In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Shauna Smith, co-founder and powerhouse operator behind Savory Fund, for a deeply personal and insightful conversation on resilience, leadership, and building something meaningful from the ground up.
Shauna shares her journey from a challenging childhood in the South to becoming a central force in scaling over 50 Kneaders Bakery locations and helping build one of the most respected restaurant investment platforms in the country. Along the way, she opens up about stepping into responsibility at a young age, navigating family adversity, and how those early experiences shaped her grit and perspective.
Together, she and Casey explore what it really takes to operate at a high level, from executing vision and building teams to making hard decisions and learning from failure. Shauna also reflects on her role in growing brands like Swig and Mo’ Bettahs, her “no A-hole policy,” and why culture and character matter more than anything in business.
This episode is a masterclass for leaders and entrepreneurs on ownership, humility, and the power of doing hard things well.
00:00 | Introduction & Reconnecting
02:02 | Family Life & Partnership with Andrew
08:29 | Visionary vs Operator Roles
09:54 | Growing Up in Alabama
14:12 | Family Adversity & Moving to Utah
20:19 | Forgiveness & Personal Growth
24:32 | College Years & Meeting Andrew
30:20 | Unexpected Pregnancy Story
33:24 | Early Entrepreneurial Journey
35:13 | The Call to Build Kneaders
39:01 | Learning to Run a Restaurant
41:19 | Thriving During the 2008 Crisis
47:16 | Scaling to 50+ Locations
48:49 | Key Lessons from Franchising
52:40 | Investing in Swig & Mo’ Bettahs
56:56 | Launching Savory Fund
59:06 | Fund Growth & Investment Strategy
01:00:30 | Biggest Mistakes & Lessons Learned
01:01:57 | The “No A-hole Policy”
01:02:54 | Best Deal Ever: Swig
01:03:47 | Transitioning Roles & Future Vision
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