Bun Mee: From One Bite to
Best in the World
Podcast Episode #5 · 26 min
April 1, 2025
Welcome to Founderology –
Built to Breakthrough,
the ultimate podcast created by Founders, for Founders.
Founderology is your go-to resource for actionable insights and proven strategies to propel your business and yourself to new levels of success.
Hosted by Kathleen Wood
Each episode is designed to speak the unique language of Founders and address the challenges, opportunities, and triumphs of the Founder journey.
Guest Denise TranFounder of Bun Mee Vietnamese Sandwich Eatery
to turn small businesses into award-winning concepts, national expansions, and billion-dollar brands.
Each episode is designed to speak the unique language of Founders
and address the challenges, opportunities, and triumphs of the Founder journey.
Bun Mee: From One Bite to
Best in the World
Every once in a while, you meet a Founder who reminds you why you started in the first place. The passion. The purpose. The powerful vision that you just can’t let go of no matter what.
That’s exactly what happened when I sat down with Denise Tran, founder of Bun Mee, on this episode of Founderology: Built to Breakthrough. And I’m telling you right now — this is another conversation you want to take notes as you listen.
Denise’s story is what I call a “power of one” moment — one decision, one trip, one bite of a Vietnamese sandwich that changed everything. She went from being an attorney (yes, a legit practicing probate attorney) to creating an award-winning Vietnamese fast-casual brand — all without a single day of restaurant experience.
Sounds impossible? Not to Denise.
What she did have was a clear vision, fierce passion, and a fearless mindset — and in this episode, she walks us through exactly how she trusted her instincts and built something extraordinary from the ground up.
Here’s a taste of what you’ll hear:
- Why Denise walked away from a successful law career to pursue her vision of being the “Shake Shack” of Vietnamese sandwiches.
- The “day one” moment when she knewBun Mee was going to work.
- How she strategically grew into one of the top airport restaurants in the world (thank you to Bloomberg for the recognition!)
- Her secret to scaling without selling out.
- And yes — the one thing every Founder should stop waiting for: __________.
Denise’s journey is about heart, hustle, and holding the line when the world says, “that’ll never work.” And let me tell you — Denise’s wisdom is gold. She shares how Founders can leverage their intuition, the power of clarity in leadership, and why saying noto the wrong opportunities is just as important as saying yesto the right ones.
If you’re a Founder who’s in growth mode, at a crossroads, or just looking for a serious dose of inspiration — this is your episode.
At the end of the day Denise show, it’s not about being the most experienced person in the room — it’s about being the most committed to your vision.
Treat yourself and grab your earbuds, hit play on Founderology: Built to Breakthrough, and let this be your reminder: you’ve got what it takes. And just maybe, like Denise, your big breakthrough is already on the way.
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