Erica Tuggle of Livin on Healthy Meals for Busy Families (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 891)
Feeding your family well shouldn’t mean late nights in the kitchen or guilt-driven takeout. Erica Tuggle, Founder and CEO of Livin, joined North Fulton Business Radio host John Ray to explain how her company is changing the way busy families eat at home.
Livin connects households with vetted local chefs who handle the shopping, cooking, and cleanup, leaving behind multiple meals ready to go. Erica shared how her experience as a working mom and her background with General Mills and Coca-Cola shaped the idea. She also discussed making personal chef services affordable, supporting healthier eating, and helping families reclaim time together.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
- Livin makes personal chef services accessible by pricing them closer to delivery meals.
- Families get healthier, customized food without the stress of meal prep.
- Erica’s corporate background in food and brand management shaped the vision for Livin.
- Recognized as a top 25 Atlanta startup, Livin is now expanding into Los Angeles.
- The real payoff is more family time around the dinner table.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Introduction to North Fulton Business Radio
01:46 Guest Introduction: Erica Tuggle
02:08 The Concept of Livin
02:48 Erica’s Personal Journey and Inspiration
04:44 Challenges of Modern Family Life
06:32 The Birth of Livin
08:43 Livin’s Growth and Recognition
09:55 Healthy Food for Families
12:02 Lessons from Corporate Experience
15:07 Service Areas and Chef Network
16:42 Chef Evaluation and Onboarding Process
17:08 Customer Subscription and Scheduling
17:53 Menu Selection and Chef Services
18:18 Meal Preparation and Customization
19:22 Affordable Personal Chef Services
23:43 Health and Dietary Options
25:08 Success Stories and Community Impact
27:26 Gift Cards and Special Occasions
28:35 Conclusion and Contact Information
29:35 Show Wrap-Up
Erica Tuggle, Livin
Erica Tuggle is a visionary business leader who combines an inspirational leadership style with consumer-driven, holistic management of her businesses.
Erica began her career at American Express. After earning her MBA at Harvard Business School, she then entered the food and beverage industry. Erica worked at General Mills and The Coca-Cola Company, leading various innovation and business development initiatives across global brands. Most notably, she reimagined and relaunched Coca-Cola’s global food pairing strategy—its top consumption occasion—and introduced a new campaign across nearly all international markets. She also built and launched Coca-Cola’s social justice response amidst the pandemic.
While pursuing her career, Erica was consistently challenged to provide the home-cooked meals her family loves and deserves. Out of this challenge, she birthed the idea for Livin, a business that connects busy families with accessible personal chefs to unlock access to more healthful and nutritious meals at home. Erica is now on a journey to modernize the traditional private chef model in a way that democratizes access to home cooking services and expands the market to greater supply and demand.
Since launching in 2022, Livin (formerly Cookonnect) has been recognized as a Top 25 Startup to Watch in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and in Essence Magazine. Livin has also raised over $1M in venture capital funding with support from Techstars and Slauson & Co.
After growing up in the Northeast, Erica now calls Atlanta, GA, home for her family, including her husband, their two children (7, 10), and their beagle.
Livin Website | Livin on Instagram | Livin on LinkedIn | Erica on LinkedIn
Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio
Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $17 billion in assets and more than 180 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from each banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way to better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter) | YouTube
Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio
If you’re a law firm, medical practice, or manufacturer, there’s one headline you don’t want to make: “Local Business Pays Thousands in Ransom After Cyberattack.” That’s where Beyond Computer Solutions comes in. They help organizations like yours stay out of the news and in business with managed IT and cybersecurity services designed for industries where compliance and reputation matter most.
Whether they serve as your complete IT department or simply support your internal team, they are well-versed in HIPAA, secure document access, written security policies, and other essential aspects that ensure your safety and well-being. Best of all, it starts with a complimentary security assessment.
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube
About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
With over 880 episodes and having featured over 1,300 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their market, community, and profession. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. John and the team at North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, produce the show, and it is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the national bestselling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.
Stephanie received her Health Coach Certification in 2014 and went on to receive her Master Certification in 2016, both from the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute, founded by world-renowned physician and author, Dr. William Sears. The Institute is a leader in science-based health and wellness education that focuses on a whole health experience including a strong nutritional foundation.
