Welcome to another episode of the Business Leaders of America podcast. In this episode, we sit down with Gregory Vetter, the visionary entrepreneur who took his family’s lemon-garlic dressing from a Tupperware container in a Whole Foods parking lot to becoming the #1 organic salad dressing brand in the country with Tessemae’s. But this conversation isn’t just about business wins, it’s about grit, sacrifice, and rebuilding after everything falls apart.
Greg opens up about the resilience it took to bootstrap a brand from nothing, the brutal lessons learned when success crumbles, and how he used those lessons to build again, smarter and with greater purpose. From founding Alta Fresh Foods and launching clean-label vodka drinks to creating Tushees Portable Toilets, Greg shows us what it means to be a modern American entrepreneur: bold, scrappy, and unafraid to solve real problems with real solutions.
He also shares the mindset and daily habits that keep him grounded, the truth behind what it really takes to scale a brand, and how he's now empowering the next generation of founders through the Home Grown Brand Accelerator.
Notable Awards and Recognitions
• Founder of Tessemae’s, the #1 organic salad dressing brand in the U.S.
• Co-founded Alta Fresh Foods, one of the top clean-label food suppliers in the U.S.
• Creator of Home Grown Brand Accelerator, a membership program for early-stage CPG entrepreneurs.
• Author of Undressed: The Unfiltered Story Of My Failed American Dream And How It Led To Success
• Featured in major media outlets including the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Fox News, CBS News, Food Network, Entrepreneur Magazine, Fox Business, and Forbes
• Named both an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist and Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year, recognizing outstanding leadership and innovation.
• Founder of Quenchers, a ready-to-drink vodka beverage infused with electrolytes, and Tushees, a portable toilet and wipes company designed for on-the-go convenience—two innovative brands redefining wellness and practicality in everyday life.
How to connect with Gregory Vetter
• https://www.gregoryvetter.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/glvetter/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvetter/
• https://www.altafreshfoods.com/
• https://www.amazon.com/Undressed-Unfiltered-Failed-American-Success/dp/0960127704
Show Notes
[1:36] Greg reflects on the early days of Tessemae’s, sharing what sparked the idea to launch a clean-label food brand and the inspiration behind turning a family recipe into a national business.
[5:22] How the drive for survival, not success, shaped the early years of Tessemae’s, influencing everything from business decisions to company
culture during the brand’s foundational period.
[7:20] How resilience, faith, and a belief in his purpose helped him navigate the darkest moments and why he never doubted he’d come out
stronger on the other side.
[10:08] Why reading biographies of influential leaders and business figures helped him develop the habits, mindset, and discipline necessary for personal growth.
[12:56] Greg explains his belief that the future belongs to real brands solving real problems.
[16:20] The origin story of Home Grown, his platform for mentoring and equipping early-stage entrepreneurs.
[22:32] Greg opens up about his book Undressed: The Unfiltered Story of My Failed American Dream and How It Led to Success, diving into the raw lessons behind his journey and what he hopes readers will take away from it.
[27:30] How listeners can learn more about the Home Grown Brand Accelerator, pick up a copy of Undressed, and connect with him directly to follow his journey and upcoming ventures.
[28:21] The legacy Greg hopes to leave behind, not just as a founder of successful brands, but as a leader committed to empowering others, creating opportunities, and redefining what success looks like.
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