From Cold Calls to Kale Bowls: How Staci Cross Built Two Businesses by Learning When to Hold On and When to Let Go

Join me as I sit down with Staci Cross (see her bio below), the fearless entrepreneur behind Enjoy Pure Food + Drink. In this captivating conversation, Staci shares her remarkable journey from television advertising executive to restaurant founder, including her incredible ability to land major clients through cold calling, including securing Johnson & Johnson for her Baby Basics company with a cold call to the switchboard.

Discover how Staci built Baby Basics into a $2.5 million business distributing educational DVDs to 95% of hospitals nationwide, only to watch it dissolve when streaming replaced physical media. But perhaps more importantly, learn about the profound lesson that changed everything: how "strangling" her vision with too tight a grip nearly killed her restaurant dream, and how letting it breathe ultimately led to Enjoy's success. 
From her childhood dreams of running an orphanage complete with detailed business plans at age nine, to speaking fluent Haitian Creole, to the four-year journey of raising $700,000 and partnering with James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Smith, Staci's story is one of resilience, reinvention, and the power of serving others through business.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a recent college graduate, or a seasoned professional looking for inspiration, this episode offers invaluable insights on cold calling confidence, pivoting after failure, building company culture, and the delicate balance between pursuing your vision and allowing it room to grow.

 

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About ​Staci: ​Staci Cross is a purpose-driven entrepreneur and the Founder & CEO of Enjoy Pure Food + Drink, a fast-casual restaurant concept built around whole, organic, and minimally processed foods. With a deep belief that vitality and success begin with what we eat, Staci created Enjoy as an oasis for busy, health-conscious people seeking clean cuisine, cold-pressed juices, and vibrant, on-the-go nourishment. Her mission is rooted in service—helping others feel their best so they can live their fullest lives.​ Before launching Enjoy in 2012, Staci co-founded Baby Basics, where she led national partnerships with powerhouse brands like Johnson & Johnson, Disney, and Procter & Gamble. She also spent over a decade in broadcast media as a senior television account executive.​ A proud graduate of the University of Kansas with a background in journalism and advertising, Staci brings a blend of creative vision, strategic leadership, and heart-centered purpose to everything she does.