Founder2Founder with Aaron Spivak
Entrepreneurship isn’t just a career—it’s a relentless, all-consuming way of life.
Welcome to Founder2Founder a raw and unfiltered podcast where host Aaron Spivak pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build something from the ground up. No sugarcoating, no overnight success stories—just deep, honest conversations with some of the most driven, underrated, and game-changing founders of our time. From brutal setbacks to game-changing mindset shifts, Aaron goes beyond the polished success stories to uncover the unglamorous, deeply personal side of building a business.
As a seasoned entrepreneur himself, Aaron goes beneath the surface and gets into the nitty-gritty of what it truly takes to succeed. He’ll dive into the habits, behaviors, and routines that set elite founders apart, the tactics and strategies that are working today, and the mindset shifts required to push through the hardest moments. Through raw personal stories, late-night struggles, and breakthrough moments, guests open up about what it really means to grow, not just as a founder, but as a person.
Each week, Aaron sits down with visionary entrepreneurs from high-growth startup founders to seasoned CEOs, for real, unfiltered conversations about the highs, lows, and everything in between. Whether you're scaling a company, launching your first venture, or just looking for inspiration, this podcast will give you the insights, motivation, and real-world advice you won’t get just anywhere. If you're ready to strip away the illusion and get real about what it means to build, sacrifice, and thrive, this is the podcast for you. Join us every Wednesday!
Founder2Founder with Aaron Spivak
From Selling Shaved Ice to Scaling a National Food Empire
In this episode of Founder2Founder, Aaron Spivak sits down with Gaston Becherano Cohen, CEO of Smorgasburg—the largest weekly open-air food market in the U.S. Gaston shares how a solo trip to Japan reignited his entrepreneurial drive and ultimately led him from shaved ice vendor to acquiring the entire Smorgasburg brand. His journey includes launching, and losing, a café during COVID, starting over in Miami, and building markets that now draw millions of visitors.
He speaks candidly about scaling with lean teams, trusting his instincts, and launching his Japanese tea brand, Motorcycle Matcha. This conversation dives deep into the mindset, resilience, and strategic pivots behind building a cultural institution rooted in food, community, and creativity. Subscribe, share with a fellow founder, and leave a review if this episode resonated with you!
Chapters:
02:56 – Leaving IBM: Realizing He Wasn’t Built for Corporate Life|
03:54 – A Solo Trip to Japan That Changed His Trajectory
04:26 – Discovering Hospitality as His Lane
08:58 – Getting Accepted as a Shaved Ice Vendor in Brooklyn
09:49 – Launching Bonsai Café and Learning the Business
11:24 – COVID Hits: Closing the Café and Moving Back to Miami
14:00 – Starting Over with a Farmers Market in Aventura
18:48 – Seeing the Vision for Smorgasburg Miami
20:05 – Convincing the Landlords and Licensing the Brand
22:25 – The Grueling Process of Getting Permits Approved
24:56 – Opening Day in Wynwood: 15,000 Attendees and Flying Tents
27:38 – Sustaining Demand Week After Week
28:20 – Acquiring the Entire Smorgasburg Brand
30:51 – Reframing Entrepreneurship as a “Grand Adventure”
32:01 – Building Motorcycle Matcha in the Japanese Countryside
34:00 – Sourcing, Storytelling, and Building a Passion-Driven Brand
36:17 – Growing Up in a Tight-Knit, Entrepreneurial Community
38:40 – “Entrepreneurship Is Like Riding a Motorcycle”
41:15 – Gaston’s Vision for Smorgasburg as a National Incubator
43:58 – The Emotional Cost of Growth and Staying Positive
45:57 – Detaching From the Rollercoaster of Business
48:30 – Running Lean: 16 Full-Time Staff, Millions of Visitors
49:51 – Leadership Through Empowerment and Humility
51:50 – Advice to Younger Gaston: Enjoy the Ride
58:45 – The Magic of Type 2 Fun in Entrepreneurship
1:00:09 – Final Words: Start Young, Start Naive, Start Now
Guest Links:
Website: Smorgasburg.com
Instagram: @gastonbecherano
@smorgasburgmiami
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