Monique Bonanno spent 15 years inside the corporate world at Aramark before deciding the safer path wasn't the one she actually wanted. This episode traces that leap, from a stable corporate job to buying a food truck and building Bonanno's Bagels from scratch, a decision Bonanno talks through with the kind of clarity that only comes from having actually lived the risk.
The hosts dig into what made the corporate-to-entrepreneur jump feel possible rather than reckless, and Bonanno's answer centers on knowing the food and hospitality world well enough from her Aramark years to see where a gap existed. That experience gave her the confidence to bet on herself, even starting small with a truck rather than a storefront, a choice that let her test the concept before scaling it up.
Bonanno also previews what's next for the business, including plans for a matcha brand that would sit alongside the bagels, a sign that she sees room to grow beyond the original concept rather than settling into a single product line. It's a glimpse at how a small Sarasota food business thinks about expansion once the first idea proves itself.
Guest co-host Rich Tyson fills in for the week, adding another voice to the usual dynamic, and the episode closes with Bonanno sharing her thoughts on Sarasota's roundabouts before heading into the Rapid Fire Gauntlet, a fitting wrap for an episode about betting on yourself.
Starting Small on Purpose
Bonanno is direct about why she chose a food truck over a storefront for her first move into the bagel business, describing it as a deliberate way to limit financial risk while she learned what Sarasota customers actually wanted before committing to a fixed location. That patience shaped how Bonanno's Bagels grew, building a loyal following one event and one regular stop at a time rather than betting everything on day one.
She also credits her Aramark years with teaching her the operational discipline that a lot of first-time food entrepreneurs learn the hard way, from inventory management to customer service standards, lessons that carried directly into how she now runs her own growing brand.
What you'll take away
- Monique Bonanno left 15 years at Aramark to build Bonanno's Bagels from a food truck.
- Industry experience from her corporate years gave her the confidence to start her own business.
- Bonanno is developing a matcha brand as the next expansion beyond bagels.
- Rich Tyson filled in as guest co-host for this episode.