What Pinky Cole’s Story Teaches Us About Scaling the Right Way

When Pinky Cole, founder of the wildly popular Slutty Vegan brand, lost her multi-million dollar business, it shocked more than just the food world. From the outside, it looked like everything was working:

✔️ A booming business

✔️ A loyal fanbase

✔️ Nonstop press and praise

But behind the scenes?

The business was collapsing under its own weight.

In her own words:“I wasn’t the operational person… but you can never take your hands off the wheel.”

That one quote speaks to the pain so many CEOs experience — and too often, ignore — until it’s too late.

As a Fractional COO, I work with Visionary CEOs who are building big. They have bold ideas, fast momentum, and strong audiences. But like Pinky, they hit a wall when operational strategy doesn’t match growth.

Here’s what her story teaches us.

🚧 1. Branding Alone Won’t Save the Business

Slutty Vegan had one of the most viral brands of the decade. From celebrity fans to hour-long lines, the buzz was real. But buzz can’t cover up bloated overhead, inefficient systems, or unclear roles.

Pinky admitted her overhead had ballooned to $10 million.

That’s what happens when there’s no operational infrastructure guiding decisions.If you’re scaling without knowing the true cost of your growth — you’re not scaling. You’re bleeding.

🔁 2. Delegating Doesn’t Mean Disengaging

Pinky had people in place. She wasn’t trying to do everything herself. But here’s the trap:

She trusted operations were being handled… without verifying how.

Your team might be capable — but without strategic oversight, even the best people can only work with what they’ve been given. No systems = no success.

One of the biggest mistakes I see CEOs make?

Delegating operations without building operational guardrails.

That’s exactly what I help my clients fix.

🛑 3. If You Don’t Build the Back End, the Front End Will Eventually Break

Pinky had to let go of the original company. It was “too far gone,” she said. The debt, the inefficiencies, the lack of structure — it couldn’t be salvaged without a full reset.

So she did just that.

She let it go, restructured, and bought it back under a new name.

Slutty Vegan 2.0 is now being built with strategy and intention.

But imagine if that intention had been there from the start.

That’s what operational planning does:

It makes sure your business doesn’t need to collapse just to evolve.

✅ 4. You Don’t Have to Lose Everything to Start Leading Like a CEO

This is where I come in.

The CEOs I work with are visionaries — just like Pinky. They’re brilliant at what they do. But they’re drowning in operations, stuck in cycles, or burning out while holding the business together by force.

I help them shift.

From:

• Chief Everything Officer

• Overwhelm

• Gut decisions

• Missed opportunities

To:

• Visionary CEO

• Operational clarity

• Scalable systems

• Predictable growth

Pinky’s story is powerful because it shows what’s possible after the rebuild.

But I want you to know — you don’t have to break down to build up.

🔑 Your 2.0 Doesn’t Require a Meltdown

If you’re reading this and realizing you’re operating too close to the edge — it’s time to talk.

You can still course-correct.

You can still reclaim your time.

You can still build a business that grows with you, not one that drains you.

📌 Let’s build your operations around your vision — not in reaction to crisis.

Book a strategy call today, and let’s talk about how your 2.0 gets built with intention and operational excellence.