'I Left Private Equity to Start a Yogurt Company': Kiki Couchman on Building in Public

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The Time I Left My 9 to 5

Maggie Ma

16 episodes

1 day ago

In an era where the internet and creator economy are reshaping careers, a traditional 9 to 5 is no longer the only way to make a living. This podcast explores the stories of people who’ve chosen unconventional career paths—be it entrepreneurship, freelancing, or content creation. Join us as we invite guests from diverse backgrounds to share their journeys, insights, and advice on building fulfilling, nontraditional careers.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'I Left Private Equity to Start a Yogurt Company': Kiki Couchman on Building in Public

The Time I Left My 9 to 5

39 minutes 54 seconds

7 months ago

'I Left Private Equity to Start a Yogurt Company': Kiki Couchman on Building in Public

In this episode of The Time I Left My 9 to 5, Kiki Couchman is a Stanford grad who left her job in private equity to build a yogurt company with her best friend. Kiki is the cofounder of Beny Yogurt, and I have to say, she's probably one of the coolest founders I've ever interviewed in the history of this podcast. Kiki's story is one of calculated risk-taking and determination, as she left behind a successful career in private equity to build a consumer product from scratch with no investment funding.

What I love about Kiki's story is her unique approach to building a business. Kiki and her co-founder Elan chose to build their brand in public, sharing behind-the-scenes moments on social media, and has already gathered over 12,000 loyal customers before the brand has even launched. Her always-on launch strategy, combined with the fact that the company is 100% bootstrapped, has forced her and her cofounder to think carefully about each step and every decision. With her forward-thinking mindset, bias towards action, and bravery, Kiki’s commitment is driven by creating a product that truly makes a difference in people’s everyday lives.

Without a doubt, Kiki is an inspiration to anyone looking to make a change.

I’m super excited to share this conversation with you, what made Kiki decide to leave her 9 to 5 behind, and how she has navigated the challenges and opportunities of building a business from scratch. But before we jump in, I’d love if you could subscribe to the channel if you’re watching on YouTube or rate the podcast if you’re listening everywhere else. You have no idea how such a small action can help me to continue bringing you more unfiltered, real conversations just like this one.

📲 Connect with Kiki:

Instagram: @couchwoman

📲 Stay Up to Date with the Show:

Host Instagram: @maggieindata

Podcast Instagram: @thetimeileftmy9to5.podcast

Podcast YouTube: @thetimeileftmy9to5.podcast

00:00 Introduction

02:53 Kiki's Journey from Private Equity to Entrepreneurship

04:21 Building Beny Yogurt: Challenges and Strategies 1

0:49 The Role of Social Media in Business Growth

17:58 Partnership Dynamics and Personal Growth

24:07 Financial Decisions and Bootstrapping

29:06 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.