Building an AI-led creative food studio | Beejay & Keke, Co-Founders of Seeds of Wild

In this episode of Independent Minds, we speak with BJ and Kiki, co-founders of Seeds of Wild, a chef-led food company delivering sustainable catering and immersive dining experiences. They explain how food can become more than hospitality, serving instead as a way to tell stories, build community, and create more thoughtful brand and cultural experiences. BJ and Kiki discuss how Seeds of Wild emerged from a desire to reduce waste, reconnect people with food systems, and bring more meaning to the way events are designed and experienced. They reflect on building a business around values, creativity, sustainability, and long-term relationships, while staying grounded in what clients actually need. The conversation also explores entrepreneurship, partnership, financial discipline, vision-setting, and the role of AI in a modern creative business. From agritech and operational efficiency to the future of experiential events, this is a discussion about how founders can stay clear on purpose while adapting to changing technologies and markets. This episode is for founders, operators, creatives, and anyone interested in food, sustainability, AI, hospitality, and building purposeful businesses. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introducing BJ, Kiki and Seeds of Wild 00:17 - What a chef-led immersive food studio really is 01:50 - Food as storytelling, wellness and connection 02:01 - The Doctor Martens leadership event 03:21 - Creating playful food experiences for Lush 04:34 - Why they saw a gap in food and events 05:00 - Waste, seasonality and disconnected food trends 06:35 - How BJ and Kiki started working together 09:05 - Where the business is heading next 10:14 - Why human experience matters more in the age of AI 10:55 - Purpose, patience and values-led growth 11:42 - AI, agritech and operational efficiency 16:05 - Funding, focus and choosing the right growth levers 18:00 - Repeat customers and world-class service 18:30 - Knowing what you do and do not do 19:34 - How they built their initial community 20:54 - How they complement each other as founders 24:00 - Figuring out your strengths and weaknesses 26:01 - Curiosity, experimentation and entrepreneurial learning 27:10 - Why your identity should not be your business 29:33 - Fear, instability and the myth of security 31:52 - Vision boards, shiny objects and staying focused 34:10 - Purpose versus commercial viability 36:52 - The best advice they have kept 39:31 - Why purpose matters in building the future 42:32 - What is next for Seeds of Wild FOLLOW INDEPENDENT MINDS YouTube @ndentMinds LinkedIn @/independent-minds-podcast Instagram @dentmindspodcast FOLLOW SEEDS OF WILD Website ⁠https://seedsofwild.com⁠ Instagram ⁠https://www.instagram.com/seedsofwild... LinkedIn ⁠  / ⁠