In this candid and deeply relatable conversation, Gregory Vetter, co-founder of Tessemae’s and current CEO of Alta Fresh Foods, joins What It Takes to talk about the real cost of entrepreneurship—with a focus on financials. Drawing from his honest and hilarious book Undressed, Greg shares his multi-phase “Money Quest” journey, including investor pitfalls, oil spills, media hype, board takeovers, and ultimately, how bankruptcy led to personal freedom and a renewed vision.

Now with Alta Fresh Foods, Greg has taken those hard-earned lessons and created a profitable, purpose-driven business that prioritizes transparency, efficiency, and solving real problems in food manufacturing. He’s also paying it forward through HomeGrown Brands, helping other founders build smarter.

💡 Key Takeaways & Themes:

🔸 Financial Growth & Missteps:

• Fundraising felt like validation early on—but came with major consequences.
• “Move fast and break things” doesn’t work when you’re shoveling up oil with kitty litter.
• The emotional desire to be seen and validated by investors led to avoidable decisions.
• The Money Quests in his book represent different stages of growth, failure, and learning—essential financial storytelling for entrepreneurs.

🔸 Alta Fresh Foods:

• Designed to reduce food waste and labor inefficiencies in retail food assembly.
• Won Sam’s Club Supplier of the Year through radical transparency and over-communication.
• Differentiated by eliminating co-packers and controlling the process in-house.
• No outside investors—complete ownership and freedom in decision-making.

🔸 The Board Takeover & Chapter 11:

• Despite having the evidence, the board’s control and court battles forced Greg into bankruptcy.
• He describes it as his “freedom moment,” where every fear was exposed, and faith was found.
• The hardest moments led him to his personal transformation—and a deeper connection to God, family, and purpose.

📌 Memorable Quotes:

“If you don’t laugh, you’re gonna cry.”

“You cannot half-ass any part of growth.”

“I thought that if I won Entrepreneur of the Year, that was gonna mean something big. And it didn’t.”

“Hype is ego.”

“What are you pretending to not know about the situation?” (credit to Dr. Jonathan Fader)

“Every fear that I’ve ever had—all was exposed in the journey.”

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” (Joseph Campbell)

“There are four things money can’t buy: your health, your soul, your time, and your children’s love. If you keep those four things in check, you can stay in the storm forever.”

📣 Marketing Notes:

Great Promotional Hooks:

• “What the Inc. Magazine cover didn’t do for us…”
• “The buyer revolving door is real—and it can break your business.”
• “Why I built Alta Fresh without a single investor.”
• “From Chapter 11 to Sam’s Club Supplier of the Year.”

Clip-Worthy Moments:

• Storage unit oil spill scene (funny + visual)
• Emotional take on investor love and validation
• Signature question and four things money can’t buy
• The board coup + faith transformation moment