Interview on the Long Run Labs Podcast with Jonathan Levitt.

It was such a joy to join Jon on the Long Run Labs podcast and share the journey from writing Run Fast. Eat Slow. with my dear friend Shalane Flanagan to building Superhero Muffins. Turning a beloved recipe into a food company has brought so many opportunities to learn, take risks, and lean on the incredible community that has supported us along the way. We talked candidly about the challenges of growing a self-funded business, balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood, and learning to ask for help. I hope this conversation inspires you to embrace new challenges and take that next step toward something you believe in—even before you feel completely ready.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify here or Apple or below. 

Episode Description

What happens when a bestselling cookbook author decides to turn her most popular recipe into a food company?

Elyse Kopecky is the co-author of Run Fast. Eat Slow., a three-time New York Times bestselling cookbook author, and the founder of Superhero Muffins. After a career at Nike and a personal journey that transformed her approach to nutrition, Elyse has spent the last decade helping runners rethink how they fuel their bodies.

Now, she's navigating an entirely new challenge: building a consumer packaged goods company from the ground up.

In this episode of Long Run Labs, Jon and Elyse explore how her friendship with Shalane Flanagan led to a bestselling cookbook, why Superhero Muffins became a breakout product, and what it really takes to grow a self-funded food brand.

They dive into the challenges of scaling production, managing margins, choosing between direct-to-consumer and retail distribution, and deciding whether outside investment is worth giving up ownership. Elyse also shares the reality of being a solo founder, the power of building an authentic community, and why learning to ask for help might be her most important lesson yet.

Additional Resource: Jon's Guide to Raising Money as an Endurance Entrepreneur explores the fundraising landscape for endurance businesses, including the considerations founders face when deciding whether to raise outside capital or remain self-funded.

Topics covered include:

• Turning a beloved cookbook recipe into a growing food brand
  
• Building a business with an established, loyal community
• Bootstrapping versus raising outside capital
• The hidden costs of manufacturing, shipping, and retail distribution
• Balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and personal wellness
• Recognizing opportunities and taking risks before you're ready