Podcast Summary: "The Hidden Cost of Success with Scarlett Leung"

Kreatures of Habit Podcast | Host: Michael Chernow | Guest: Scarlett Leung
Date: February 18, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the realities of entrepreneurship, exploring the glamorized myth versus the lived experience. Michael Chernow invites seasoned founder Scarlett Leung (Pretty Tasty, ex-Sugar Break, All Saints, FreshDirect) to share candidly about heartbreak, pivoting, redefining success, and building businesses with both autonomy and self-compassion. The conversation weaves in practical lessons, vulnerable anecdotes, personal routines, and a foray into spiritual and wellness practices, ultimately shedding light on the hidden costs and rewards of the entrepreneurial path.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The True Cost of Success & Letting Go

• Work Never Shuts Off:
  • The myth of "9 to 5" is foreign to founders:

    "People like you and I probably don't understand the concept of nine to five, because it never shuts off."
    — Michael (00:00, 15:49)

• Burnout and Identity Loss:
  • Scarlett's heartbreak from her company Sugar Break folding after years of effort.

    “I felt like this child of mine, just all blood, sweat and tears for years, just vanished into nothing.”
    — Scarlett (05:03)

  • The struggle with identity after stepping down:

    "After I left, I felt like, what am I without this company? Like, who am I?"
    — Scarlett (06:20)

• Am I Still a Founder?
  • Not being invited to a founders' retreat after leaving Sugar Break:

    “They were like, well, you left your company. You're not a founder anymore.”
    — Scarlett (07:29)

• Letting Go & Redefining Success:
  • Investors pushed Scarlett to recognize when to move on:

    "You can always start a new company. Don't do this. Don't waste the next few years trying to muscle through this."
    — Investors to Scarlett (06:20)

2. Authenticity in Leadership and Evolution

• Delegation > Micromanagement:
  • The confidence to trust her team is what brings happiness and higher performance:

    “Now is the time where I need to design life to work for me and for me to be happy, and that's how I'll perform the best.”
    — Scarlett (12:54, 13:55) "I delegate a lot more than I used to ... I just trust that my team are good at what they do."
    — Scarlett (13:55, 00:17)

• Autonomy for Teams:
  • Michael echoes the need to move from micromanagement to empowering staff:

    "When they come to me ... I'm not going to answer that question for you. You do what you think is the right decision and once it's done ... we either high five and hug or watch the tapes and try to be better on the next one."
    — Michael (18:29)

3. Investor Choices: Venture vs. Family Office

• Venture-Backed Stress:
  • Constant fundraising, multiple investor demands, and pressure for exponential returns:

    "You raise enough to get through 18 months ... but you can't start fundraising at the end of 18 months. So you're like fundraising like 12 months, worried that you're not gonna have money in six months."
    — Scarlett (20:35)

• Family Office Experience:
  • Her current role at Pretty Tasty, backed by a family office, is much more supportive and stable:

    "I don't need to worry about running out of money because ... there's going to be money for it."
    — Scarlett (20:35)

• Advice for Early Entrepreneurs:
  • Be intentional; venture is not always the best route—question your motives and your product's fit.

    “Is your product even a fit for venture backing?... because you have to ... 10x evaluation so that it's worth their while. If not, like a lot of consumer goods, it's really, really difficult to hit that. And it might not make sense.”
    — Scarlett (22:41)

4. Journey Through Roles & Resilience

• Scarlett’s Unconventional Career Path:
  • CPA → Deloitte → L'Oréal/All Saints/FreshDirect → Egg freezing startups → Wellness → CPG founder.
  • At All Saints, led North America then globally, spearheaded turnarounds:

    “After that, I was like, wait, I've done all of this, and I haven't screwed up yet. I guess I'm pretty good.”
    — Scarlett (26:47)

• Turning Companies Around:
  • Pragmatic, customer-oriented tweaks at All Saints led to major results (floor plan, staffing, customer service basics).

    “It’s not about big, big changes. It’s about focusing on crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s...”
    — Michael (30:53)

5. Success, Exits, and the Glamour Myth

• "Exit Culture" Critiqued:
  • Not every successful company needs to be a billion-dollar exit; longevity and personal fulfillment matter.

    “Most of these people have been working on it for like 10 plus years ... and they probably had, you know, three failed companies before that.”
    — Scarlett (32:03)

  • Michael, inspired by another founder’s legacy mindset:

    “He’s like, I am going to build the number one, greatest ... supplement brand in the world and I have no plan on selling this business, you know. And it was—it dawned on me…”
    — Michael (36:23)

6. Daily Habits, Wellbeing & Spiritual Practice

• Non-negotiable Habits:
  • Electrolytes + IMA supplement, gratitude journaling, tarot card pulling for self-reflection.

    “I do a gratitude journal every day. And I've gotten, like, more spiritual through, like, the entrepreneurship journey. I pull tarot cards too. ... It’s a good tool to start the day with reflection.”
    — Scarlett (47:34)

• Tarot and Energy Healing:
  • Describes tarot as a way to tap into her thoughts and intuition, not as fortune-telling.

    “It's more, like, reflective. I pull a few cards ... advice—like, don't get too attached to something.”
    — Scarlett (49:08)

  • Recounts experiences with energy healers and the embeddedness of spiritual practices in Chinese culture.

7. Scarlett on Food, Protein Bars, and Brand Creation

• Candid Opinions:
  • Scarlett’s honesty:

    “Do you like protein bars? You could be totally honest.”
    “No. ... Because I love eating. Protein bars to me are, like, a convenience when I can't have, like, an actual meal.”
    — Michael & Scarlett (40:28–41:09)

• Pretty Tasty's Cultural Roots:
  • The spark for her collagen iced tea came from family wisdom and a desire to infuse Asian wellness into daily routines.

8. Defining Habits for Success

• Gratitude & Reflection:
  • Emphasizing gratitude as a grounding force, supported by spiritual and wellness rituals.
• Self-Talk and Confidence:
  • Michael’s realization about positive self-talk as a crucial leadership habit:

    “What is the new habit for you? Only say nice things about yourself.”
    — Scarlett (47:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I felt like this child of mine, just all blood, sweat and tears for years, just vanished into nothing.” — Scarlett (05:03)
• “You can always start a new company. ... Don't waste the next few years trying to muscle through this.” — Investors to Scarlett (06:20)
• “After I left, I felt like, what am I without this company? ... Who am I?” — Scarlett (06:20)
• “Now is the time where I need to design life to work for me and for me to be happy, and that's how I'll perform the best.” — Scarlett (12:54)
• “I just trust that my team are good at what they do and then they'll do it.” — Scarlett (13:55)
• “I don't need to worry about running out of money because ... there's going to be money for it.” — Scarlett (20:35)
• “Is your product even a fit for venture backing? ... It's really, really difficult to hit that.” — Scarlett (22:41)
• “After that, like, when I look back, I was like, wait, I've done all of this, and I haven't screwed up yet. I guess I'm pretty good.” — Scarlett (26:47)
• “Most of these people have been working on it for like 10 plus years. ... not every, also every success has to be a billion dollar sale.” — Scarlett (32:03)
• “He’s like, I am going to build the number one, greatest ... supplement brand in the world and I have no plan on selling this business...” — Michael (36:23)
• “I do a gratitude journal every day. ... It’s more like it’s a good tool to sort of start the day with reflection.” — Scarlett (47:34)
• “What is the new habit for you? Only say nice things about yourself.” — Scarlett (47:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 / 15:49 – The 24/7 grind of entrepreneurship
• 03:51-08:10 – The heartbreak of letting a business go & identity loss
• 13:55 / 00:17 – Learning to delegate, building team autonomy
• 20:10-22:41 – Family office vs. venture capital; advice for new founders
• 26:47-29:58 – All Saints turnaround and operational basics
• 32:03-36:23 – The myth of overnight exits; different definitions of success
• 47:34-51:21 – Daily wellness routines, gratitude, tarot, and spiritual practice
• 55:06-59:57 – Energy healing and the role of culture in openness to spirituality

Conclusion & Where to Find Scarlett

Scarlett invites listeners to check out Pretty Tasty on social media (@drinkprettytasty) and to follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram for ongoing adventures, blending startup grit with spiritual and holistic habits. The episode closes on the power of open-mindedness, self-care, and the importance—through struggle, pivots, and spiritual journeys—of defining your own version of success.