How I Built This with Guy Raz

Sweetgreen: Nicolas Jammet and Jonathan Neman

Apr 13, 2020

Jonathan Neman and Nicolas Jammet, co-founders of Sweetgreen, share their journey from frustrated Georgetown students to successful entrepreneurs in the fast-casual dining scene. They discuss the challenges they faced launching their first salad shop and the resourcefulness required to overcome financial hurdles. The duo reflects on their innovative approach to sourcing ingredients and building community engagement through music events. As they navigate the ever-evolving food industry, they emphasize resilience and adaptation during crises, showcasing how challenges can fuel growth and evolution.

01:09:49

Episode guests

Nicolas Jammet

Jonathan Neman

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Navigating Leadership Challenges in Entrepreneurship

3min

The Birth of Sweetgreen: Nourishing Change Through Innovation

3min

From Dreams to Greens: The Sweetgreen Journey

18min

Navigating Early Challenges in Restaurant Launch

11min

Challenges and Growth: The Sweetgreen Journey

5min

Innovative Beginnings: Music and Community Engagement

10min

Navigating Change and Collaboration

20min

Resilience and Innovation During Crisis

3min

Nicolas Jammet and Jonathan Neman met at Georgetown University in 2003 and quickly bonded over their frustration at the lack of healthy food on campus. So during their senior year, along with a third friend, Nathaniel Ru, they decided to open a 500 square-foot restaurant serving fresh salads made with organic produce. They had no idea what they were doing and almost ran out of money five months in. But today, Sweetgreen has over 100 locations, and is using new technology to re-imagine the fast-casual model, even as it faces unprecedented challenges from the coronavirus crisis. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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