From $10 in the Bank to a $9M Beverage Brand: Megan Klein’s Unconventional Path with Little Saints

In this episode of Founder2Founder, Aaron Spivak sits down with Megan Klein, founder of Little Saints, the sugar-free, mushroom-powered non-alcoholic cocktails and spirits brand redefining the way we drink. A former environmental attorney turned two-time brand founder, Megan’s journey is one of radical pivots, personal reinvention, and unshakable self-belief. She shares how she went from shutting down her first startup to investing her last million, selling her own apartment to fund it, and scaling Little Saints to $9.6M in revenue without traditional VC backing.Megan opens up about her lowest moments, from navigating loneliness during the pandemic, to hitting $10 in her personal bank account, and the turning point that came from trusting her own intuition over outside “expert” advice. She dives into how plant medicine shaped her leadership style, the hard lessons of Shark Tank, and why aligning brand growth with personal growth has been the foundation of her success. This is an unfiltered conversation on grit, discernment, and building a category-defining CPG brand on your own terms.Chapters:02:21 – From Lawyer to Rooftop Farming04:51 – The Fog of Misalignment in Corporate Life07:41 – Equity-Only Hustle at Farmed Here08:22 – Building The Fresh Factory from a Failed Startup11:42 – Fundraising Lessons from the First Business12:35 – Investing Her Own $1M to Start Little Saints14:37 – The Solo Founder Reality During the Pandemic16:42 – Hemp Silk Cocktail Masks: The First Little Saints Product18:05 – The Dry January Experiment That Sparked the Brand21:00 – Discovering Ayahuasca and Plant Medicine’s Impact28:55 – Quitting Alcohol for Good32:39 – Going All-In with DTC36:09 – Selling Assets to Save the Business39:50 – Crisis Summer: Cancellation, Family Emergency, and Cash Shortage41:06 – Unlearning the Need for Outside Approval46:57 – Filming Shark Tank and Walking Away from the Deal51:01 – Scaling from $100K to $9.6M in Three Years53:17 – Laying the Foundation for $20M+ Growth56:53 – Using Plant Medicine to Become a Better Leader59:08 – Radical Feedback from the Team1:03:26 – Little Saints Dirty Martini Demo1:07:20 – Building in Miami and Creating the Little Saints House1:11:32 – In-Person vs. Remote Team Dynamics1:13:08 – What December 2020 Megan Would Be Most Proud Of1:16:03 – Message to a 16-Year-Old Megan1:18:39 – Blending Personal Development with Business Growth1:21:31 – Choosing Alignment Over Short-Term Gains1:22:23 – Where to Buy Little SaintsGuest Links:Website: littlesaints.comInstagram: @littlesaintscoLinkedIn: Little SaintsFully Accountable: Mention this ad and have your onboarding fees waived at https://fullyaccountable.comFERMÀT: The AI native commerce platform that optimizes shopping experiences, leading to best-in-class shopper engagement and conversion. FermatCommerce.com If you're a founder doing $1MM+ in annual revenue, apply for the Founders Club today: https://go.foundersclubofficial.com/intro-fc-aaronStay Connected!Aaron Spivak:IG: @‌SpivakLinkedinThe Founders ClubIG: @‌TheFoundersClubWebsite www.foundersclubofficial.com Founder2Founder:TikTok @‌Founder2FounderPodcastYoutube @‌Founder2Founder.Podcast