrad, Ko didn’t want to work a regular 9–5. She launched her blog and worked her way to becoming the powerhouse behind Austin’s largest food crawl in 2014, with more than 20,000 participants. Her blog has generated partnerships with companies such as Carnival Cruise Lines and Target, and in 2016, she was the recipient of an IKEA home makeover. Ko was also featured in O Magazine and has been a speaker at SXSW and the Texas Conference for Women. Look to her site for new recipes and travel guides to cities across the U.S and be sure to follow her Instagram.

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FAVOR

APP

Need something delivered? Favor is the app that can make it happen. You can have food, beer, wine, and essentials delivered from many stores, including businesses with no delivery app partnership. Favor is exclusive to Texas and is owned by H-E-B. Download the app today via the App Store or Google Play. favordelivery.com

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SOUND AND CINEMA AUSTIN 2019 Oh those summer nights! An Alamo Drafthouse and Do512 coproduction, Sound and Cinema combines live, local music with classic and cult films that are projected onto the Drafthouse’s giant, inflatable outdoor screen. Experience it all from the Long Center’s sweeping front lawn. For each event in the series, food trucks open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7:30 p.m., and the screening begins after sunset. Film titles TBA. Wednesday, June 19 • Wednesday, July 10 Wednesday, July 31 • Wednesday, August 14 soundandcinema.do512.com

GOOD

HAVE FUN WHILE DOING

thetrailfoundation.org

BEST KEPT

See Ladybird Lake like you’ve never seen it before with the Full Moon Paddle at the Rowing Dock. From April to October, the Rowing Dock extends their hours for every full moon, so you can see the Austin skyline in a new light. Hours are from 8–10 p.m. every full moon, and regular rental rates and rules apply. No reservations accepted. The last rental is at 9 p.m., and all boats must be back by 10 p.m. For more information call 512-459-0999.

Race to the party at the finish line this year at the 16th annual Maudie’s Moonlight Margarita Run on June 6. The event begins at 8 p.m. and benefits the Trail Foundation, which heads projects that keep the Butler Trail accessible and beautiful. The first run in 2004 gathered around 900 participants; by 2018, the event had grown to more than 2,000 participants. Register on their site, and start training today to secure your margarita at the finish line. Cost: $50

SECRET

FULL MOON PADDLE AT THE ROWING DOCK

6/6/19 MARGARITA RUN BENEFITTING THE TRAIL FOUNDATION

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THIS

KEEP GOING BY AUSTIN KLEON As an expert on all things creative, Austin Kleon has written two New York Times Bestsellers that feature tips and tricks on how to have a more creative life and how to share that creativity with the world. Now he’s giving you 10 ways to keep that creativity going in his new book Keep Going. You can learn how to create a routine, unplug from the world, and go into airplane mode from this SXSW featured speaker. No matter what state of life you find yourself in, Keep Going is written to help you create a more productive life — available in paperback or digital. austinkleon.com/keepgoing

WRITTEN BY DEBORAH HAMILTON-LYNNE PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAKE AUSTIN SPA RESORT

Michael McAdams of Lake Austin Spa Resort HOW A “DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH” BECAME ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST ACCLAIMED DESTINATION SPA RESORTS

“What we saw was how extraordinary the setting was — the property is beautiful and is located on the ancient bend of the river.”

You may have heard about the accolades and awards won by the Lake Austin Spa Resort over the past 10 years — it’s consistently ranked among the world’s best by Conde Nast Traveler, Travel and Leisure, USA Today, Fodor’s, Town and Country and U.S. News and World Report — but what you may not know is the story of how a pair of determined fraternity brothers from Louisiana found a sleepy, run-down hippy hangout and turned it into one of the most highly acclaimed destination spas, bringing visitors to Austin from across the United States and around the world.

To say that the history of Lake Austin Spa Resort has been colorful is an understatement. Built in the 1940s as a fish camp,

Lake Austin Lodges had 10 guest rooms and 36 boat slips. It was open to the public and offered a pool with a snack bar, water sports, a restaurant, live music and access to hiking and turkey hunting.The next incarnation — The Sunshine Nudist Camp — was short lived in the ‘70s, and the property was subsequently used by the Steiner Rodeo Ranch as a place to lodge and train cowboys and rodeo clowns. In 1978, when it became a weight loss facility named The Bermuda Inn, the motto of the property was: “Where you can lose a pound a day the fun way!” In the ‘80s, when restricted calorie diets were shown to be dangerous, the Bermuda Inn gave way to the Lake Austin Resort, which 63

focused on healthy lifestyle choices. In 1994, the name changed to the Lake Austin Spa Resort with an emphasis on a healthy active lifestyle and healthconscious cuisine.

“It was 1997, and I had a hunch that there were a lot of people who were looking at taking care of themselves so that they would age better than our parents had done, and at the time there were only a few places like what I envisioned — a true destination spa.”

By the time Michael McAdams and Billy Rucks, two businessmen who had met as fraternity brothers while attending Louisiana State University saw the property, it was a slightly run-down “diamond in the rough,” but the pair saw the potential from the beginning. “What we saw was how extraordinary the setting was — the property is beautiful and is located on the ancient bend of the river. Before it was dammed up, the river would flood and so we have the wonderful silt and sandy soil that ended up at this bend. The resort has all of this perfect garden soil. What we saw was a little piece of perfection that could never be replaced or replicated.” The two young men had very successful careers: Rucks as a founder of an oil and natural gas business and as a venture capitalist in Louisiana and McAdams in commercial real estate at Trammell Crow as the President of Trammell Crow Design Centers. McAdams also served as the founding president of Design Centers International, which provided him a comprehensive background in both real estate and architectural design. But in 1997, the two were feeling burned out and together were looking for a business opportunity. To balance his type-A personality, McAdams had spent weeklong retreats at The Ashram in California, which provided intense bootcamp fitness experiences that also focused on the mind-body connection and healthy eating. “I had taken a year off from Trammell Crow because I was determined to find something that I loved and wanted to do — a passion project. Finding this property with such potential was the perfect melding of all the things I was interested in and passionate about — real estate, design, a place to connect with a natural setting and provide a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle including exercise, mindfulness, and cuisine. It was 1997, 64

and I had a hunch that there were a lot of people who were looking at taking care of themselves so that they would age better than our parents had done, and at the time there were only a few places like what I envisioned — a true destination spa.” Although the property was not for sale, within a week of seeing it and hearing McAdams’ plans, the pair was off to San Francisco where they struck a deal

with the elderly California owner and the creation of a true destination spa began. “Billy and his wife, Cathy have been involved from the beginning, and they love the place, but this is really my passion project,” McAdams says. “I knew we had a diamond in the rough. The staff was really great and it had a lot of soul. The food was delicious, and the gardens were beautiful. There was a lot to build on, but most people wouldn’t have put the money into a

property that needed so much work as we have. The property just had not been loved and nurtured the way it needed to be nurtured.” Because the structures had been grandfathered, McAdams knew he would never be able to build so close to the lake, and so he began to renovate beginning with the original 10 cabins and eventually extending to every structure on the property. The major renovation included tearing the original cabins down and rebuilding to high quality standards while keeping with the rustic and welcoming feel of the property. “We knew that we were not going to make money with a bargain basement spa and that we wanted to create a top destination spa, so we had to build a better product,” McAdams recalls. “Both Billy and I had traveled all over the world for work and we knew what we liked — what we wanted in a resort. The question for us was ‘how do you keep the magic — how do you do what needs to be done to revitalize

this place and turn it into an ongoing profitable business?’” With Rucks’ support, McAdams spent five to six nights a week at the resort learning everything he could about the place, interacting with the staff and the guests, sleeping in a different room every night, and carefully deciding on each and every element of the renovation. The goal was to provide a very authentic and

amazing experience to build a base of loyal guests who would return and also spread the word about their experience. McAdams did not reach out for advice but instead trusted his own vision and intuition about what he wanted to create. Instead of hiring consultants, he consulted with and trusted the “incredibly talented” staff that were already at the resort. And the result was that people loved the changes and word of mouth began 65

to spread about this very nurturing destination spa in, of all places, Austin, Texas.

“We knew that we were not going to make money with a bargain basement spa and that we wanted to create a top destination spa, so we had to build a better product,” McAdams recalls. “Both Billy and I had traveled all over the world for work and we knew what we liked — what we wanted in a resort. The question for us was ‘how do you keep the magic — how do you do what needs to be done to revitalize this place and turn it into an ongoing profitable business?’”

While renovations on the existing property were underway, McAdams was contemplating plans for building the spa. “My goal was to build the ultimate destination spa. I wanted to knock it out of the ballpark. I knew that before I could create the spa I wanted to build that I had some things to learn about the spa business. So at first we concentrated on the rooms and the public areas while we gathered information and ideas.”

Drawing on his own knowledge of architecture and design, McAdams created the concept for the 25,000 square foot LakeHouse Spa and hired an architect and interior designer to execute the plan.The design was created to make guests feel the warmth and hospitality McAdams had grown up with and included beautiful fabrics, antiques and furniture as well as one-of a kind art and furniture pieces from craftsmen and artists all over the world to give the spa a luxurious yet comfortable feel. As for the experience and services, McAdams once again let it develop organically, relying on his existing team of people: a spa manager, general manager, and staff. Keeping it in house turned out to be the right decision, and the LakeHouse Spa was a huge hit from the beginning. The day spa also increased the resort’s outreach and public availability by providing the volume of a world-class facility while maintaining the overnight guests with world-class, five-star service and amenities.

And that is how a sleepy, run-down hippy joint became a renowned world-class destination spa resort sitting on the ancient bend of Lake Austin. “Looking back, I would say we did not do it in the typical way for real estate development and that is what kept the authenticity. We are one of a kind. This property is special, and I have tried to honor the property. Our biggest challenge is to understand how our customers are changing,”McAdams says. “We try to keep our finger on the pulse of our guests and provide what they want: healthy food, fitness, spa treatments, and other enriching activities, as well as relaxation and maybe a little group socialization if they want it. We may have celebrities in the house, but honestly here every guest is a V.I.P. Our service and hospitality are the same for everyone. When you stay here, I want you to feel that everything has been hand selected — from the staff to the art to the furniture to the cuisine — and that has a spirit to it that reflects what we want you to feel — connected to Lake Austin Spa Restort.” For additional information and reservations, call 800-847-5637, or visit lakeaustin.com lakeaustin.com/spa/

lakeaustinspa

Nourish Yourself at Lake Austin Spa Resort Healthy Cuisine Aster Café’s Aster After Dark Sunday Suppers feature four-course gourmet experiences created by nationally recognized chefs and wine pairings from local vineyards. Dinners begin at 7 p.m. at the LakeHouse Spa and cost $95 per person, including food and wine. Reservations are required. Spa appointments are available to schedule prior to the dinners at an additional cost. June 9- Daniel Olivella, Barlata, Austin June 14 - Wayne Brooks, 827 Ray’s Kitchen + Cellar, Austin Aug. 4 - Nick Braswell, Toscano and Siena Ristorante, Austin

Sept. 8 - Johnny Vee, Las Cosas Cooking School, Santa Fe Nov. 10 - Martin Rios, Santa Fe Lake Austin Spa Resort shares secrets of preparing deliciously healthy cuisine for one week every month during its celebrated Lake Austin Culinary Experience ™ program. Culinary Experience Dates and Featured Chefs: June 10 & 11 - Marge Perry & David Bonom, New York July 15 & 16 - Amanda Cushman, North Carolina

Mind Artist Series-For the Love of Books will feature New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe. For resort guests only. Artist Series Dates and Authors: June 25 - Mary Alice Monroe

Body Known for its diverse offerings of more than 100 spa treatments, the LakeHouse Spa is introducing these new treatments this summer:

Deep Rest Massage treatment designed to induce a deep state of relaxation. Watsu A deeply relaxing treatment where you are supported by a therapist while floating on your back in the pool and are rhythmically cradled, moved, stretched, and massaged.

in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing.” Designed to increase your immunity and reduce stress, this treatment includes an invigorating scrub, eucalyptus shower, and therapeutic massage. A complete listing of the resort’s 100+ spa services: lakeaustin.com/spa/ services/

Soul Just Breathe weeks enable resort guests to practice inner wellness and feature mindful meditation and Nia Dance classes led by special guests that focus on holistic fitness, health, and well-being. Just Breathe Week Dates and Guests: June 17-23 - Featuring Guest Sarah McLean

LakeHouse Forest Bathing Journey Shinrin-yoku is a term that means “taking

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BOOKS FOUND AT SXSW 2019 WRITTEN BY JAKE POOL

SXSW took place in Austin from March 8-17, and maybe you were busy or weren’t lucky enough to have an all-access pass like we did here at FoundingAUSTIN. So we’ve compiled a list of authors with recently published books who were involved in a panel, webinar, or spoke at SXSW. We encourage you to read them! Their insights into business, marketing, and personal and company development can give founders and aspiring founders valuable tools to bring to life—Explore, enjoy and, most importantly: Read This!

Belong by Radha Agrawal ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Radha Agrawal is founder of Daybreaker, an early morning dance party that is meant to energize your day with yoga, live performances, and, of course, dance. Daybreaker has spread across the globe to 25 cities. Agrawal is an author, DJ, speaker, inventor, and investor and was named by MTV as “one of 8 women who will change the world.” Agrawal has also been recognized internationally for her main focus: community building. WHY READ THIS BOOK?

As founders, we can all respect and appreciate, the business aspects of building and of being involved in our community. Belong not only defines the concept of community but also gives a blueprint on how to frame, nurture, and belong within your own community. FA TAKEAWAY

For this writer, just getting out of the house can be a chore. Reading Belong provided a lot of inspiration and guidance for being more involved in my community. The book is very fun and will hook you in quickly.

Bring Your Human to Work: 10 Surefire Ways to Design a Workplace That’s Good for People, Great for Business, and Just Might Change the World by Erica Keswin ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Erica Keswin has worked as a speaker, consultant, author, and workplace connector for companies for over 20 years. She has contributed to various publications such as Forbes, Huffington Post, O Magazine, and Fast Company. Keswin has also been a keynote speaker and has held workshops and webinars for numerous companies, including The Red Cross, IBM, The New York Times and of course SXSW. She is also the founder of The Spaghetti Project, which connects people through meals so they can share ideas, goals, and values. WHY READ THIS BOOK?

Each chapter breaks down wonderful tips and aspects on how to create a solid workplace, but what really stood out to me was her chapter on giving back. Keswin highlights how giving back is part of being human and how companies should give back in ways that align with their values if they want to create authenticity.

FA TAKEAWAY

Bring Your Human to Work is a wellstructured and concisely written plan to set up the workplace we have all always wanted. It gives insight on how to see your company beyond the finance sheets and great tips on how to run a purposeful meeting and is wholly encouraging as well. For more from Erica Keswin listen to her conversation with fA Editor-in-chief on the View From Venus podcast. shows. pippa.io/view-from-venus/

Life Scale by Brian Solis ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brian Solis is a futurist, keynote speaker, and award-winning author of books including: X: The Experience When Business Meets Design, What’s the Future of Business and The End of Business as Usual. He is known for his studies on the impact of disruptive technology on business, society, and culture as well. From this, he has helped top brands, celebrities, and startups utilize technology to connect to their markets in profound ways. Most recently, he was a featured speaker at SXSW.

WHY READ THIS BOOK?

The reason to read this book can be described in one word: Awareness. The book digs much deeper and gives tips on how to escape from the digital distraction rabbit hole, but the climb out of the hole begins with an awareness that we have a bit of a technologicaldistraction problem in society and digs into how to investigate this problem on an individual level. As founders, it’s important to be aware of just how much our technology is taking away focus from things that we need to accomplish and Life Scale tackles this from the start. FA TAKEAWAY

Life Scale is a playbook on how to break free from distraction, regain your focus, be more creative, and unlock new possibilities for your future. The book is well structured and full of lists and exercises to keep you on track for the long haul.

Crushing the Box: 10 Essential Rules for Breaking Essential Rules by Chris Denson ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Denson is an award-winning marketer and host of his podcast: Innovation Crush that boasts over 750k subscribers worldwide. He is known for his innovative thinking, which has enabled him to apply this expertise to The White House and Omnicom Media Group, and his work has been featured in publications such as Inc., Forbes, and The New York Times. As director of Omnicom Media Group’s Ignition Factory, he was responsible for innovations in technology, culture, and media for Fortune 50 companies, including Warner Bros., Wells Fargo, The CW, Hilton, and more.

WHY READ THIS BOOK?

Crushing the Box can remind founders of the wisdom in asking “dumb questions” and making mistakes that sometimes lead amazing breakthroughs either personally or in business. Denson opens up on some of his personal mistakes and on what he learned from those mistakes in order to become a better innovator. He really helps you see where you can find good feedback even when the circumstances aren’t the best. FA TAKEAWAY

This book is a 10-step guide to becoming an innovator in any field. Denson weaves these steps with many great, insightful personal stories and a lot of comedy to boot. This is a book founders can read, and then re-read again when you feel stuck or hit a wall.

Connect With Us!

Can’t Get Enough of foundingAUSTIN? Visit our website to get exclusive stories and to read more about the founders featured in this issue.

RECIPE

BUCKET LIST TRAVELS!

Join founding Austin as we explore our favorite destinations including the Santa Fe Opera, the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, Alaska, Florence, Italy, and the French Riviera.

Loco My Moco

The Peached Tortilla The loco moco, one of Hawaii’s stable dishes, is still a relative unknown outside of Hawaii and the West Coast. It’s something I can imagine Hawaiians waking up to, and filling their stomachs with, before hitting the beach for a morning surf. It’s basic in the sense that the main elements are a hamburger and a fried egg. However, I kick it up a notch with a dashi gravy that really adds a layer of flavor to the overall dish. You can make the dashi and caramelized onions the day before, and focus on the rest of the dish when you get up to make it for breakfast or brunch. *Reprinted with permission from The Peached Tortilla © 2019 Eric Silverstein. Published by Sterling Epicure. Photography by Carli Rene / Inked Fingers.

MORE RECIPES: • Calabacitas con Queso from Veracruz All Natural • Spicy Cool Texas Mule from Yellow Bird

MORE STORIES Read about how Pease Park Conservancy was built by a group of caring and dedicated neighbors. One Austin resident aims to kick up your playlist a notch with his song-ofthe-day Instagram feed @ drippyk_songoftheday. Read about the Drippy K concept at foundingaustin.com. Ladies Let’s Talk is a new nonprofit in Austin that works to pair volunteer English-speaking women with English-language learners once a week. The aim is to build language skills and to build support and community for refugee women.

Podcasts

Did you know foundingAUSTIN has a sister company podcast network?! Find all the latest podcasts at foundingmedia.com/ podcasts Great Society host Constance Dykhuizen interviews filmmaker Amy Bench and founder of Community First, Alan Graham. Packing Taste host Axel Brave interviews Taylor O’Neil, CEO of Richards Rainwater. Masters and Founders host Dan Dillard interviews Bradley Tusk, founder and CEO of Tusk Holdings. Founders of Fashion host Jennifer Millspaugh interviews Brian Muñoz, founder of Penny Luck shoes. Positive Influence host Chelsea Bancroft interviews lifestyle blogger Rachel Emma of Rachel Lately.

Become a founding Austin Insider. Go to foundingaustin.com to sign up for newsletters, updates and invitations to exclusive events.

Come Fly With Me WRITTEN BY JAKE POOL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA MENDOZA

ABIA Since its opening in 1999, Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) has grown and become an international hub to accommodate a rapidly growing city. A record 15.8 million passengers passed through ABIA in 2018, a 13.8 percent increase from the year before. With numbers like that, people need shops, restaurants, and entertainment to sustain them while traveling. Many cities fulfill that need with an assortment of chains, but Austin keeps it weird by populating its airport with an assortment of local businesses. You’ll notice that nearly all the 29 dining and drinks options inside ABIA come from Central Texas. From the moment you exit the skywalk, you can smell and taste the flavors of Austin — and you can hear them too. After all, Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World. ABIA features five different live music spots, including the Asleep at the Wheel Stage, from which to enjoy the local sounds. “We really want to give people a taste and sound of Austin,” ABIA Sr. Public Information Specialist Derick Hackett says. The folks at ABIA have certainly followed through on that desire.

The airport has taken special care to populate the Barbara Jordan Terminal with local businesses, and it has expanded that endeavor in the brand new, nine gate terminal that opened in February. The new terminal extension will soon feature 19 new food and retail concepts that are currently under construction. Soon you’ll be able to dine at local restaurants, including 24 Diner, Noble Sandwich Co., Sushi-A-Go-Go, and Salvation Pizza. In the meantime, the extension features a rotating art schedule with wall sketches done by local artist Mila Sketch, a state-of-the-art ambulatory bathroom, and a pet relief room to boot. Each restaurant and retail concept was invited to wrap the construction wall of their space with the concept drawings of what the space will look like so anyone passing through during construction can see the big things to come. All in all, ABIA screams Austin with its sights, sounds, and tastes, and it is certainly set up to nourish anyone visiting Austin or just passing through.

FUN FACTS FROM ABIA’S RECORD-BREAKING YEAR, 2018: 833,507 breakfast tacos 151,107 ThunderCloud Subs sandwiches 112,269 pounds (58.1 tons) of brisket 56,978 t-shirts, with Core Austin and ACL shirts the top sellers 24,528 mugs 24,284 yogurt cups 21,024 Lone Star beers — the topselling bottled or canned beer

495 kegs of Real Ale Axis IPA — the top-selling draft or tap beer, followed by Pearl Snap Draft, Shiner Bock, and Austin 512 IPA Showcased the creative energy and cultural diversity of Austin with more than 60 artists’ works exhibited in 2018. Through the program, individual local artists and organizations such as the Austin Mosaic Guild and La Peña Latino Arts Organization exhibited more than $117,000 worth of art in 2018.

19,375 shakes and smoothies 995 live music performances, making for a total 12,270 live performances and counting since opening in 1999

FEATURED RESTAURANTS

Salt Lick BBQ Nothing goes with Texas quite like barbecue, and The Salt Lick is the king of barbecue in Central Texas. Famous for its no-tomato sauce, the family-owned establishment has been a Hill Country favorite since 1967. At the time of its opening, founder Thurman Roberts and his wife, Hisako, were searching for options that would keep Roberts at home more than his job with a bridge building company did. They wrote down 54 things they could do to stay in Driftwood, and number 14 on the list was the idea to sell barbecue on the side of the road. Roberts and his sons built a pit that Thurman could use to cook the meat the way that had been passed down to him from his great-grandmother. He would begin on a Thursday, sleep in a cot, and wouldn’t leave until all the meat was sold. Slowly but surely, Roberts started to come home earlier every week. The family built a porch and screen around the pit, which still stands in its original Driftwood location today. The restaurant has four locations in Texas, including one inside ABIA where you can enjoy their wonderful Texas BBQ brisket cut right in front of you. They even sell whole briskets which helped contribute to the grand total of 58.1 tons of brisket sold at ABIA last year. If you have an early flight, they open at 5 a.m. — ready with breakfast tacos. You can also grab a local glass or bottle of wine or a cold craft brew at the extended bar.

Hut’s Hamburgers – Gate 14 Hut’s Hamburgers has been established in Austin since 1939. The classic 6th Street location that we all know and love was opened in 1969, when then owner Homer “Hut” Hutson moved from another spot up the street. Owners Mike and Kim Hutchinson bought the restaurant in 1981, and this spot is their first-ever second location. The restaurant has used the same recipes since they opened and features beef raised in Texas and AGA certified. Not a fan of meat? No worries! Hut’s offers a signature veggie patty as well as with beer, wine, and cocktails. You can hear live music at the airport from 1-3 p.m. Monday – Friday. Second Bar + Kitchen – Between Gates 15 & 16 Opened by Chef David Bull of the Austin-based La Corsha Hospitality Group in 2017, Second Bar + Kitchen’s downtown location has received nationwide praise for its use of local, artisan products and ingredients. Airports are known for their less-than-stellar food options, but in Austin’s airport you can enjoy the food of an Iron Chef competitor. The menu is a slimmed-down version, but it still features the hearty salads, pizzas, and desserts we Austinites love. The ABIA location also has amazing cocktails and a fine selection of craft beers brought to you by Second’s Director of Bar and Beverage Jason Stephens. You can enjoy Second Bar + Kitchen from 4:30 a.m. until 30 minutes before the last flight.

Hippies and Hops (Live Oak Brewing Company) – Gate 17 Hippies and Hops is a satellite bar for the Live Oak Brewing Company inside ABIA. Live Oak Brewing started in Austin in 1999 and in 2015 moved their operations to a larger spot just across the highway from the airport. Live Oak uses an oldworld style of brewing that isn’t seen very often in the United States to create their distinct flavors. Hippies and Hops serves only beer and wine but is located inside a food court in case you want a bite to eat as well. Try their Live Oak Hefeweizen from 7 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. daily near gate 17.

ABIA near gate 24. The airport location has both lunch and breakfast taco offerings as well as a tacos-on-the-go station in case you’re in a hurry to catch your flight. The best part is that the ABIA location stays open until 9 p.m. unlike its sister locations, which close at 3 p.m. Also, enjoy live music Monday – Friday from 1-3 p.m.

Saxon Pub – Gate 19 With an award-winning listening room that has helped launch the careers of numerous entertainers, The Saxon Pub has hosted more than 22,000 live music performances since opening on South Lamar in 1990. Now travelers can enjoy their vibes and music from the ABIA location and, unlike in the original location, grab a bite to eat as well — located near gate 19. Earl Campbell’s Taco Truck – Gate 19 (limited info) East Side Pies – Gate 21 ESP: extrasensory perception or East Side Pies? You can now decide if this East Austin pizzeria can see into your pizza soul at ABIA. Owners Michael Fried and Noah Polk opened their original location at 1401 Rosewood in 2006, and have since expanded to four locations around Austin. ESP offers thin-crust pies topped with local, organic ingredients. They have wild sauces to choose from, and the pizzas are baked in onsite ovens. Grab a pie and enjoy some live music at the Asleep at the Wheel stage. Be careful if you take one on the plane: You may be forced to share. Tacodeli – Gate 24 In 1999, Roberto Espinosa opened his first Tacodeli location on Spyglass Dr. near Barton Hills, but the restaurant’s story began long ago in Mexico City when Espinosa was just a kid. Espinosa enjoyed going to local taquerias as a kid, and later as an adult he added an Austin touch to the Mexican flavors he loved growing up. “The first menu was about 13 tacos and very heavily influenced by the Yucatán. As time went on, we developed the menu to include some fun, creative items while keeping a foot in the Mexican tradition,” Espinosa says. You can now enjoy Tacodeli all over the state including at

ThunderCloud Subs – Gate 28 Thundercloud Subs introduced the submarine sandwich to Austin in 1975. Founded by Andy Cotton and John Meddaugh with a $5,000 loan they got by offering up a 1966 Volkswagen and an old, yellow Pontiac as collateral, ThunderCloud has since expanded from their original location at 1608 Lavaca to over 30 shops throughout Central Texas. Their bread is delivered daily from local bakeries; the meats, cheeses, and produce are sliced in store; and their spreads are made daily from scratch. Thundercloud loves to give back to the community as well. The sub shop is well known for its annual Turkey Trot that benefits Caritas of Austin and that has raised more than $3.5 million since it began in 1991. Grab a great Austin sub: They sold over 150k at ABIA last year! — at gate 28 until 8 p.m. daily.

OTHER RESTAURANTS Fara Café and Sky Bar – Center of the terminal by the east entry Located outside security check-in, this is a quick-stop shop for coffee and sandwiches on the lower level. Watch a game and grab a drink at the bar above.

Peached Tortilla – Gate 16 Described as “Southern comfort food with an Asian flair,” Peached Tortilla will fill you with comfort and maybe a great cocktail as well at Gate 16. Berry Austin – Gate 17 Austin’s frozen yogurt spot that’s all about the live, active cultures. Departure Lounge – Gate 17 Bar and lounge located at Gate 17 with small bites as well. Amy’s Ice Creams – Gate 21 An Austin Ice cream staple with more than 350 ice cream flavors in rotation and some dairy-free options, too. Hat Creek Burger Co. – Gate 21 Never-frozen beef with fresh veggies and fresh baked buns located at Gate 21.

OTHER RESTAURANTS (CONT'D) SoCo Market – Center of the terminal by west entry Another quick stop outside security by the west entry for sandwiches, salads, pastries, coffee, and light items. Street Side Tacos – Gate 7 Kiosk at Gate 7 that serves tacos, burritos, breakfast bowls, and drinks. Mad Greens – Gate 16 A healthy option located at Gate 16 featuring salads, wraps, soups, and juices. JuiceLand – Gate 16 As Austin’s original juice bar, Juiceland is your plant-based spot for juices, smoothies, bowls, and cold press.

Flyrite Chicken Sandwiches – Gate 21 Craft chicken sandwich shop with gluten free and vegan offerings. Vino Volo Wine Lounge and Restaurant – Gate 22 Sit down, have a glass of wine, and enjoy lunch or dinner. Haymaker – Gate 24 Regionally inspired comfort sandwiches, craft beer, and poutine. Annie’s Café & Bar – Gate 27 Fresh, take-away sandwiches and salads with live music. I Vini Fine Wine | Fresh Italian – Gate 30 Sit down spot for fine wine and fresh Italian sandwiches, pizza, salads and coffee.

COFFEE Jo’s Coffee Famous for its wonderful coffee, food, and the iconic “I love you so much” mural, Jo’s coffee has been a necessity for Austinites and travelers since 1999. It now offers tacos, sandwiches, and tasty brews for travelers at ABIA. Try its signature “Turbo” cold coffee with chocolate, hazelnut, and cream over crushed ice.

Texas Coffee Traders – Gate 7 Ruta Maya Coffee – Gate 15 & 28 Briggo Coffee – Gate 17 Jo’s Coffee – Gate 19 Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee – Gate 24

worry if you missed a song or two, they have a featuredperformer Spotify playlist as well. If your flight is in another part of the terminal, no worries, there are four other spots to catch a live show. Here is a list of locations and times you can see local musicians jamming away the airport blues: austintexas.gov/department/live-music-air-airport Saxon Pub & Asleep at the Wheel Stage Gate 19, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday – Friday Annie's Cafe & Bar Gate 27, 1 to 3 p.m. Monday – Friday

LIVE MUSIC Austin wouldn’t be the live music capital of the world without live music at the airport. Grab a bite and take a seat around the Asleep at the Wheel Stage featuring state of the art performance equipment and acoustics, stadium seating, and of course a funky, tie dye piano. Cameras have been mounted around the stage, so very soon everyone in the world will be able to watch the daily performances on the internet. Don’t

TacoDeli Gate 24, 1 to 3 p.m. Monday – Friday Haymaker Gate 24, 3 to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday Hut's Hamburgers Gate 14, 1 to 3 p.m. Monday – Friday

“THE BEST PICTURES ANYONE HAS EVER TAKEN OF ME.” COTTER CUNNINGHAM

W E STO N C A R L S .CO M

COACH’S CORNER DAN DILLARD

For Me, Nourish Equals Austin Austin is full of people who nourish my soul, helping me continue and grow our mission. When it comes to physical nourishment, there is no place I’d rather be. Like many of you, I have countless meetings, held at coffee shops, lunch spots, and over happy hour. When setting up those meetings — which are nourishing in a different way — the question always arises: Where to go?

There are so, so many choices. From my favorite morning bone broth at Piknik to coffee at Better Half, tacos at Taco Flats, burgers and tequila at Hopdoddy, and happy hour at Mongers … the list goes on and on and on. And behind each of these great establishments is a founder who has a great story, a passion. To them, I say a heartfelt thank you! You nourish us through our meetings, you give us atmosphere, and you give us nourishment. Without you, our work would be so much more boring and less meaningful.

Remember to take the time to show up for our founders. Ask them what you can do. Be kind. The founder journey is an exciting one, but it’s full of ups and downs and full of well-meaning people who haven’t taken entrepreneurial leaps for themselves and who cast doubts on the risk you’re taking. It’s a difficult path to navigate, and a supportive community makes all the difference in the world. Most founders strive to create a better society to change the world, improve people’s lives — and thus deserve kindness and support.

In addition to the physical nourishment these great establishments provide (for the 99 percent I didn’t mention, please know that you are in my heart), Austin has a nourishing spirit that I want to share with the world. One of the missions of this magazine and of the founding_media podcast network is to spread Austin’s spirit — because there is no other city like it.

In the end, we are all made of the same thing: stardust. Our DNA is 70 percent the same as a banana. We are human, in the greatest sense of the word. And when we leave this earth, we want to leave it better than when we got here. It just makes so much sense to nourish and support each other — founders, aspiring founders, and benefactors — along the journey. Thank you, Austin. Thank you for fueling and nourishing me. Keep on keeping on.

I remember talking to Turk Pipkin on the Masters and Founders podcast about how, after a documentary screening about the nonprofit work he and his wife do in Kenya and other countries, there was a line of people waiting to express their support and pledge their help. Way to go Austin! You make me proud to be here. And this is the nourishment that we as founders also need from our community.

foundingaustin.com NESTFinancial.net

@NESTFinancial

@foundingAUSTIN @NEST_Financial

The Last Word Written by Shelley Seale

When we think of the word “nourish,” often the first thing that comes to mind is the most literal way that we are nourished: with food. But nourish means so many other things as well: to nurture, sustain, strengthen. While we need food and water to keep our bodies going, we need to be nourished in so many other ways — emotionally, mentally, and physically — in order to be truly healthy and balanced in our lives. Throughout my life’s journey, I have received nourishment in so many ways, both from internal and external sources. And every one of them has been vital to my wellbeing and purpose in life. 80

Shelley Seale is a writer, editor and adventurer who believes in living life to the fullest. Follow her adventures in her blog, Trading Places. tradingplacesglobal.com She is a serial entrepreneur and shares her secrets to ‘traveling for free’ in her book, How to Travel the World For Free and her e-course, coursecraft. net/courses/z9WNG/splash She is the co-founder and Director of Content for the Center for Higher Education Leadership. higheredleads.com Hear the View From Venus podcast with Shelley, shows.pippa.io/viewfrom-venus

LOVE & ENCOURAGEMENT I’ve been extremely fortunate to have an extended family who, from the very beginning of my life, has not only loved me but has encouraged me to follow my dreams. In fact, dared me to dream big and always made me feel that I could do literally anything I wanted to do. It’s probably no surprise to any of them that I’m a serial entrepreneur, have pursued my passion of writing as my life’s work, and have adventured around the globe. Sledding down a live volcano in Central America? Volunteering at orphanages in rural India? Starting another business venture while writing a book? Yep, that’s just Shelley for you, they would say. But what they might not realize is that I’ve been able to do all these things largely because of them — because of that unshakable confidence and belief that I could do and be anything, which they instilled in me. This is a rare gift, indeed, and I never take for granted my luck in having such love and encouragement from the moment I was born. But don’t think for a minute that this has to come from actual blood family (in fact, my own immediate family does not all share DNA. We are a blend of adoption and by-marriage), nor that it can’t be created and cultivated at any time during your path in life. Many of the people I count in my “inner circle” of love and encouragement are friends and those who came into my life later. Surround yourself with people who believe in you, who encourage you, who get your magic and will help you tend it carefully.

INSPIRATION This is vital not only to every entrepreneur, but I think just in being human. So many people have inspired me throughout my life — both those I know personally or who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and those I have never met. In almost every case of extreme inspiration for me, the person has done one of two things: exhibited incredible bravery and grace in the face of opposition (Nelson Mandela, Amelia Earhart) or advocated for others even at the expense of themselves (Harriett Tubman, Jane Goodall). Much of my inspiration has also come from my travels all over the world, as I’ve met people who don’t make history or the news but are taking actions that have a positive impact on their little corner of the world. When I see things like this, whether in my hometown or halfway across the globe, I feel again like anything is possible. They give me hope and rejuvenate my motivation, values and purpose in my own life.

on those around you. As someone who deals with an anxiety disorder and who also has inherent perfectionist tendencies, living in compassion is often one of the hardest things for me to do. But it’s important to remind ourselves, every single day, that we are only human. Things don’t go as planned, we make mistakes, people disappoint us.

NURTURE We simply cannot be healthy, happy, or successful (however you define that for yourself) without nurturing ourselves regularly. I don’t care what people say about “having it all” or the exhausting daily itineraries that some people have — starting at 5a.m. and running until late at night — if you don’t incorporate nurture as one of the most basic aspects of your life, like food or sleep, you’re going to fall at some point. You’re going to burn out or become physically ill or depressed.

This is where compassion comes in. And here’s the biggest secret of them all: As much of a gift as it is to treat others with compassion, it is by far the greatest gift you can give yourself. I am by far my own worst critic, and I don’t believe I’m alone in that. About a decade ago, I distinctly remember seeing an Ahimsa counselor, rooted in the Buddhist beliefs in compassion toward self and others. After a particularly trying time in my life, she just looked at me gently and said, “How would it feel if you cut yourself some slack? If you knew that these things happened because you were meant to learn something from them? What if you stopped beating yourself up about it, and instead treated yourself with compassion?”

I have gradually learned the importance of this, and, especially over the past 10 years, self-care has become a non-negotiable part of my daily life, from yoga to massage to hot baths with a glass of wine and a lose-yourself-in-it novel. Sometimes it’s simply allowing myself a day to do nothing. Putting yourself first in this regard — yes, before your children, your marriage, your business — is anything but selfish. You can’t give to anyone or anything else unless you are full and replenished. COMPASSION Last but not least, this one simple (but often difficult) element has a farreaching impact on your own life and

Changed. My. Life. So I would invite you to ask those same questions. Go out there and be kind to one another — and don’t forget to be kind to yourself, too.

shelleyseale.com shelleyrseale

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