In this episode of More Elephant, we sit down with Narda Malakzad and Andrea Laderman — the founders of Goldi, a food-tech platform revolutionizing how hotels and restaurants personalize menus for every guest without making a single change in the kitchen.

What began as two Moms struggling to navigate dinner with dietary needs has grown into an innovative company using data to transform how the world eats.

Goldi empowers diners with menus tailored precisely to their dietary requirements, unlocking dishes that kitchens already know how to make while reducing food waste and enhancing operational clarity and efficiency for hospitality businesses. We navigate the compelling story of a bold idea that didn’t quite scale, the strategic pivot that unlocked Goldi’s potential, and the triumphs and hard truths of fundraising as female founders.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of welcoming Brian Polen, the founder and CEO of Brooklyn Kura, an innovative American craft sake company based in Brooklyn, New York. Brian shares his journey from a successful career at American Express to embracing entrepreneurship and building a business rooted in more than a thousand years of Japanese brewing tradition. Our conversation explores how Brooklyn Kura aims to demystify sake and make it accessible and relevant to a wide audience beyond traditional contexts.

Brian takes us through the powerful inspiration sparked by a trip to Japan, where he and his co-founder first encountered the craftsmanship behind sake. We discuss the early stages of their venture, from home brewing experiments to navigating the complex regulatory and manufacturing environment of New York City. The importance of creating a taproom experience emerges as a key factor for engaging customers directly and educating them about sake culture.

In this episode, we sit down with Rodrigo Vargas, founder of American Vinegar Works. Rodrigo’s story goes beyond vinegar as just an acid — it’s about rediscovering and revitalizing a craft deeply rooted in history and tradition. He shares how his passion for craft fermentation, dating back to the 1800s, inspired him to create a company that elevates vinegar as an essential and sophisticated ingredient.

We explore Rodrigo’s transition from his corporate career to entrepreneurship, the hands-on challenges of starting at farmers markets, and the uphill battle of scaling a craft food business amid a pandemic. Rodrigo’s journey is a testament to patience, persistence, and the power of honoring craftsmanship in today’s fast-paced food scene.

This conversation offers insights into building a business grounded in authenticity and quality, showing that real craft and commitment can carve a unique path in a crowded market. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a food enthusiast, Rodrigo’s story delivers valuable lessons on resilience, innovation, and the simple joy found in great ingredients.

In this episode, we sit down with Noel Kinder, former Chief Sustainability Officer at Nike, to explore what it really means to lead change inside a global brand.

Noel’s path from operations into sustainability gave him a front-row seat to and, later in his career, explicit accountability for how decisions in one part of the business ripple across supply chains, factories, and communities worldwide.

He explains how sustainability becomes meaningful when it’s integrated into everyday business decisions — not treated as a side project. By aligning goals with innovation, efficiency, and profitability, companies can create real impact while also strengthening the business itself.

Noel also shares lessons on leadership—that change requires learning and practicing patience to focusing on what can truly be influenced as a way to deliver systemic solutions. He emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships and trust, which prove critical not only in moments of crisis but also in sustaining progress over time.

In this episode of The More Elephant Podcast, I sit down with Jamal Sims. Jamal’s story begins in Southern California, where he taught himself to dance by recording MTV videos on old-school VHS tapes and studying Soul Train on Saturday mornings.

What started as a kid emulating moves in his living room turned into a remarkable career that includes performing with Michael Jackson, choreographing for Usher and Madonna, going on tour with Miley Cyrus, shaping films like Aladdin and Encanto, and building a creative family with RuPaul.

We dig into how manifestation has guided his path. From childhood dreams to Emmy nominations, Jamal talks about what it meant to have a father who supported him without hesitation, even when he was dancing with RuPaul in Las Vegas at a time when that kind of acceptance was far from guaranteed. He explains why soul is at the heart of everything he creates and why authenticity matters more than flashy moves.