From a Coffee Cart to Erewhon: Why Your ‘Messy First Step’ Might Be the Beginning of Your Big Break with Kristin Charbo, Co-Founder of Glonuts

Jun 30, 2025

59:54

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Kristin Charbo is the Co-Founder and CEO of Glonuts, the better-for-you donut brand redefining indulgence with clean ingredients and low sugar.

But her journey didn’t start in food or even in business. Kristin spent over 15 years in luxury hospitality, opening hotels for brands like Mandarin Oriental and PUBLIC in New York. It wasn’t until a PCOS diagnosis in her early 20s that she was forced to rethink her relationship with food, wellness, and ultimately, her career. That health wake-up call eventually sparked the idea for a nostalgic, blood-sugar-friendly treat she wished existed. What started as a “healthy donut thing” from a coffee cart quickly took on a life of its own, leading Kristin and her partner Grover to deliver over 100,000 donuts from their one-bedroom apartment and even use their wedding money to rebrand the business. Today, Glonuts is one of the most exciting brands in wellness snacking, stocked everywhere from Erewhon to H-E-B markets and other retailers all across the US.

In this episode, Kristin gets real about what it actually takes to build something from nothing—when you don’t have a blueprint, just a product people love and the grit to figure it out. She opens up about the mental rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, the scrappy early days of hand-delivering donuts, and the power of iterating on feedback. We talk about the challenges of fundraising as a female founder, how she built a network of powerhouse women who now double as investors and advisors, and why personal growth is just as critical as business growth. Whether you’re dreaming of starting your own thing or in the thick of figuring it out as you go, Kristin’s story is your reminder that success isn’t always linear but it always starts with taking the first messy step.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Kristin about:

* Glonuts began as an unexpected leap into entrepreneurship. [03:07]

* The early days of building Glonuts + getting feedback. [04:55]

* When Kristin first felt the entrepreneurial itch. [11:34]

* Kristin’s upbringing and relationship with food. [15:14]

* Getting fired from corporate + going all in on Glonuts. [18:15]

* Starting Glonuts from their home kitchen. [20:13]

* How they got into Erewhon. [21:35]

* Navigating the tough moments as a founder. [26:27]

* Debunking the myth of overnight success. [33:08]

* The unique challenges women face in fundraising. [34:38]

* Investing in branding can significantly impact business success. [41:48]