Some people change careers. These people rewrote the menu. This week on Second Act Stories we highlight an incredible group of entrepreneurs who traded in wildly different first acts for lives spent building bold, food-focused brands. What connects them isn’t a straight line or a master plan, but the moment they realized it was time for a second serving: to take what they’d learned, trust their instincts, and build something deliciously their own. These are stories of reinvention, risk, and recipes. Proof that sometimes the most satisfying work comes after you decide to start over.

Andrew Pudalov spent 15 years working his way up the ladder in the competitive ranks of NYC’s financial industry. But the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center changed everything. “I was traumatized. My wife too. We have little kids. I lost good friends. One jumped. I could not believe the towers came down.”

Andrew, his spouse and their young Family were ready for a change. So they headed west to Boulder, Colorado with very little idea what was ahead. With zero experience in the Retail food industry, Andrew started Rush Bowls a company that specializes in all-natural acai bowls and smoothies.

Over the past 20+ years, the company has grown to over 50 locations across the United States with another 20 stores in development.

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Second Act Stories theme music: “Between 1 and 3 am” by Echoes.

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Andrew Levine Podcaster

Andy Levine is the creator and host of “Second Act Stories.” A fascination with storytelling and second acts, triggered the launch of this podcast. He lives in Ocean Grove, New Jersey about five blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. He manages a specialized marketing firm for his day job. He is always on the lookout for a good story and has traveled to Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Virginia to conduct face-to-face interviews with podcast guests.

Scott Merritt is the co-host of “Second Act Stories.” He’s always had a natural curiosity about people and the paths they’ve followed to find success. After developing concepts for other podcasts focused on people and their careers, Scott was invited by Andy, a former colleague, to join “Second Act Stories.” A native of New York, he is now based in Atlanta, Georgia.