S13 E6 From Neuroscientist to Cookie Boss: How Maura Duggan Built Fancypants

Most founders chase funding. Maura Duggan didn’t. Instead, she took a completely different path, scaling Fancypants Baking Co. into a national brand—all without venture capital, an MBA, or a safety net. On this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick sits down with Maura to unpack how her neuroscience background shaped her approach to consumer psychology, product development, and brand strategy. But it wasn’t all science and strategy—she also had to survive near bankruptcy, a brutal learning curve in the food industry, and the pressures of building a business while raising a family. If you’re an entrepreneur wondering if slow, smart growth beats the high-risk, high-burn VC game, this episode is for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices