He calls it a one man show for now. That’s how this started—JJ Raedemaker behind the stove, building Souper Star Soups one batch at a time. I met him walking in for soup—and found myself in a deeper conversation about recipes and shortly after _— about stress, leadership, and what it takes to build something that actually reflects who you are. There’s a groundedness to him. No performance. Just someone doing the work, day after day, and paying attention to what that work is asking of him in regards to community and his major values.

In past endeavors, his operating system was more self-reliance based. Do it all. Need no one. Push it forward. And that works—until you hit the edge of what one person can hold. Being a ‘data’ guy, he saw the limits of being a more closed system. If the vision is bigger than the individual, the model has to change. That’s where delegation and empowerment came in. Letting employees and community in expanded what was possible. When he practiced interrupting the default—his leadership changed.

From there, he made a more deliberate choice about the kind of business he wanted to run. Not one scaling up for the sake of it, but one rooted in place. Local sourcing. Seasonal ingredients. Direct connection to the people eating the food. He’s intentionally stepping away from the global supply chain model and everything that comes with it—the distance, the disconnection, the quiet erosion of quality. He is now building something closer. An offering Boulder can feel. Freeze the soup, keep it simple, keep it real. That’s his version of efficiency, inventory management, and quality.

There’s also a deeper tension he’s navigating that doesn’t always get named in small businesses—the pull between values and viability. It’s one thing to care about community, quality, and simplicity. It’s another to hold those lines when margins tighten, when growth opportunities show up that don’t quite fit, when the easier path would be to compromise just a little. He’s aware of that pull. He’s choosing, again and again, not to follow it. That kind of decision-making shows up in the menu and in every bite.

His values drive every decision: community and empowerment. I hear it in how he talks about the business. He honestly wants feedback and to engage with the desires of his community. He wants to know what people love. He wants to be in relationship with the people he serves. And at the same time, there’s tension. He’s an introvert. There’s no natural pull to promote himself or push outward. That creates friction in a world that rewards visibility. So instead of forcing that, he leans into Kaizen—refining, adjusting, learning as he goes. Quiet consistency and patience over time.

And what becomes clear is that this isn’t just about soup. In the middle of building this business, he became a youth resilience life coach. The throughline is service. Building trust. Strengthening people. Creating something that contributes. When he says he’s here for Boulder, it lands. In a time where people are choosing where to spend based on alignment, not just convenience, he’s doubling down locally—creating something that feeds more than hunger. While the vision remains to uplift the youth of Boulder in sustainable business environment.

If you want to experience what JJ is building, explore Souper Star Soups and taste what a locally rooted system can produce.

If you’re a leader looking to interrupt your own default patterns and lead differently under pressure, join the weekly Leadership Lab and step into the work.

If this story resonates, read more local leadership stories like SoBo Homes: Building Trust Through Collaborative Design on About Boulder.

Kate Galt Primal Leadership Business Coaching

Kate Galt coaches and challenges leaders at all levels— from entrepreneurs to seasoned executives— to sharpen their vision, articulate key messages so they connect and inspire, and make decisive, strategic moves that drive real business growth. Based in Boulder, Colorado, she works with individuals and teams to strengthen leadership, improve team dynamics, and achieve measurable results.

Her coaching is rooted in Primal Leadership—because the strongest leaders move with instinct, command presence without force, and create unshakable trust through raw, real connection.

Like any driven person, Kate is always figuring out how to do it all—running a business, raising two kids with her equally involved husband, and still making time for the adventure that brought her to Colorado in 1998. Whether it’s snowboarding, mountain biking, or chasing an ultimate frisbee, she knows the best leadership isn’t just learned—it’s lived.

The bottom line? Kate makes good leaders great.

Curious about what makes her coaching style so impactful? Book a call and experience it for yourself at CoachTheLeaders.com.