How 8 Years of Podcasting Changed My Life

The Best and Worst Year of My Life

I’m probably over-exaggerating here, but hear me out.

At the beginning of the year, things were going great at Sobo Foods. We’d just raised a fresh round of funding, cranked out new products using a cool machine, and were figuring out how to scale. We even launched new flavors. We were invited to trade shows for free, got some solid press, and earned recognition from pitch competitions like the Fancy Food Show and Naturally Bay Area.

I felt like I was on top of the world. Being recognized as a co-founder of Sobo Foods felt amazing. I’d brag to my friends that I get to do this for a living, get invited to speak with big companies like PepsiCo, and I loved the attention.

But, as I’ve learned in life, what goes up must come down.

In June 2024, my co-founder staged a sort of corporate coup, informing me that I would be removed from day-to-day operations. To soften the blow, he gave me a token advisory role and some money, but I was stunned. I really had no choice. After all, he owned most of the company and had every right to make the decision to let me go. I knew it wasn’t worth fighting back. Still, I wish it had been more of a conversation than a knife in the back.

What Went Wrong?

Looking back, we just didn’t gel well. We had nothing in common. I tried making a podcast with him, and invited him to events, but I eventually realized: we didn’t like each other. We were too different, and that’s okay. I just wish he’d communicated better about it, and honestly, I wish I had been kinder in some of our conversations. But at the end of the day, people are people, and his position of control meant that he could make the final decisions. I’m not perfect, but I truly thought we could work through it with more communication. Turns out, we couldn’t even talk about it.

I was blindsided. I thought we had a good relationship, even if it wasn’t perfect. We got our jobs done and worked well together. But hindsight is 20/20, and I had seen the warning signs. You know the usual comments and actions that test whether you’re still needed. I had already prepared myself mentally for this kind of outcome: moving to co-manufacturing, transferring documents to secure drives, and making sure everything was in order in case I was shown the door. I knew I might be out, and subconsciously, I think I wanted out, too.

After all, all I’m good at is making products, right?

Cutting Ties

In the aftermath, received money and a figurehead advisory position. I thought the advisory role would be fine, but soon realized it was pointless. I wasn’t included in any team discussions, and was completely shut out on everything. When I received only a handful of emails asking for my approval on minor things, I knew it was time to walk away. Innovation was an afterthought at Sobo Foods, and I realized that continuing to be associated with a company like that wasn’t worth it.

This was a personal crisis. For the first time in my life, I was laid off—or fired. I dunno it's hard to tell. It was the first time I was truly blindsided by a career move. Before this, I had always controlled my own narrative. I’m writing this not to bash what’s left of Sobo Foods, but to offer some lessons to anyone who finds themselves in a similar position. If you ever experience a co-founder breakup or are forced out of a company you built, I hope my story and insights help. It’s surprisingly more common than you might think.

Key Lessons Learned

1. It’s Not That Bad

At first, it feels like the worst thing ever. But when you talk to close friends who understand what you’re going through, it helps put things in perspective using their perspective. I spoke some entrepreneurial friends in Japan, and they shared their own stories of co-founder betrayals. Five minutes later, we were laughing about some unrelated joke eating dumplings. They’re all more successful now. The stories of co-founders destroying each other are real, but in my case, things were civil, even if they could have been handled with more respect and honor.

2. It’s Not Worth Making It Worse

While some stories are much darker such as lawsuits, financial betrayals, and more, I’ve learned that fighting back doesn’t always lead to a positive outcome. I was lucky to have worked at Sobo Foods as a paid food scientist with funding before the product launch. That’s a rare blessing. I’ve heard horror stories about other entrepreneurs getting screwed over by their co-founders. One friend’s co-founder spent their investor money on cocaine and hookers, and it took a year before they could kick him out. I’m fortunate that my exit was relatively smooth.

3. The CPG Industry is Brutal and Unfair

The number of people who still don’t know what they’re doing, even years into the industry, is terrifying. Most companies either don’t have their own unique formula or lack the technical expertise to improve it. The food industry is full of people with hubris and, frankly, liars. The playbook relies on third-party duopolies that cut into margins, squeezing small businesses. The stores that represent your entry into the mainstream are small, picky, and relentless. There’s just too much competition, and it’s hard to break through. However, the salesperson in me has to tell you that you all are exceptional and will do things differently.

Insiders have shared some unsettling financials of so-called “winners,” showing how much of the success is smoke and mirrors. Many acquisitions are nothing more than celebratory photoshoots hiding the reality behind the scenes. Founders often complain about the system, but the industry thrives on third parties taking advantage of small companies’ paper-thin budgets. It’s a brutal cycle, and it’s a complaint I hear frequently in this sector.

4. Your Reputation Matters

Two days after I was laid off, I spoke to a couple of friends about it. They asked if I wanted to work with them. I said, wait, let me fly to Japan and take some time to regroup. After a month or so, I got back to work. Over time, my reputation in the industry has opened doors. People know what I’ve created, and I share it openly. For most food scientists, it’s hard to get credit for what they’ve done, but I’ve been fortunate. This reputation has led to trust, respect, and, most importantly, referrals.

You can have a large LinkedIn following, but true impact comes from real-world connections. Volunteering, giving advice, and putting your face on projects shows people you can deliver. This is what has made my reputation meaningful, and it’s something I’ve worked hard to build over the years.

The Power of Investing—In Both Money and Reputation

Looking back at my time after leaving the Better Meat Co, I realize the importance of investing—not just financially, but also in building your reputation and professional relationships. Over the past decade, I’ve saved aggressively, kept my lifestyle simple, and invested in things like real estate and the stock market. This has created a financial cushion that allows me to explore other interests.

Equally important is the investment in my professional reputation. People know what I do and trust my expertise. Many food scientists struggle to gain that kind of visibility, but I’ve been fortunate enough to build something lasting.

Something that was really heartfelt was what happened a few weeks ago when I met my last startup, the Better Meat Co, at a MISTA afterparty. The team welcomed me with open arms. With that, I got invited to their bowling party, met with the R+D team of incredibly talented food scientists and tried some amazing products and gave feedback in which they thought I was somewhat smart. I also got some incredibly cool swag from them. Thanks!

Exploring New Things: A Book and a Game

Speaking of burning cash, let me tell you about my new book. It’s called Interns in the Dark, a 280-page game book about a game you’ll never play. It’s a role-playing game set in Silicon Valley. I’ve always been a fan of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) and recently dove into the small but fascinating world of indie games. From there, I decided to create my own game, learning everything from hiring artists to designing layouts and printing the book.

It’s a niche industry, and no one can make a living from it, but it’s been incredibly rewarding. The skills I’ve gained from this project—communication, playtesting, editing, book designing, publishing and selling—have been invaluable.

For a two year project, this actually took a huge amount of my writing time but it's been so fulfilling trying to satirize the startup space making a really weird game. With that, I not only have more capacity to write, but I feel like my writing has improved. So expect me to get back into writing next year.

A Cooler Adam Yee

Mark Zuckerberg might have spent this year trying to be cool, but next year, I’m going to step it up. I want to speak more, create honest insights about the industry, and continue to build on the lessons I’ve learned in food science and entrepreneurship.

My experience, building companies in the ingredient and consumer space, has given me a unique perspective, and I’m eager to share those insights. People like hearing about my insights now (I think?) but it's probably because I'm older.

I’m also coming back to podcasting. I’ve partnered with Michael Wolf at The Spoon Network (a lot more exciting things are going to happen here), and we’re launching more podcasts in 2025. Expect these shows in your feed:

Food Products FAQ with Adam Yee and Brian C. – A 10-part mini-series on the real secrets of scaling food products. Throughout our careers, we've delt with the same thing over and over again. This is a great podcast to understand what actually goes into a food product and explains the nuances in it all.

My Food Job Rocks + Dig In – We’re bringing back this podcast with Michael Wolf’s The Spoon network. We are doing the standard career interview podcast but also adding a new component where we dive into fascinating food topics. New logo, music, and topics pending! You'll hear fresh and past guests. For some, their story is new, for others their story continues.

Food News Weekly – A new weekly podcast on food industry news, launching later this year. We are actually vetting cohosts right now so if you're interested in working voraciously on this, let me know! (logo is also pending)

Expect more thought leadership bs, white papers, and insights about the future of food.

Umai Works

Hindsight is 20/20, and it's easy to rationalize our lives when things are either good or bad. Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for where I am right now. I’m exploring new technologies, discovering fresh ways of doing things, and executing meaningful ideas. Most importantly, I realize that I now have the freedom to pursue whatever I want.

I’ve recently launched a new consultancy called Umai Works and I’m embracing the color egg-yellow as my brand. There are so many things I want to do, and I’m already doing them such as working on exciting projects, from AI to chili crisps. It’s a lot of fun, and I feel lucky to be collaborating with the incredible connections I’ve made over the years.

Financially, I’ve been able to achieve the same level of comfort I had at Sobo Foods, but with less work (sometimes). What’s even better is the feedback I’m getting from the impactful work I’m doing.

I’m helping people get clients, save money, and strategize their growth and supporting them as they get big wins. Although I’m working with smaller companies that have limited budgets, the rewards have been immense. I now have the flexibility to decide how hard I want to work, which is incredibly liberating.

Ultimately, the reason I appreciate where I am in life is because I share my story. Writing this article, for instance, has been therapeutic—it’s helped me reflect on how far I’ve come and where I’m headed.

Everyone goes through tough times, and we each have our own way of dealing with them. It’s easy to fear burdening others with our problems, but in reality, it’s often those very people who can help us heal. Through my journey of sharing this, I’ve heard countless stories from others who’ve shut down companies, lost jobs, or faced a personal loss of a loved one, and those conversations have brought me closer to them as we went through it together.

My best advice to anyone facing challenges is to share your story. It matters. It helps others. And it’s important to keep moving forward. In our busy world, it’s rare for someone to truly care about your struggles, but you’d be surprised how much sharing can make a difference.

Things happen to people all the time but if we discount them to be just another thing in life, I think it really dehumanizes your experiences. It's a much better journey to treat these traumatic experiences as a journey to recovery. It makes where you end up so much sweeter.

Thanks for reading.

Ok hopefully nobody reads this part. I’ve only told a few people about my transition out before this post but honestly, it means a lot to have people take time and chat with you about these things. I wanted to thank a few people who just took the time to text and talk and even meet in person to process this. Those who gave referrals or contacts, or even the opportunity to work with you, it means a lot. You are all wonderful and I’m glad to have you all in my life. You took valuable time, advice, and reputation to help me get through this.

Cory Yee (not my brother but was best man at his wedding), Caroline Cotto , Max Elder , Brian C. , Andrea Zeng , Luiza Villela , Steve Simitzis , Dina Shi , Karsten Schellhas , Michael Wolf , Candice Choi , Christina Kwong , Alberta Liao , Sasha Zhang , Joseph Alcasabas , Tiffany W. , Anja Leissner , HIROTAKA TANAKA , Akiko Okada , Satoshi Umino , Barry O'Neill , Andrew D Ive , Jolene L. , Audrey Koh , Deborah Chung , Sunny Cheng , Kai-Hsin Wang , Rebecca Dengrove , Shota Atago , Ron Shigeta , David Despain, MSc/MSc, CFS , Siwen Deng, Ph.D. , Nelson Lin , Hailey Zhao, Paul Shapiro , Pete Brennan , Mary Carunchia , and my mom and dad. I appreciate you being part of my life.

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