A few weeks ago I got a chance to sit down with Jen Zeuner and Anne Keller during the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Denver, CO. Jen and Anne are the owners of a not to be missed pizzeria called the Hot Tomato in the mountain bike mecca town of Fruita, Colorado. They are also the subjects of a recent film by Patagonia and Felt Soul Media called the Life of Pie, which does a beautiful job of telling Jen and Anne’s story of being business owners, bad ass mountain bikers, and an openly gay couple in a small and rural conservative community.
This conversation has it all for me. Food, love, adversity, acceptance, laughs, being outside - all that with even some super solid business and life advice sprinkled on top.
And don’t forget friends, the best business out there don’t just serve up hot slices of dough and cheese, they foster community and literally make the world a better place. And that is certainly the case with Anne and Jen!
One quick tip before you listen in. Go type ‘Life of Pie Patagonia’ into your closest google machine and watch the movie on Vimeo before the conversation. It’s only 12 minutes, and trust me well worth your time. You’ll laugh and get a good case of the feels all at once. Plus, it’s going to make the podcast experience way cooler and it will be like your own little Q&A after the movie.
Special thanks to Outdoor Retailer and 5point Adventure Film Festival for helping make this episode possible.
Cool that’s it thanks a ton guys. Stay tuned next time for a conversation with Cody Townsend and without further ado, here’s my chat with Jen Zeuner and Anne Keller. Enjoy!
Diggin’ this episode with Jen and Anne? Do the right thing, share it with your buddies! 🙏
Show Resources:
Produced by Felt Soul Media
Patagonia article on the Life of Pie
Over the Edge Sports (local bike shop in Fruita)
Zingerman’s business consulting and training
5point Adventure Film Festival
A few show themes:
How much time do you spend on your business, in your business, and for yourself?
The best businesses foster community
Once an entrepreneur, never being able to go back to working for someone else
Relationships are more important than business
The inflection point - Reaching the point where you are on the edge of giving up, and sticking it out just a little longer turns into a success
Building an inclusive and diverse work culture
Developing empathy for the ‘other’
Creating a community resources open to everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation etc.