RECORD DATE: December 3, 2025
OVERVIEW
In this episode, Brandon Cory sits down with Elena Walls, a former employee of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Following the agency’s closure in 2025, Elena transitioned from a career in international development to launching Food First Culinary, an innovative, in-person cooking school in Washington, D.C. Elena shares her journey of navigating sudden unemployment, validating a business idea, and using AI tools to bootstrap a successful new venture.
CONNECT
Website: https://www.food-first.com
Instagram: @foodfirstculinary
Newsletter: Sign up on her website for recipes and cooking tips delivered twice a month
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT FED RENAISSANCE
Website: https://www.fedrenaissance.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585164407868
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fedrenaissance/
X: https://x.com/FedRenaissance
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fed-renaissance/id1890321197
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5xvtj5MFQi6XZ4IiDKHX8U?si=6MxhoDddTW-H3_PKrey0LA&nd=1&dlsi=adaf815284224ef0