Owning Your Legacy

Three years in, the team behind Owning Your Legacy steps out from behind the camera for an intimate, candid conversation about fear, leadership, and what it truly takes to build a meaningful movement. 
In this special behind-the-scenes episode, host Laurette Rondenet (CEO & Owner of Edlong Flavors) is joined by team members Gail Scott (Integrator at Owning Your Legacy & Edlong) and Denise Senter (Brand Manager & CMO at Ever Fresh Fruit Company). Together, they peel back the curtain on the "Passion Project Paradox"—balancing demanding executive careers while building a podcast and community dedicated to empowering leaders . 
From confronting imposter syndrome and stepping into the spotlight, to the exact moment Laurette almost threw in the towel, this raw discussion explores what happens when you decide to stop leading someone else's legacy and start claiming your own . 

00:00 – Introduction
01:08 – How “Owning Your Legacy” Began
03:31 – Meet the Team Behind the Podcast
05:43 – Overcoming the Fear of Being Visible
09:44 – Making an Impact One Person at a Time
14:10 – Balancing a Passion Project with Full-Time Work
18:06 – The Moment We Almost Gave Up
25:14 – Lessons Learned from the Journey and Our Guests
32:29 – Redefining Success Through Community and Connection
38:07 – Advice for Pursuing Your Passion Project
40:59 – Closing
💡 Key Takeaways from This Episode
Claiming Your Space: How Laurette realized she was living in her father's shadow and took the brave step to own her own leadership identity . 
The Pendulum Myth of Work-Life Balance: Why work-life integration isn't about perfect 50/50 equilibrium, but knowing how to manage heavy seasons . 
The Importance of "Belief Partners": Why you can't build a legacy alone—and how having a team that believes in the vision keeps you going through self-doubt . 
Grit over Perfection: Why missteps, setbacks, and pivots are necessary ingredients for personal and professional growth . 

If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

What makes a strawberry taste like a strawberry—and does it matter whether a flavor molecule comes from a fruit or a laboratory?
In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette Rondinay speaks with Michael Colangelo, founder of Nota Bene Flavors, about the chemistry, creativity, and communication behind the foods and beverages we consume every day.
Michael shares his journey from analytical chemistry to flavor development, building innovation laboratories, working with beverage startups, and eventually launching his own consulting business. He also explains how finding his voice on LinkedIn transformed his career and allowed him to make complex flavor science accessible to a much wider audience.
Throughout the conversation, Laurette and Michael explore:
Why “natural” does not automatically mean safer or more sustainable
How dosage changes conversations about ingredient safety
The science behind strawberry flavor and sensory perception
Why the same flavor performs differently across beverages and food products
The rise of non-alcoholic beverages and moderation
How misinformation contributes to consumer mistrust
Why marketing and R&D need one another
The importance of mentorship, experimentation, and failing forward
How scientists can communicate with greater confidence and clarity
Michael’s work demonstrates that science does not have to be intimidating. When complex ideas are communicated in relatable ways, consumers can make more informed decisions and innovators can create products that are healthier, more enjoyable, and better for the planet.
If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

What does it take to build a thriving business, lead with integrity, and create spaces that truly reflect the people who live in them?
In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette Rondenet sits down with Lakesha Rose, Owner/Designer of L Rose Interior Design, a Chicago-based full-service design-build and interior design firm celebrating 10 years in business.
Lakesha shares her unconventional path into interior design, from sending out 40 resumes with no formal experience to building a respected firm known for thoughtful design, strong project management, and deeply personal client relationships.
With more than two decades in the industry, Lakesha explains why great design is about far more than color palettes and furniture. It is about listening, intuition, trust, and understanding how a client wants to feel in their home.
This conversation explores:
• Building confidence before you feel fully qualified
• Growing a business through relationships, trust, and reputation
• Why project management is essential to creative success
• Leading a team without ego
• Creating homes that tell a complete story
• Setting boundaries, minimums, and finding the right clients
• Balancing ambition, marriage, travel, and personal freedom
• The power of character in leadership and business
Lakesha also reflects on the legacy she hopes to leave behind: a life and business rooted in character, integrity, and doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
Whether you are an entrepreneur, creative professional, interior design lover, or leader building something meaningful, this episode is a reminder that success is not only about what you create—it is about how you serve people along the way.
Learn more about Lakesha Rose and L Rose Interior Design:
https://lroseinteriordesign.com/
If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

What does it really take to build a food company from the ground up, raise capital, scale a team, and make difficult decisions when the market changes?

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Brittany Chibe shares the honest story behind her journey from corporate food sales to entrepreneurship, including the launch and sale of Paleo Scavenger and her work as co-founder of Aquacultured Foods.

Brittany discusses building a paleo snack brand from her home kitchen, growing into national distribution, learning the realities of co-manufacturing and retail margins, and why she chose not to bootstrap her next company.

She also shares how Aquacultured Foods was created around a mission to develop sustainable alternative seafood, the process of raising pre-seed and seed capital, navigating food-tech regulation, working with acclaimed chefs, and bringing a novel product to market.

But this is also a conversation about the harder side of entrepreneurship: fundraising in a difficult market, leading a team through uncertainty, managing runway, making layoffs, and deciding when it is time to wind down a company responsibly.

Brittany reflects on the lessons she is carrying into her next chapter, including the importance of customer connection, clear accountability, sustainable leadership, and separating your identity from the business you build.

Topics in this episode include:
• Food entrepreneurship and CPG startups
• Bootstrapping versus raising venture capital
• Paleo Scavenger and building a brand from a home kitchen
• Alternative seafood and food-tech innovation
• Startup fundraising, investors, and pitch strategy
• Leadership during uncertainty and company closure
• Building accountable teams and reducing operational burn
• Founder mental health, resilience, and life after a startup
If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.

What if AI is not here to replace creativity, but to expand it?

In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette is joined by Justin Shimek, CEO of Mattson, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping food and beverage innovation.

Justin shares his journey from food science to leadership, the role of curiosity in building a career, and how Mattson helps companies imagine what is coming next in food. The conversation dives into AI as a creative thought partner, not an answer machine, and how tools like Mattson’s AI persona “Leo” are helping teams generate ideas, understand consumers, and rethink innovation workflows.

Together, they discuss the fears and opportunities surrounding AI, how companies can begin integrating it responsibly, and why the future of innovation still depends on real human intelligence, judgment, and creativity.

This episode is for leaders, innovators, food scientists, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about how AI can help teams do their highest and best work.

Learn more about Justin Shimek and Mattson:
www.mattsonco.com
If you enjoyed the episode please share it with others, and rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about me and how I am Owning My Legacy, you can find me on Instagram @LauretteRondenet and online at lauretterondenet.com.