Yesterday Podcast Jonathan Neman | How Sweetgreen Became a Multi-Billion Dollar Salad Chain
Oct 15, 2025
Jonathan Neman, co-founder and CEO of Sweetgreen, shares his journey from a young entrepreneur to leading a multi-billion dollar salad chain. From his parents' immigrant story to the cultural inspiration behind Sweetgreen, he reveals how Australian cafes sparked the concept for healthy fast food. Neman discusses the challenges of scaling operations, the importance of technology in enhancing customer experience, and his commitment to scratch cooking. He reflects on the emotional significance of the company's IPO and the role of family in his entrepreneurial journey.
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Immigrant Roots Shaped His Hustle
- Jonathan Neman's parents fled Iran in 1979 and rebuilt their lives in Los Angeles, inspiring his entrepreneurial drive.
- Early exposure to his family's textile business taught him hustle, grit, and curiosity about creating companies.
First Real Business: Ad-Supported Planners
- In high school Jonathan started a Young Entrepreneurs Club and sold ad-supported planners, earning about $30,000 in a year.
- The experience taught him sales, hustle, and early lessons about dealing with institutions when the school later took over the program.
Australia Cafe Culture Sparked Sweetgreen
- A semester abroad in Sydney exposed Jonathan to cafe culture where healthy food was cool, social, and aspirational.
- That experience seeded the idea of a stylish, seasonal, healthy restaurant that later became Sweetgreen.
