Just A Moment Podcast: Madeline Haydon – Finding Her Voice and Building Nutpods

Host: Brant Menswar
Guest: Madeline Haydon
Date: February 2, 2026
Episode Theme:
This episode dives into the extraordinary and deeply personal journey of Madeline Haydon, founder of Greengrass Foods and creator of Nutpods, a dairy-free creamer brand. Through raw storytelling, Madeline shares her pivotal breakthrough and missed moments—the family hardships that shaped her values, the loss and resilience behind her entrepreneurial leap, and the realities of building a consumer brand as an underdog. The interview spotlights not just business insights, but also the themes of identity, community, perseverance, and the complexity of female leadership.

Early Life & Family Foundations

Key Points:

• Madeline was born in Saigon, Vietnam, to refugee parents who moved to Washington State for a better life.
• Her parents initially held esteemed jobs in Vietnam but took on entry-level labor positions in the U.S. to support their six children.
• The family’s sacrifices and tight-knit values taught Madeline about integrity, hard work, and pitching in for each other.

Notable Quotes:

• “I went to public school, did a lot of the free recreational activities… But it was a good childhood. My parents actually were very successful in Vietnam... and they taught me a lot of lessons because they did what they needed to do to feed their family.” (Madeline, 01:08)
• “We're all in this together. And even if I'm 14 years old when I have a crisp $250 check from Blockbuster Video, I still was in a position to help contribute.” (Madeline, 05:36)

Timestamps:

• 01:08-03:35: Family's refugee journey and sacrifices
• 05:36: Teen years, learning value of contributing financially

Finding Her Voice and Purpose

Key Points:

• Madeline struggled with English and identity, feeling torn between Vietnamese heritage and American culture.
• A turning point came in middle school when she stood up for her father during a discriminatory encounter, realizing the power of language and self-advocacy.
• Chose to be an English major to master self-expression and protect her family from prejudice.

Notable Quotes:

• “[That moment] taught me that if you can express yourself, you have self-advocacy—you can stand up for yourself. And there was power in that.” (Madeline, 06:28)

Timestamps:

• 03:55-07:01: Fitting in, learning English, the pivotal self-advocacy moment

Independence, Adulthood, and Core Values

Key Points:

• Madeline enjoyed her independence in her 20s, but her parents’ emphasis on family unity stuck with her.
• She reflects on parental wisdom, now appreciating and passing it down to her own children.

Notable Quotes:

• “With a chopstick, you can break a chopstick easily, but you can't break a bundle... That's like you and your siblings.” (Madeline, 08:15)

Timestamps:

• 07:14-09:15: Young adulthood, learning the importance of family and togetherness

The Spark of Entrepreneurship: Grief, Fertility Struggles, and Nutpods’ Origin

Key Points:

• Madeline’s attempt to have a second child led to a difficult period: miscarriage and years of expensive, emotionally draining IVF.
• Seeking purpose amid grief, she decided to create a better dairy-free coffee creamer—a product she and many others needed.
• Launching Nutpods was a leap fueled by personal need and the desire to avoid regret, despite daunting statistics about food startup failures.

Notable Quotes:

• “I was actually coming out of this grief period of just miscarrying and feeling so dejected and tired of this emotional roller coaster... I just needed to have something else to strive for.” (Madeline, 13:32)

Timestamps:

• 09:46-14:14: Fertility journey, miscarriage, emotional context for Nutpods’ founding

Kickstarter, Community & The Reality of Startup Life

Key Points:

• Early Kickstarter campaign funded with the help of neighbors—a photographer/musician and a makeup artist who pitched in with skills and childcare.
• The initial $30,000 goal was quickly exceeded by real-world costs; product development took two years and multiple failures.
• Community support—both emotional and practical—was essential to persevering.

Notable Quotes:

• “You need a village to raise a child. You absolutely need a village to raise a company and a brand.” (Madeline, 18:27)
• “Some of them are just like they're there at the right moment... some of it is just encouragement. A lot of people have ideas, brands, but only a select few of us are crazy enough to go through with it...” (Madeline, 18:38)
• “Being able to just whisper, why not you? And what if it works? How amazing would that be?” (Madeline, 20:10)

Timestamps:

• 14:29-16:34: The Kickstarter campaign and forming community
• 18:27-20:32: The essential role of community in entrepreneurship

Perseverance, Underdog Struggles & Startup Truths

Key Points:

• Contrary to external assumptions, Madeline did not have financial privilege or easy access to capital; she started Nutpods after bankruptcy and with no credit.
• The early funding came from small, high-risk loans from friends and family—sacrifices that made her deeply determined not to fail.
• She emphasizes the multi-dimensional challenge: an entrepreneur must build not only a product and a brand, but a company that attracts and retains talent.
• Her drive was rooted in community need rather than profit or hustle culture.

Notable Quotes:

• “Do you know how hard it is to start a business when you have a bankruptcy? You cannot get any credit cards. All of the people that talk about maxed out credit cards—I had to start with those green dot prepaid credit cards.” (Madeline, 22:38)
• “If I had done this just for my own sake, I don't think I would have stuck with it... Because there's so many opportunities to quit along the way.” (Madeline, 24:56)
• “A leader is best judged by the team that they build.” (Madeline, 28:41)

Timestamps:

• 22:17-27:49: Financial hardship, dispelling startup myths, threefold nature of building a company
• 28:41-29:31: Leadership, team building, the power of humility

Missed Moment: Leadership, Motherhood & Navigating Double Standards

Key Points:

• Madeline regrets not bringing her children to witness her biggest professional moments, fearing it would seem unprofessional for a female CEO.
• Highlights the societal double standards in perceptions of working mothers vs. fathers.
• Now advocates for female leaders to let their children see them in action, as role models.

Notable Quotes:

• “I did not take my kids to any of that... even when we had really exciting retailer visits, like the first time you go to Target headquarters... I would have loved to bring my kids here. But it's just viewed differently... If you bring your daughter to Target headquarters, it's wow, what a family man... When I bring my daughter, it's... couldn't she figure out childcare?” (Madeline, 30:01)
• “Most of the time I have felt the outsider... get used to feeling uncomfortable because that's how you make change for yourself and… for other people.” (Madeline, 32:38)
• “Don't let the narrative... about how we're not going to be perceived as a leader or be perceived as professional stop you from doing the things that you want to and should do for your kids.” (Madeline, 34:52)

Timestamps:

• 29:45-35:23: Missed leadership moments, double standards for women, making room for the next generation

Memorable, Lighthearted Moments

• Madeline recounts how her daughter's school project could have been about Nutpods, but her child wasn't impressed:
  • “What do you think about Nutpod? His mom? Nobody cares about our small family business. I'm like, we're nationwide but it's okay.” (Madeline, 36:39)
• Host Brant reveals his own “famous in Romania” anecdote, building camaraderie and humility into the conversation.

Closing & Where to Find Madeline

Connection:

• Madeline encourages listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn or via her Nutpods email.

Quote:

• “I am not very active on social media, but they can follow me on LinkedIn... I'm super easy to find and I'm still on the board at NutPods.” (Madeline, 37:33)

Timestamps:

• 37:33-37:57: Ways to follow Madeline’s journey

Episode Takeaways

• Resilience is forged in struggle: Madeline’s journey from refugee roots and financial insecurity to startup founder is a testament to perseverance.
• Community matters: Building both a family and a company requires vulnerability and asking for help.
• Purpose over hustle: Real innovation and endurance are fueled by authentic need and a desire to serve others.
• Representation makes change: Women (and their children) benefit when female leaders unapologetically claim their space.

“Let them stop other people, but don’t let them stop you. ... By sharing my story, by being representative, ... maybe Madeline did it, and maybe I can do it too.”
(Madeline, 34:18)

Recommended for:
Anyone interested in authentic entrepreneurship stories, immigrant success, women’s leadership journeys, and the transformative power of single moments.