From Finance to Food Entrepreneurship | Luke Smiley

Posted on 12/16/2025
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Luke Smiley, co-founder of the Nashville-based fast-casual brand Radish, shares his journey from the world of corporate finance to launching a restaurant concept with his wife, chef and influencer Amanda Frederickson. Luke unpacks the transition from a structured corporate schedule to the freedom of entrepreneurship, the realities of scaling a brick-and-mortar business without venture capital, and the dynamics of co-founding a company with a spouse. He also dives deep into leadership, debunking the myth that "millennials don't want to work" by revealing why culture is actually the root of the problem.
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FOLLOW THE HOSTS:
Vincent Phamvan (Founder, ⁠Vyten⁠): ⁠https://www.instagram.com/vincentpv/⁠
Spencer Donaldson (Founder, ⁠Captive Demand⁠): ⁠https://www.instagram.com/spence_donaldson/⁠
Megan J Bruneau (Founder, ⁠Off The Field Coaching⁠): ⁠https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau/⁠
Alex Lagos (Founder, ⁠Lagos Creative⁠): ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mralexlagos/⁠
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Produced by ⁠Lagos Creative