Best Day Ever: A conversation with culinary technologist Scott Heimendinger
Episode 13: Giggles & Gastronomy. The one where Sam and Scott laugh their way through a high-tech conversation about food, fundraising, and the future.
Welcome to the gigglefest hour! In this episode, I talk with my great pal Scott Heimendinger of Seattle Ultrasonics. Scott is a self-described culinary technologist who merges science and technology with a love of cooking. He is a visionary, a thoughtful entrepreneur, and I’m so lucky to be in his circle. These are some of my favorite moments from our chat.
Quick rebrand of the podcast: “Let’s f*cking go to market.”
Life Hack: “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, being ridiculously good at Excel is transferable no matter what domain you’re working in. So I highly recommend that to everybody.”
Retail as a strategy: “Retail was an opportunity for us to establish some credibility; to go like, we’re real, the device is real, the technique is real, and if Sur La Table is willing to endorse it, then that’s a level of trust to you, the consumer. And so that was very much part of the reason that I wanted to engage with retail early.”
Fundraising through Rand Fishkin’s SparkToro Model: “I think [Rand and I are] both a little evangelical about wanting other founders and entrepreneurs to realize that there is an alternative that’s not crowdfunding, that's not VC, but that is a way to launch your business.”
Up next from Scott—a duel: “My professional purpose for being on earth is to try to help home cooks have a better time in the kitchen. And the chef’s knife is arguably the most important tool that contributes to that… but nobody has bothered to bring data to a knife fight before. So maybe I should.”
When you’re building something, start with the pitch first: “This is the story that I wanna tell, these are the beats that I need to get there. These are the assets that I need to support these beats. Okay, I need a test that proves this. I need a video that shows it doing that. I want to show off this design feature because I think it’s a really important part of the usability story. Then you’ve got a checklist for the stuff that you need to build in order to make the pitch work. And that list is a lot more prescriptive than… anything.”
Really listen: “When you pitch, listen to the feedback. That’s the hard part.”
Scott is such an incredible creator and the way he merges creativity and tech is absolutely unparalleled and also delicious—lucky us :) Don’t miss our full conversation above. 🔪🗡
You can find Scott at seattlefoodgeek.com + sign up at seattleultrasonics.com to learn more about Scott’s upcoming project.
For more information on Rand Fishkin and SparkToro, check out sparktoro.com or grab their open-source fundraising docs here.
Best Day Ever aims to inspire entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, and design enthusiasts by showcasing the real stories of those who have navigated the complexities of product-based landscapes. Whether you’re curious about the latest trends, seeking practical advice, or craving inspiration, this interview series offers a deep dive into the minds shaping the future of consumer brands. Learn more about us at Mvnifest.