Building a sustainable food business with fearlessness, integrity and heart with Diem Fuggersberger

Episode #11

Pauline Nguyen and special guest Diem Fuggersberger

Some of the words I use to describe my guest today are creative genius, powerhouse entrepreneur, generosity, devotion and honesty. Diem Fuggersberger’s life is a remarkable and inspiring one, having transformed her life from no money to building a multi-million dollar sustainable business with integrity and fearlessness.

Diem Fuggersberger is the CEO and founder of the incredibly successful junior foodies range, Coco & Lucas. She is also the managing director of Berger Ingredients, whose vision is to deliver uniquely delicious, all natural, locally sourced and nutritionally balanced meals to Australian children and households.

With sustainability at the core of everything she creates, today’s episode shares insights into the way Diem sees the world. We talk about the influence of her Buddhist grandmother, her father who was a tailor with a daring sense of style, and the challenges she faced fleeing wartorn Vietnam at the age of 7.

Going deeper into some of Diem’s award winning business achievements, we discuss what it takes to build a successful brand. Diem speaks of the determination, grit and resilience required to keep going through all the ups and downs. There are no straight lines in life and Diem’s grace and conviction is what propelled her forward to create a brand and a life that will truly leave a legacy.

At the age of 51, Diem does not cease to learn, grow and inspire others. We talk about the values underpinning her businesses, her family and the people she chooses to surround herself with. It is my honour to call Diem my friend and I know you will be inspired by the fearlessness, grace and integrity of this powerhouse woman..

Topics Discussed

[2:45]	Diem and Pauline reflect on when they met at a conference in 2014.
[4:55]	Diem only completed 6 years of schooling and all the hardships she faced have made her who she is today. Everything she does is in the realm of fashion, food, family and the environment and she sees the world through the lens of what legacy she can leave behind.
[08:00]	While her children were young, Diem’s husband’s multi million dollar business crumbled and she took it on herself to build it back up with the help and support of her family. Failure was not an option.
[10:30]	Her children taught her to appreciate nature and the simple things, instead of relying on 5 star experiences.
[12:20]	Diem adopted her Buddhist faith from her Chinese grandmother, which helped her greatly during the challenging years. Success is about inner happiness, not necessarily material possessions. When she was a young mum, Diem was a lot more materialistic, which she looks back on with distaste.
[15:00]	Diem’s ignorance actually helped her when she started Coco & Lucas. She had no idea that she had thrown herself into the deep end. She talks about the process of having a brand from conception all the way through to quality assurance.
[17:20]	There are times where it gets too much but nothing in life is a straight line. Diem had the resilience to stay focused and calm during the challenging times. The people left standing are the ones with grit and staying in the game long after others have given up.
[20:00]	Diem’s grandmother lived a sustainable life but as a child, Diem thought she was just being stingy. When she started Coco & Lucas, Diem had a strong conviction to be as sustainable as possible, even though it was more expensive.
[23:15]	Diem talks about her philosophy behind plant based meals and what drives her to create her sustainable products, including that her mother was a butcher.
[25:00]	Diem’s father was a tailor, which is where she got her sense of style and love for fashion. When she moved to Australia, she went to the opshops and discovered vintage clothing.
[30:10]	Diem’s father had a few designers he loved and knew how to choose beautiful accessories.
[32:15]	If Diem had a large sum of money to make her world better, she would share with her family and fund projects for people in need. She would give some to her daughters, but talks about the fact that she has raised them to be able to make it on their own.
[35:30]	Diem loves people who dare to do things that others won’t do. She wants to surround herself with people who have the same values of sincerity, loyalty, fearlessness and honesty.