The Messy Middle: How Miguel Leal Built Somos Foods on Repeat Rates, Margins, and Radical Resilience

In this episode, Elliot Bisnow sits down with Miguel Leal, co-founder and CEO of Somos Foods — a better-for-you Mexican food brand now in 9,000+ U.S. stores. Miguel shares what it really takes to build from zero when you've spent a career scaling established brands like KIND Bars, Kettle Chips, and Cholula.This conversation gets real about the emotional weight of entrepreneurship, the discipline required to survive the messy middle, and what it means to build a company that lasts.Topics covered:Building Somos from a pandemic side project to a retail stapleWhy Miguel pivoted from D2C to retail — and what almost broke the businessThe "50/50 Rule": how chasing 50% repeat rate + 50% margin became their north starCutting SKUs, tightening focus, and the power of saying noManaging energy — his own and his team's — as a founderMeditation, faith, and why Miguel credits his morning routine with getting through the hardest yearsThe Doer → Architect → Capacity Builder leadership arcWhy 80% of board conversations are about people, not numbersThe founder dinner group that kept Miguel from quittingWhy everyone else is crying too — and the danger of LinkedIn veneersResources mentioned:Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull (Pixar)Numerator / SPINS for repeat rate trackingConnect with Miguel:[email protected]: Miguel LealLearn more: tigbrands.com