Startup Cafe: H5E Founders with Josh Hix (Plated, $400M in exits)
Join Jeffrey Chernick and Alix Gitter, co-authors of High Five Energy: A Different Kind of Founder (#1 Amazon New Release), for High Five Energy Founders Podcast, a deep dive into the founder experience building category-defining companies with purpose and flow.
Our special guest is Josh Hix, co-founder of Plated, which he launched in 2012 with Harvard Business School classmate Nick Taranto and built into one of the pioneering brands in direct-to-consumer food delivery before Albertsons acquired it for approximately $300 million in 2017. Since the exit, Josh co-founded Season Health, a food-as-medicine platform combining clinical care with personalized nutrition to help people manage chronic conditions. He serves as CEO.
Together, we'll explore the mindset shifts and behavioral tools behind the founder flow state, including what it means to build a category that didn't yet exist, how to survive 200 investor rejections and keep going, and why the best founders never stop asking what problem they should be solving next. Walk away with clarity, strategy, and renewed energy to move forward.
Expect:
Live, unfiltered conversation and audience Q&A
Real founder stories and behavioral insights
A creative, high-vibe crowd of builders and believers
Networking, breakfast, and community energy before and after the show
Come for the advice. Stay for the flow.
Based on the book "High Five Energy: A Different Kind of Founder."
Agenda
8:45 - 9:30 am • Coffee and Socialize
9:30- 10:30 am • Live Podcast Recording with Josh Hix
June 10th, 2026
Josh Hix is the co-founder of Plated, which he launched in 2012 alongside Nick Taranto. Starting from their own savings and credit cards, they built Plated into one of the first and most recognized meal kit brands in the country, shipping millions of meals to over 95% of the US before Albertsons acquired the company in 2017.
Following the exit, Josh co-founded Season Health, an integrated food-as-medicine platform that combines evidence-based clinical care with access to medically-tailored meals and groceries to help individuals and families manage chronic conditions through what they eat.
About: Jeffrey Chernick
Jeffrey is a 3x founder, advisor, angel investor, and former Wall Street wealth manager. He has been featured by more than 30 media outlets including Techcrunch, Forbes, and the LA Times. His company RideAmigos is the leading commute management platform, taking millions of cars off the road annually.
With over 20 million downloads and $12 million raised, his visual caller ID app, Vyng, boasts 5 billion videos played across 170 countries (acquired by Siprocal). Chernick is an inventor of 21 US Patents, 3x Emory Goizueta Business School Alumni Luminary, and both a guest lecturer and advisory board member at Pepperdine University's Entrepreneurship MBA Program. In his spare time, Jeffrey DJ's around the world with neon drum sticks.
🔗 WEBSITE
About: Alix Gitter
Alix is an American actress, writer, and producer from Los Angeles, California. Known for roles in television movies such as Blue Lagoon: The Awakening and The Bling Ring, and appearances in acclaimed series like GCB, Longmire, and Bones, Gitter has brought characters to life with humor and soul.
Beyond the screen, she is a storyteller fueled by curiosity, compassion, and the conviction that life — like art — is a collaborative effort, one where everyone’s role matters. With a passion for the creative process and deep reverence for those who dare to try, Gitter sees the world through a simple belief: creation is participation.
ABOUT The KINN
The KINN is a membership network, accelerator, and collaborative workspace for conscious entrepreneurs, based in Venice, CA. Running tailored inner development and business accelerator programs for startups, providing executive coaching, accountability, and access to a top-tier LA-based community of entrepreneurs, creatives, intrapreneurs, and investors. If you're interested in learning more about KINN Membership, please visit http://thekinn.co/apply
Pilot
Pilot provides outsourced finance and operations support for startups, including bookkeeping, tax, CFO, and COO services. We help early-stage companies scale from Pre-Seed to Series C with accurate financials, operational discipline, and investor-ready insights.
ABOUT Nerdstage
Communication training and high-impact events giving tomorrow a louder voice. Nerdstage hosts the Demo Day event series & the Nerdstage Podcast.
If you're a builder turning hard problems into progress, you might be a fit for the Nerdstage Pitch Accelerator.
Who wants to go to Japan! 🇯🇵
KINN member Jeffrey Chernick partnered with Japan’s largest travel site to launch Kabuk.com — a free travel booking platform that offers:
A personal Japanese Concierge to plan your dream trip
Monthly payment installments instead of one lump sum
Free cancellation or rebooking within 7 days of your trip
Access to unique experiences not found online
Through its parent company, Kabuk has direct partnerships with over 4,000 hotels in Japan, offering up to 40% off your stay.
Sign up at Kabuk.com, book your discovery call, and use the code KINN to receive $200 in travel credits if booked by October 31, or $100 thereafter.